TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State women's basketball team concluded non-conference play with its sixth consecutive win, a 70-55 triumph over Creighton on Friday.
Robbi Ryan scored 12 points while Jamie Ruden and Jayde Van Hyfte added 11 points each for the Sun Devils, who shot 48 percent for the game. Helping the Sun Devils (10-2) shoot nearly nine points higher than their season average of 39.6 percent were Van Hyfte (5-7 FGs), Ruden (5-9 FGs), Ryan (5-10 FGs), Eboni Walker (3-4 FGs) and Ja'Tavia Tapley (3-5 FGs), who combined to shoot 60 percent (21-35) from the floor.
Playing for the first time since Nov. 10 because of injury, Ruden hardly showed any rust connecting on half of her shots, including a 4-of-5 effort in the third quarter when she reeled off nine points in two minutes for ASU.
Kiara Russell led ASU's rebounding effort, collecting a career high-tying eight boards for the second time in three games. Van Hyfte (six rebounds), Tapley (nine points, five rebounds) and Walker (six points, five rebounds) also were important contributors in helping ASU end up with a 41-27 advantage on the boards.
Reili Richardson, who last week moved into second place on ASU's list for career assists, had a season-high eight dimes on Friday to go with six points.
"(Creighton is) a really great team," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "(Creighton head coach Jim Flanery) does an amazing job. They came in here with a seven RPI, had beaten West Virginia, Nebraska, South Dakota State, so I'm really proud of our team. Wish we were a little more disciplined with sustaining some things but I thought it was a great team win and we really disrupted them, took them out of their flow, didn't allow them to shoot the ball the way they really can shoot the ball and that was the difference in the game.
"This was the first day since we've started this new season that we've had every single player available to practice/play. Jamie (Loera) needs time to get back in basketball shape and get her rhythm back, but how about Jamie Ruden's instant offense. I'm excited going into Pac-12 to stay at full strength and really be able to make a good run."
The Sun Devils led by as many as 14 in the first half, but the Bluejays came back behind a 14-6 run that got them within six points with just over a minute left in the second quarter. Tapley's bucket in the final minute of the half enabled ASU to take an eight-point lead at the break, 30-22.
As has been the case in recent games, the Sun Devils came through with a tremendous effort in the third quarter, hitting 67 percent of their shots in the period. Long-distance makes by Richardson, Ryan (four-point play) and Van Hyfte over the first four minutes of the third quarter helped ASU build its lead back up to 15, 44-29. Creighton never got closer than 10 points the rest of the game.
Leading the way for the Bluejays (8-3), who came into the game No. 7 in the NCAA's RPI rankings, were Olivia Elger (24 points) and Jaylyn Agnew (12 points), who combined for more than half of Creighton's points.
Ruden had her second double-figure scoring effort of the season after previously posting 14 points in ASU's season opening win over Air Force.
""It's really exciting to be back on the court with my teammates," Ruden said. "Just to feel the support from everyone because obviously it was pretty hard to be injured right at the beginning of the season. It's been a little bit of a grind to stay positive and everything so it feels good to be back on the court and have fun with everybody."
Added Ryan about having Ruden back on the court, "It's so nice to have her back. She's obviously a big post presence, and she's had a lot of experience from last year, and she knows everything from our offense and culture, so it's nice to have another senior back out on the court. Obviously, she caused a lot of trouble down on the block, so it's great to have her back."
The Sun Devils return to action on Sun., Dec. 29 (12 pm MST) when they host unbeaten and current No. 18 Arizona in the Pac-12 opener and the first of this season's two Territorial Cup contests.
Robbi Ryan scored 12 points while Jamie Ruden and Jayde Van Hyfte added 11 points each for the Sun Devils, who shot 48 percent for the game. Helping the Sun Devils (10-2) shoot nearly nine points higher than their season average of 39.6 percent were Van Hyfte (5-7 FGs), Ruden (5-9 FGs), Ryan (5-10 FGs), Eboni Walker (3-4 FGs) and Ja'Tavia Tapley (3-5 FGs), who combined to shoot 60 percent (21-35) from the floor.
Playing for the first time since Nov. 10 because of injury, Ruden hardly showed any rust connecting on half of her shots, including a 4-of-5 effort in the third quarter when she reeled off nine points in two minutes for ASU.
Kiara Russell led ASU's rebounding effort, collecting a career high-tying eight boards for the second time in three games. Van Hyfte (six rebounds), Tapley (nine points, five rebounds) and Walker (six points, five rebounds) also were important contributors in helping ASU end up with a 41-27 advantage on the boards.
Reili Richardson, who last week moved into second place on ASU's list for career assists, had a season-high eight dimes on Friday to go with six points.
"(Creighton is) a really great team," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "(Creighton head coach Jim Flanery) does an amazing job. They came in here with a seven RPI, had beaten West Virginia, Nebraska, South Dakota State, so I'm really proud of our team. Wish we were a little more disciplined with sustaining some things but I thought it was a great team win and we really disrupted them, took them out of their flow, didn't allow them to shoot the ball the way they really can shoot the ball and that was the difference in the game.
"This was the first day since we've started this new season that we've had every single player available to practice/play. Jamie (Loera) needs time to get back in basketball shape and get her rhythm back, but how about Jamie Ruden's instant offense. I'm excited going into Pac-12 to stay at full strength and really be able to make a good run."
The Sun Devils led by as many as 14 in the first half, but the Bluejays came back behind a 14-6 run that got them within six points with just over a minute left in the second quarter. Tapley's bucket in the final minute of the half enabled ASU to take an eight-point lead at the break, 30-22.
As has been the case in recent games, the Sun Devils came through with a tremendous effort in the third quarter, hitting 67 percent of their shots in the period. Long-distance makes by Richardson, Ryan (four-point play) and Van Hyfte over the first four minutes of the third quarter helped ASU build its lead back up to 15, 44-29. Creighton never got closer than 10 points the rest of the game.
Leading the way for the Bluejays (8-3), who came into the game No. 7 in the NCAA's RPI rankings, were Olivia Elger (24 points) and Jaylyn Agnew (12 points), who combined for more than half of Creighton's points.
Ruden had her second double-figure scoring effort of the season after previously posting 14 points in ASU's season opening win over Air Force.
""It's really exciting to be back on the court with my teammates," Ruden said. "Just to feel the support from everyone because obviously it was pretty hard to be injured right at the beginning of the season. It's been a little bit of a grind to stay positive and everything so it feels good to be back on the court and have fun with everybody."
Added Ryan about having Ruden back on the court, "It's so nice to have her back. She's obviously a big post presence, and she's had a lot of experience from last year, and she knows everything from our offense and culture, so it's nice to have another senior back out on the court. Obviously, she caused a lot of trouble down on the block, so it's great to have her back."
The Sun Devils return to action on Sun., Dec. 29 (12 pm MST) when they host unbeaten and current No. 18 Arizona in the Pac-12 opener and the first of this season's two Territorial Cup contests.