THE GAME: Goombay Splash: Sun Devil WBB (4-0) vs. American University (0-4)
WHEN: Friday at 4:15 pm EST / 2:15 pm MST
WHERE: Bimini, Bahamas
WATCH: FloHoops (Paid subscription will be needed to watch)
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
UP NEXT
Coming off its fourth consecutive win to start the 2022-23 campaign, a come-from-behind, 83-77 OT win at New Mexico on Sunday, the Sun Devil women's basketball team will play its next two games out of the country as it takes its 4-0 record to Bimini, Bahamas, where it will face American University on Friday (4:15 pm EST) & No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday (4:15 pm EST) at the Goombay Splash.
The Sun Devils started out the Natasha Adair era with a 69-68 win vs. Northern Arizona on Nov. 7. Junior guard Jaddan Simmons tied her career high with 22 points while junior guard Tyi Skinner added 12 points. In her debut for the Sun Devils, Meg Newman, who redshirted last season, had a near double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. ASU held the Lumberjacks to zero points in the final three minutes of play and Simmons hit the game-tying and go-ahead free throws to get the hard-earned win.
ASU's second win, a 62-49 decision over Grambling State on Nov. 11, came in much less dramatic fashion. ASU led by 16 in the middle of the third quarter, but the Lady Tigers got back within nine points less than two minutes into the final frame. Skinner personally made sure ASU did not have a second-consecutive, one-possession game as she scored 11 of her game-high 16 points – and 11 of ASU's 16 points as a team – in the final quarter. Skinner could not miss as she swished all four of her field goals, including a pair of makes from downtown and hit the only free throw she attempted.
This weekend's games will be the third and fourth of five consecutive games the Sun Devils are playing away from home. Upon returning from The Bahamas, ASU will make a short trip to Phoenix to take on Grand Canyon University.
ASU started its current road trip with a 79-64 win at 2022 Big Sky Tournament champion/2022 NCAA Tournament participant Montana State (Nov. 15). ASU scored the first 20 points and led by as many as 27. Skinner (game-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting) came within a point of matching her career high in scoring while accounting for a career-best four steals. Treasure Hunt scored a career-high 19 points while leading the team with seven rebounds.
On Sunday, ASU had to go to overtime to remain unbeaten in a hard-fought 83-77 win at New Mexico. Skinner posted her second straight 24-point outing, while Kayla Mokwuah (16 points, 13 rebounds), Jaddan Simmons (16 points) and Treasure Hunt (15 points, career-high 15 rebounds) also scored in double figures for the Sun Devils, who had to battle back from a five-point deficit in the final minutes to force overtime.
With a win on Friday, ASU would be out of the gates with its first 5-0 start since the 2002-03 season. The 2014-15 squad that was the fastest in history to reach 20 wins (22 games), lost its fifth game of the season and its 20th game on its way to the achievement.
NOTES ON THE OPPOSITION
American is 0-4. Most recently, the Eagles fell 90-65 to No. 7 Notre Dame on Thursday. American led George Washington by a point with 93 seconds remaining in its home opener on Nov. 17, but the Colonials scored the game's last six points to come way with a 67-62 win. The Eagles were within six points going into the fourth quarter vs. Virginia, but the Cavaliers scored the first nine points of the final frame to take control of the game. ASU has won the only prior meeting vs. American, 90-82 in Tempe on December 5, 1996.
SEE YOU IN DECEMBER
ASU's game at Montana State on Nov. 15 started a stretch in which the ASU would be playing five consecutive games away from Desert Financial Arena. The string of games started with wins at Montana State (Nov. 15) and at New Mexico (Nov. 20). After this weekend's Goombay Splash the Sun Devils will conclude their time away from home with a contest at Grand Canyon on Nov. 30. ASU will be back in Desert Financial Arena the first weekend in December to take on UMass (Dec. 2) and Missouri (Dec. 4) as part of the inaugural Briann January Classic.
EARLY TRENDS
• Three Sun Devils are averaging double figures in scoring: junior guard and Delaware transfer Tyi Skinner (19.0 ppg) returning junior guard Jaddan Simmons (16.3 ppg) and junior guard and Kentucky transfer Treasure Hunt (Kentucky/13.5 ppg). Skinner has the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil after scoring 24 points (one point short of her career high) in ASU's road wins at Montana State (Nov. 15) and at New Mexico (Nov. 20). Simmons tied her career high in scoring with 22 points vs. NAU (Nov. 7). Hunt poured in a career-high 19 points at Montana State (Nov. 15).
• Skinner is also leading the team in 3-pointers (8), assists per game (3.0) and steals per game (2.8).
• Hunt is currently averaging a double-double: 13.5 ppg and 10.3 rpg. Hunt became the first Sun Devil to account for a double-double this season with 13 points and 11 rebounds in ASU's win over Grambling State (Nov. 11). She added her second with 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in ASU's OT win at New Mexico (Nov. 20).
• Simmons leads the team in free throws made (22), attempted (24), free throw percentage (91.7), field goal percentage (47.5), 3-point FG percentage (50.0) and blocked shots per game (1.3). She is also second in both scoring (16.3 ppg) and steals per game (1.5).
• In addition to Hunt (10.3 rpg), grad center and TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah (7.3 rpg), Meg Newman (5.3 rpg) and Simmons (4.3 rpg) have been ASU's top performers on the glass. Mokwuah leads the team in offensive rebounds per game (3.5).
• Meg Newman, who made her Sun Devil debut in the 2022-23 season opener after missing the 2021-22 campaign due to injury, came up just short of claiming the first double-double of the season after her nine-point, 11-rebound outing vs. NAU. Newman's final rebound of the game sealed ASU's 69-68 win as she boarded NAU's initial attempt to win the game on its final possession.
• Skinner and Simmons are the only two Sun Devils who have scored in double figures in every game this season.
• Nine different Sun Devils are averaging at least 6.9 minutes this season.
TIMELY DEVIL DEFENSE CONTRIBUTES TO SUCCESS
When ASU's defense has needed to be its best, it has answered the call.
• NAU did not score after going up 68-64 with 3:01 remaining (Nov. 7). ASU scored the game's last five points to edge NAU 69-68.
• In ASU's 79-64 win at Montana State, ASU's defense – and offense – both put on dominant performances early on as the Sun Devils scored the game's first 20 points in their eventual 79-64 win.
• ASU outscored New Mexico a combined 15-4 in the last two minutes of regulation (9-4 to force overtime) and overtime (6-0 to take control of the game) to come away with an 83-77 road win and keep its unbeaten record intact.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF NOV. 24)
• As a team, ASU is ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in free throws attempted (2nd/22nd in the nation), free throws made (3rd/15th in the nation), free throw percentage (3rd) and rebounds per game (3rd/43rd in the nation).
• Hunt leads the Pac-12 defensive rebounds (15th in the nation), is 3rd in the Pac-12 in double-doubles (31st in the nation) and 3rd on rebounds per game (40th in the nation).
• Junior guard Skinner is 3rd in the Pac-12 in steals per game (2.75) and 4th in in scoring (19.9 ppg).
• Junior guard Simmons is 3rd in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (91.7).
CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AWAITS ASU
Contests against eight teams that qualified for postseason play last season highlight the Arizona State women's basketball team's 2022 non-conference schedule.
The Sun Devils will play five of their non-conference contests at home, including tilts against 2022 NCAA Tournament participant and Atlantic-10 champion UMass (Dec. 2) and 2022 WNIT participant Missouri (Dec. 4).
ASU will be spending Thanksgiving weekend at the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26/Bimini, Bahamas) where it will face two 2022 NCAA Tournament teams in the form of Notre Dame (NCAA Third Round) and American (NCAA First Round and Patriot League Tournament champions).
Other teams ASU will face that qualified for 2022 postseason play include road contests against Montana State (Nov. 15/NCAA First Round), New Mexico (Nov. 20/WNIT Third Round), Grand Canyon (Nov. 30/WNIT First Round) and Stephen F. Austin (Dec. 11/NCAA First Round).
SUN DEVIL WBB ANNOUNCES BRIANN JANUARY CLASSIC
To kick off the month of December, Sun Devil Women's Basketball will host the inaugural Briann January Classic from Dec. 2-4 at Desert Financial Arena.
The event honors January, a Sun Devil Hall of Famer who ended her college career at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories, including assists (first/now second), free-throw percentage (first), steals (second), free-throws (second), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth), 3-point field goals (fifth/now seventh) and points (seventh/now ninth).
The Briann January Classic will feature three games in three days, starting when the Sun Devils host UMass on Fri., Dec. 2 at 6 pm at Desert Financial Arena. The following day, UMass will face Missouri at 3 pm. The inaugural Briann January Classic will conclude on Sun., Dec. 4 when the Sun Devils take on Missouri at 12:30 p.m.
NOTES ON THE 2022-23 ROSTER
• New Sun Devil head coach Natasha Adair and her staff did an outstanding job of bringing in several talented players capable of making an immediate impact to join the core of talent that chose to commit to Adair after she was named head coach in late March. After a national search, Adair was hired to assume the vacancy left by Sun Devil Hall of Fame coach Charli Turner Thorne, who announced her retirement at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.
• Guards Jaddan Simmons, Sydney Erikstrup, Isadora Sousa, G/F Maggie Besselink and posts Imogen Greenslade and Meg Newman all remained Sun Devils. All six players are expected to play significant roles this season. Although she was on last year's roster, Meg Newman did not make her Sun Devil debut until the first game of the 2022-23 season as she missed her entire freshman campaign due to injury.
• Another player who chose to stay with the school she originally committed to was incoming freshman and local product Trayanna Crisp, who signed with ASU in November 2021. Adair and her staff were already familiar with Crisp as they recruited the standout guard when they were at Delaware.
• Knowing everything Arizona State University and Sun Devil Athletics has to offer, Adair and her staff were confident in their ability to sign the players they had identified from the pool of talent that included student-athletes in the transfer portal and freshman players who had yet to sign.
• Joining ASU from other college programs were a trio of impressive guards – sophomore Morasha Wiggins (North Carolina) and juniors Tyi Skinner (Delaware) and Treasure Hunt (Kentucky) – and an experienced post in the form of fifth-year center Kayla Mokwuah (TCU).
• A pair of freshmen from Pennsylvania – guard Jaylah Robinson and post Journey Thompson – were also excited to come and be a part Adair's vision for Sun Devil Women's Basketball.
• Prior to ASU's season opener, Adair summed up the process that took place over the offseason and fall camp of gelling the returners with the newcomers: "I think that's been the biggest thing we've focused on, especially in the off-season and summer when everyone got here. It's more about the culture of the team. You had six players that were here and then there was so much change. With the new players coming in, we still talked about why ASU? I think if you keep everyone focused on why ASU, their love for ASU, then it doesn't matter where the players came from. It's just where we are now. But we've spent so much time learning about one another, who we are, what makes us who we are, what's important, our heroes, our hardships and our highlights, and with young women, it's trust. I think everyday being consistent, showing up for one another, and just recognizing everyone's strength and every piece to the puzzle, then we talk about the masterpiece. Really excited about all the moving parts, and they're really working together nicely."
SUN DEVIL WBB PARTICIPATES IN PAC-12-SWAC LEGACY SERIES
On Fri., Nov. 11 Arizona State hosted Grambling State as part of the inaugural Pac-12-SWAC Legacy Series.
Announced in Sept. 2021, the partnership between the Pac-12 and SWAC is the first of its kind pertaining to basketball scheduling between Autonomy 5 and HBCU leagues, but also placed crucial emphasis on raising awareness for anti-racism and social justice initiatives.
A critical component of the Legacy Series is ongoing educational opportunities for student-athletes featuring community leaders and expert Conference alumni.
The event came on the heels of this past summer's Pac-12 ImPACt experience in Selma and Montgomery, Ala., in which conference student-athletes and administrators journeyed to the center of the civil rights movement.
"I think anytime we have an opportunity to talk about social issues and bring them to the forefront and use our platform, but also to merge with the PAC-12 and the SWAC," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said after the game. "I think it's our opportunity and our responsibility to make sure that we educate and grow our student-athletes and so to be able to talk. We [Arizona State and Grambling State] broke bread together [earlier in the week] and just had a really good time meeting one another.
"But it stands for more than just basketball. You have a responsibility, especially on this big stage to make sure we're not just coaching them on the court. We're coaching them and preparing them for life. And they will be able to grow as women and be empowered to speak up for things that they are passionate about, and just things to just affect change in society. I think it's really needed and just thankful to be a part of the conference that thought so."
WHEN: Friday at 4:15 pm EST / 2:15 pm MST
WHERE: Bimini, Bahamas
WATCH: FloHoops (Paid subscription will be needed to watch)
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
UP NEXT
Coming off its fourth consecutive win to start the 2022-23 campaign, a come-from-behind, 83-77 OT win at New Mexico on Sunday, the Sun Devil women's basketball team will play its next two games out of the country as it takes its 4-0 record to Bimini, Bahamas, where it will face American University on Friday (4:15 pm EST) & No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday (4:15 pm EST) at the Goombay Splash.
The Sun Devils started out the Natasha Adair era with a 69-68 win vs. Northern Arizona on Nov. 7. Junior guard Jaddan Simmons tied her career high with 22 points while junior guard Tyi Skinner added 12 points. In her debut for the Sun Devils, Meg Newman, who redshirted last season, had a near double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. ASU held the Lumberjacks to zero points in the final three minutes of play and Simmons hit the game-tying and go-ahead free throws to get the hard-earned win.
ASU's second win, a 62-49 decision over Grambling State on Nov. 11, came in much less dramatic fashion. ASU led by 16 in the middle of the third quarter, but the Lady Tigers got back within nine points less than two minutes into the final frame. Skinner personally made sure ASU did not have a second-consecutive, one-possession game as she scored 11 of her game-high 16 points – and 11 of ASU's 16 points as a team – in the final quarter. Skinner could not miss as she swished all four of her field goals, including a pair of makes from downtown and hit the only free throw she attempted.
This weekend's games will be the third and fourth of five consecutive games the Sun Devils are playing away from home. Upon returning from The Bahamas, ASU will make a short trip to Phoenix to take on Grand Canyon University.
ASU started its current road trip with a 79-64 win at 2022 Big Sky Tournament champion/2022 NCAA Tournament participant Montana State (Nov. 15). ASU scored the first 20 points and led by as many as 27. Skinner (game-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting) came within a point of matching her career high in scoring while accounting for a career-best four steals. Treasure Hunt scored a career-high 19 points while leading the team with seven rebounds.
On Sunday, ASU had to go to overtime to remain unbeaten in a hard-fought 83-77 win at New Mexico. Skinner posted her second straight 24-point outing, while Kayla Mokwuah (16 points, 13 rebounds), Jaddan Simmons (16 points) and Treasure Hunt (15 points, career-high 15 rebounds) also scored in double figures for the Sun Devils, who had to battle back from a five-point deficit in the final minutes to force overtime.
With a win on Friday, ASU would be out of the gates with its first 5-0 start since the 2002-03 season. The 2014-15 squad that was the fastest in history to reach 20 wins (22 games), lost its fifth game of the season and its 20th game on its way to the achievement.
NOTES ON THE OPPOSITION
American is 0-4. Most recently, the Eagles fell 90-65 to No. 7 Notre Dame on Thursday. American led George Washington by a point with 93 seconds remaining in its home opener on Nov. 17, but the Colonials scored the game's last six points to come way with a 67-62 win. The Eagles were within six points going into the fourth quarter vs. Virginia, but the Cavaliers scored the first nine points of the final frame to take control of the game. ASU has won the only prior meeting vs. American, 90-82 in Tempe on December 5, 1996.
SEE YOU IN DECEMBER
ASU's game at Montana State on Nov. 15 started a stretch in which the ASU would be playing five consecutive games away from Desert Financial Arena. The string of games started with wins at Montana State (Nov. 15) and at New Mexico (Nov. 20). After this weekend's Goombay Splash the Sun Devils will conclude their time away from home with a contest at Grand Canyon on Nov. 30. ASU will be back in Desert Financial Arena the first weekend in December to take on UMass (Dec. 2) and Missouri (Dec. 4) as part of the inaugural Briann January Classic.
EARLY TRENDS
• Three Sun Devils are averaging double figures in scoring: junior guard and Delaware transfer Tyi Skinner (19.0 ppg) returning junior guard Jaddan Simmons (16.3 ppg) and junior guard and Kentucky transfer Treasure Hunt (Kentucky/13.5 ppg). Skinner has the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil after scoring 24 points (one point short of her career high) in ASU's road wins at Montana State (Nov. 15) and at New Mexico (Nov. 20). Simmons tied her career high in scoring with 22 points vs. NAU (Nov. 7). Hunt poured in a career-high 19 points at Montana State (Nov. 15).
• Skinner is also leading the team in 3-pointers (8), assists per game (3.0) and steals per game (2.8).
• Hunt is currently averaging a double-double: 13.5 ppg and 10.3 rpg. Hunt became the first Sun Devil to account for a double-double this season with 13 points and 11 rebounds in ASU's win over Grambling State (Nov. 11). She added her second with 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in ASU's OT win at New Mexico (Nov. 20).
• Simmons leads the team in free throws made (22), attempted (24), free throw percentage (91.7), field goal percentage (47.5), 3-point FG percentage (50.0) and blocked shots per game (1.3). She is also second in both scoring (16.3 ppg) and steals per game (1.5).
• In addition to Hunt (10.3 rpg), grad center and TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah (7.3 rpg), Meg Newman (5.3 rpg) and Simmons (4.3 rpg) have been ASU's top performers on the glass. Mokwuah leads the team in offensive rebounds per game (3.5).
• Meg Newman, who made her Sun Devil debut in the 2022-23 season opener after missing the 2021-22 campaign due to injury, came up just short of claiming the first double-double of the season after her nine-point, 11-rebound outing vs. NAU. Newman's final rebound of the game sealed ASU's 69-68 win as she boarded NAU's initial attempt to win the game on its final possession.
• Skinner and Simmons are the only two Sun Devils who have scored in double figures in every game this season.
• Nine different Sun Devils are averaging at least 6.9 minutes this season.
TIMELY DEVIL DEFENSE CONTRIBUTES TO SUCCESS
When ASU's defense has needed to be its best, it has answered the call.
• NAU did not score after going up 68-64 with 3:01 remaining (Nov. 7). ASU scored the game's last five points to edge NAU 69-68.
• In ASU's 79-64 win at Montana State, ASU's defense – and offense – both put on dominant performances early on as the Sun Devils scored the game's first 20 points in their eventual 79-64 win.
• ASU outscored New Mexico a combined 15-4 in the last two minutes of regulation (9-4 to force overtime) and overtime (6-0 to take control of the game) to come away with an 83-77 road win and keep its unbeaten record intact.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF NOV. 24)
• As a team, ASU is ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in free throws attempted (2nd/22nd in the nation), free throws made (3rd/15th in the nation), free throw percentage (3rd) and rebounds per game (3rd/43rd in the nation).
• Hunt leads the Pac-12 defensive rebounds (15th in the nation), is 3rd in the Pac-12 in double-doubles (31st in the nation) and 3rd on rebounds per game (40th in the nation).
• Junior guard Skinner is 3rd in the Pac-12 in steals per game (2.75) and 4th in in scoring (19.9 ppg).
• Junior guard Simmons is 3rd in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (91.7).
CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AWAITS ASU
Contests against eight teams that qualified for postseason play last season highlight the Arizona State women's basketball team's 2022 non-conference schedule.
The Sun Devils will play five of their non-conference contests at home, including tilts against 2022 NCAA Tournament participant and Atlantic-10 champion UMass (Dec. 2) and 2022 WNIT participant Missouri (Dec. 4).
ASU will be spending Thanksgiving weekend at the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26/Bimini, Bahamas) where it will face two 2022 NCAA Tournament teams in the form of Notre Dame (NCAA Third Round) and American (NCAA First Round and Patriot League Tournament champions).
Other teams ASU will face that qualified for 2022 postseason play include road contests against Montana State (Nov. 15/NCAA First Round), New Mexico (Nov. 20/WNIT Third Round), Grand Canyon (Nov. 30/WNIT First Round) and Stephen F. Austin (Dec. 11/NCAA First Round).
SUN DEVIL WBB ANNOUNCES BRIANN JANUARY CLASSIC
To kick off the month of December, Sun Devil Women's Basketball will host the inaugural Briann January Classic from Dec. 2-4 at Desert Financial Arena.
The event honors January, a Sun Devil Hall of Famer who ended her college career at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories, including assists (first/now second), free-throw percentage (first), steals (second), free-throws (second), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth), 3-point field goals (fifth/now seventh) and points (seventh/now ninth).
The Briann January Classic will feature three games in three days, starting when the Sun Devils host UMass on Fri., Dec. 2 at 6 pm at Desert Financial Arena. The following day, UMass will face Missouri at 3 pm. The inaugural Briann January Classic will conclude on Sun., Dec. 4 when the Sun Devils take on Missouri at 12:30 p.m.
NOTES ON THE 2022-23 ROSTER
• New Sun Devil head coach Natasha Adair and her staff did an outstanding job of bringing in several talented players capable of making an immediate impact to join the core of talent that chose to commit to Adair after she was named head coach in late March. After a national search, Adair was hired to assume the vacancy left by Sun Devil Hall of Fame coach Charli Turner Thorne, who announced her retirement at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.
• Guards Jaddan Simmons, Sydney Erikstrup, Isadora Sousa, G/F Maggie Besselink and posts Imogen Greenslade and Meg Newman all remained Sun Devils. All six players are expected to play significant roles this season. Although she was on last year's roster, Meg Newman did not make her Sun Devil debut until the first game of the 2022-23 season as she missed her entire freshman campaign due to injury.
• Another player who chose to stay with the school she originally committed to was incoming freshman and local product Trayanna Crisp, who signed with ASU in November 2021. Adair and her staff were already familiar with Crisp as they recruited the standout guard when they were at Delaware.
• Knowing everything Arizona State University and Sun Devil Athletics has to offer, Adair and her staff were confident in their ability to sign the players they had identified from the pool of talent that included student-athletes in the transfer portal and freshman players who had yet to sign.
• Joining ASU from other college programs were a trio of impressive guards – sophomore Morasha Wiggins (North Carolina) and juniors Tyi Skinner (Delaware) and Treasure Hunt (Kentucky) – and an experienced post in the form of fifth-year center Kayla Mokwuah (TCU).
• A pair of freshmen from Pennsylvania – guard Jaylah Robinson and post Journey Thompson – were also excited to come and be a part Adair's vision for Sun Devil Women's Basketball.
• Prior to ASU's season opener, Adair summed up the process that took place over the offseason and fall camp of gelling the returners with the newcomers: "I think that's been the biggest thing we've focused on, especially in the off-season and summer when everyone got here. It's more about the culture of the team. You had six players that were here and then there was so much change. With the new players coming in, we still talked about why ASU? I think if you keep everyone focused on why ASU, their love for ASU, then it doesn't matter where the players came from. It's just where we are now. But we've spent so much time learning about one another, who we are, what makes us who we are, what's important, our heroes, our hardships and our highlights, and with young women, it's trust. I think everyday being consistent, showing up for one another, and just recognizing everyone's strength and every piece to the puzzle, then we talk about the masterpiece. Really excited about all the moving parts, and they're really working together nicely."
SUN DEVIL WBB PARTICIPATES IN PAC-12-SWAC LEGACY SERIES
On Fri., Nov. 11 Arizona State hosted Grambling State as part of the inaugural Pac-12-SWAC Legacy Series.
Announced in Sept. 2021, the partnership between the Pac-12 and SWAC is the first of its kind pertaining to basketball scheduling between Autonomy 5 and HBCU leagues, but also placed crucial emphasis on raising awareness for anti-racism and social justice initiatives.
A critical component of the Legacy Series is ongoing educational opportunities for student-athletes featuring community leaders and expert Conference alumni.
The event came on the heels of this past summer's Pac-12 ImPACt experience in Selma and Montgomery, Ala., in which conference student-athletes and administrators journeyed to the center of the civil rights movement.
"I think anytime we have an opportunity to talk about social issues and bring them to the forefront and use our platform, but also to merge with the PAC-12 and the SWAC," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said after the game. "I think it's our opportunity and our responsibility to make sure that we educate and grow our student-athletes and so to be able to talk. We [Arizona State and Grambling State] broke bread together [earlier in the week] and just had a really good time meeting one another.
"But it stands for more than just basketball. You have a responsibility, especially on this big stage to make sure we're not just coaching them on the court. We're coaching them and preparing them for life. And they will be able to grow as women and be empowered to speak up for things that they are passionate about, and just things to just affect change in society. I think it's really needed and just thankful to be a part of the conference that thought so."