Sun Devil WBB opens Pac-12 play at No. 18/15 Arizona on Thursday
THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (7-4, 0-0 Pac-12) at No. 18/15 Arizona (10-1, 0-0 Pac-12)
WHEN: Thursday at 6 p.m. MST
WHERE: McKale Center • Tucson, Ariz.
TV: Pac-12 Network/Arizona
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-4) opens Pac-12 play on Thursday night (6 p.m. MST) when it travels to Tucson, Ariz. to take on No. 18/15 Arizona (10-1) in the first of two Territorial Cup contests this season.
Under first-year head coach Natasha Adair, the Sun Devils started the season 5-0 for the first time since 2002-03. A series of injuries gave the Sun Devils an unexpected challenge which played a major role in the team's three-game losing streak earlier this month.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• The Sun Devils played nine games over the first 27 days of the season (Nov. 7 - Dec. 4). They followed that with a stretch in which they played two games in 23 days (Dec. 5 - Dec. 28). They are now back on the fast track as they will play their first three conference games over a five-day span: at Arizona (Dec. 29), at Stanford (Dec. 31) and at Cal (Jan. 2).
• In addition to contending with three consecutive road games to start conference play, in the bigger picture the game at Cal will be the culmination of what would be a challenging assignment for any team: playing nine of 14 games away from home to 'start' the season.
• As of Dec. 23, Tyi Skinner is 15th in the nation and second in the Pac-12 in scoring (20.6 ppg) and tied for No. 2 in the Pac-12 with Charisma Osborne of UCLA with six 20-point games. Alissa Pili (Utah) and Charlisse Leger-Walker (WSU) are tied for the Pac-12 lead with seven. All of Skinner's 20-point games have come over ASU's last nine contests. The stretch included consecutive 24-point efforts at New Mexico and vs. American and a pair of career-high 29-point games: at Grand Canyon and vs. Missouri. Skinner six triples vs. Missouri were one short of tying the single-game school record.
• Skinner has scored in double figures in every game while fellow junior guard Jaddan Simmons has scored in double figures in all but one game she has played in. Simmons is 13th in the Pac-12 in scoring (13.7 ppg).
• The Sun Devils reeled off five wins in as many games for the program's best start since 2002-03, ASU would then go on to drop four of five contests, a sequence that started with an 85-65 loss to current-No. 5 Notre Dame (Nov. 26) at the Goombay Splash in Bimini, Bahamas. The Sun Devils led the Irish by three points at the half and were tied with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter before Notre Dame used a 12-2 run to gain control of the game on its way to the win.
• ASU closed out non-conference play with an 82-67 win over Prairie View A&M on Dec. 17. Treasure Hunt and Meg Newman were a two-person wrecking crew two combined for 34 points and 27 rebounds. Hunt scored a career-best 22 points with nine rebounds, while Newman chimed in with 12 points and 18 rebounds – both career-highs – off the bench to help the Sun Devils put away the pesky Panthers. Newman's 18 boards were the most for a Sun Devil since Ja'Tavia Tapley pulled down 18 on Dec. 6, 2019, against BYU.
SERIES NOTES
• The Sun Devils have won 30 of the last 39 meetings, however Arizona has had recent success with five wins in the last eight contests.
• Arizona's 58-53 win on Dec. 29, 2019 was its first in Tempe since 2000. ASU swept the season series in 2015, 2016 & 2018 and split with the Wildcats in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
• ASU's 81-77 win at home vs. No. 6/7 Arizona in the first meeting of 2021-22 was second consecutive upset of a Top 10 Arizona squad. ASU knocked off the No. 9 Wildcats 66-64 (OT) in in the 2020-21 rematch in Tempe. Jaddan Simmons scored 11 of her 15 points over the last 9:20 (last 4:20 of regulation and 5:00 of OT) of the game and was awarded Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after the win. Arizona won the first match of 2021-22, 65-37 in Tucson.
• The Sun Devils nearly made it three straight wins over the Wildcats before falling in last year's rematch, 62-58 in Tucson. Simmons tied her season high in scoring with 16 points and had a game-high four assists to lead the Sun Devils.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 23)
• As a team, ASU is ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (1st/24.1/eighth in the nation), FTs made per game (1st/17.9/sixth in the nation), offensive rebounds per game (3rd/14.7/35th in the nation), free throw percentage (3rd/74.3) and 3-point FG pct. defense (4th/29.3).
• Skinner leads the Pac-12 in free throws made (62/18th in the nation) and attempted (75/29th in the nation) and minutes per game (36.0/25th in the nation), is 2nd in scoring (20.6 ppg/15th in the nation), 3rd in 3-pointers per game (2.45), 5th in FT percentage (82.7) and 8th in steals per game (1.9) and 3-point FG percentage (36.5).
• Simmons is 2nd in the Pac-12 in FTs made (51) and minutes per game (36.0), 4th in FTs attempted (62), 6th in FT percentage (82.3) and 13th in scoring (13.7).
• Treasure Hunt and Meg Newman are tied for 8th in the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (7.5).
CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE INCLUDED EIGHT TEAMS THAT QUALIFIED FOR POSTSEASON PLAY IN 2022
Contests against eight teams that qualified for postseason play last season highlighted ASU's 2022 non-conference schedule.
ASU played five of its non-conference games at home. Included in those games were tilts against 2022 NCAA Tournament participant and Atlantic-10 champion UMass (Dec. 2/L, 64-88) and 2022 WNIT participant Missouri (Dec. 4/L, 60-71) in the Briann January Classic. In the latter contest, a sudden spate of injuries proved to much for the Sun Devils to overcome. The Sun Devils led the Tigers 31-28 at the half. ASU's lack of depth due to its injury situation affected its ability to defend a Missouri squad with a proven knack for scoring the basketball. Ultimately, the Tigers outscored ASU in the second half.
At the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26/Bimini, Bahamas) ASU faced two 2022 NCAA Tournament teams in the form of Notre Dame (NCAA Third Round/L, 65-85) and American (NCAA First Round and Patriot League Tournament champions, W, 70-61).
Other teams ASU faced that qualified for 2022 postseason play included road contests against Montana State (Nov. 15/NCAA First Round/W, 74-61), New Mexico (Nov. 20/WNIT Third Round, W, 83-77-OT), Grand Canyon (Nov. 30/WNIT First Round/W, 80-72) and Stephen F. Austin (Dec. 11/NCAA First Round/L, 60-75).
INJURIES TOOK THEIR TOLL
In ASU's 75-60 loss at SFA on Dec. 11, the Sun Devils had nearly as many players in uniform (eight) as players who were not suited up (six). The latter group was comprised of injured players.
On the last day of November, the Sun Devils found themselves with a 6-1 record after they overcame an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit in their dramatic 80-72 win at Grand Canyon. They would not get win No. 7 until Dec. 17.
In the loss at SFA, the aforementioned numbers game – as in ASU's number of healthy players – once again played a major factor in the outcome. At the start of the month, ASU had eight players who were averaging double figures in minutes. And that number did not include junior center Imogen Greenslade and freshman forward Journey Thompson, two players who were gradually seeing increased playing time.
During a three-game losing streak, the talented depth that was a major factor in the team's success had been dramatically reduced due to an unlucky spate of injuries/illness. In its loss vs. Missouri (Dec. 4), ASU was without junior guard Jaddan Simmons (the team's second-leading scorer), senior guard Isadora Sousa (averaged seven rebounds in her three most recent outings in addition to providing the team with an important defensive presence) and freshman forward Thompson (after accounting for six points, four rebounds and one block in the win at GCU, Thompson was coming off her first career double-double vs. UMass on Dec. 2).
At SFA, Simmons was back in the lineup but Greenslade was not available in addition to the other players who missed the game against Missouri. Thus, for the second straight game, ASU had seven players who accounted for nearly all the minutes. Just like in its loss to Missouri, ASU looked every bit the team that had won six of its first seven games – for the first 20 minutes. The final result? Just like against Missouri, fresher bodies enabled the opposition to out score and out rebound ASU.
Skinner continued to lead ASU's offense as the junior guard finished with a game-high 22 points, her sixth game scoring over 20 points this season.
In its non-conference finale, an 82-67 win over Prairie View A&M, two additional Sun Devils were available to play. Thompson, who missed ASU's previous two games, made her first career start and accounted for 11 points and six rebounds. In addition, freshman guard Jaylah Robinson made her first career appearance after missing the first 10 games.
"We had a phenomenal week of prep. What you saw today was just us finishing the job, this was our final exam," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said following the game. "We talked about defense, rebounding and the extra effort plays; doing whatever it takes and doing it together. This was a phenomenal team win and we did it together."
TEAM LEADERS
• Tyi Skinner leads the team in scoring (20.6 ppg), FTs made (62) and attempted (75), FT percent ( 3-point FG pct. (36.5), steals (1.9 spg) and 3-pointers per game (2.5) and tied for the team lead in free throw pct (83.1) and is 2nd in assists (2.9 apg).
• Jaddan Simmons leads the team in assists (3.1 apg) and blocks (0.9 bpg) and is 2nd in free throw pct (82.3), is second in scoring (13.7 ppg), FTs made (51) and attempted (62), steals per game (1.6) and 3-point FG percentage (31.6).
• Junior guard Treasure Hunt, who averaged close to a double-double in the season's first six games (11.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg), did not play in ASU's win at Grand Canyon after incurring a foot injury vs. Notre Dame (Nov. 26). Hunt became the first Sun Devil to account for a double-double this season with 13 points/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). Hunt poured in a then-career-high 19 points at Montana State (Nov. 15) and surpassed that with 22 points in ASU's win over Prairie View A&M (Dec. 27). She is tied for the team lead in rebounding (7.5 rpg) and is third in scoring (10.6 ppg) and offensive rebounds (1.9 rpg).
• Meg Newman leads the team in FG pct. (54.2) and is tied for the team lead in rebounds (7.5). TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah (5.2 rpg) is also among the team leaders in rebounds (5.2). Newman (2.7 rpg) and Mokwuah (2.3 rpg) are ASU's top two performers in offensive rebounds per game.
• 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. Newman (7.5 rpg) and Isadora Sousa (7.0 rpg/career-high 12 rebounds vs. American) were ASU's top rebounders at the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26). Newman made her first start (in place of Treasure Hunt) vs. GCU (Nov. 30) and had her second 10-point outing of the season. In ASU's win over Prairie View A&M, Newman posted career highs with12 points and 18 rebounds. Newman's 18 boards were the most for a Sun Devil since Ja'Tavia Tapley pulled down 18 on Dec. 6, 2019, against BYU.
• Junior guard Sydney Erikstrup is tied for third on the team in 3-pointers per game (0.6). Erikstrup posted career highs in scoring (11 points) and 3-pointers (3) in ASU's comeback win at GCU (Nov. 30).
• Freshman guard Trayanna Crisp averaged double figures in scoring (11.5 ppg) and connected on 60 percent of her field goals (9-15) at the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26). Crisp, who made her first career start in place of Jaddan Simmons (illness) vs. Missouri on Dec. 4, is currently 3rd on the team in assists per game (1.8).
• Eight different Sun Devils (with respect to each individual's health status) are averaging at least 12.8 minutes per game this season. And that does not include Journey Thompson, Jaylah Robinson and Imogen Greenslade.
• After accounting for six points, four rebounds and one block in the fourth quarter of ASU's comeback win at GCU, freshman Journey Thompson had her first career double-double vs. UMass on on Dec. 2) before getting injured prior to ASU's following game vs. Missouri (Dec. 4). In her first start, Thompson accounted for 11 points and six rebounds in ASU's win over Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17).
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. 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 ASU 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 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 the season, Adair summed up the process that took place over the offseason/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."
THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (7-4, 0-0 Pac-12) at No. 18/15 Arizona (10-1, 0-0 Pac-12)
WHEN: Thursday at 6 p.m. MST
WHERE: McKale Center • Tucson, Ariz.
TV: Pac-12 Network/Arizona
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-4) opens Pac-12 play on Thursday night (6 p.m. MST) when it travels to Tucson, Ariz. to take on No. 18/15 Arizona (10-1) in the first of two Territorial Cup contests this season.
Under first-year head coach Natasha Adair, the Sun Devils started the season 5-0 for the first time since 2002-03. A series of injuries gave the Sun Devils an unexpected challenge which played a major role in the team's three-game losing streak earlier this month.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• The Sun Devils played nine games over the first 27 days of the season (Nov. 7 - Dec. 4). They followed that with a stretch in which they played two games in 23 days (Dec. 5 - Dec. 28). They are now back on the fast track as they will play their first three conference games over a five-day span: at Arizona (Dec. 29), at Stanford (Dec. 31) and at Cal (Jan. 2).
• In addition to contending with three consecutive road games to start conference play, in the bigger picture the game at Cal will be the culmination of what would be a challenging assignment for any team: playing nine of 14 games away from home to 'start' the season.
• As of Dec. 23, Tyi Skinner is 15th in the nation and second in the Pac-12 in scoring (20.6 ppg) and tied for No. 2 in the Pac-12 with Charisma Osborne of UCLA with six 20-point games. Alissa Pili (Utah) and Charlisse Leger-Walker (WSU) are tied for the Pac-12 lead with seven. All of Skinner's 20-point games have come over ASU's last nine contests. The stretch included consecutive 24-point efforts at New Mexico and vs. American and a pair of career-high 29-point games: at Grand Canyon and vs. Missouri. Skinner six triples vs. Missouri were one short of tying the single-game school record.
• Skinner has scored in double figures in every game while fellow junior guard Jaddan Simmons has scored in double figures in all but one game she has played in. Simmons is 13th in the Pac-12 in scoring (13.7 ppg).
• The Sun Devils reeled off five wins in as many games for the program's best start since 2002-03, ASU would then go on to drop four of five contests, a sequence that started with an 85-65 loss to current-No. 5 Notre Dame (Nov. 26) at the Goombay Splash in Bimini, Bahamas. The Sun Devils led the Irish by three points at the half and were tied with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter before Notre Dame used a 12-2 run to gain control of the game on its way to the win.
• ASU closed out non-conference play with an 82-67 win over Prairie View A&M on Dec. 17. Treasure Hunt and Meg Newman were a two-person wrecking crew two combined for 34 points and 27 rebounds. Hunt scored a career-best 22 points with nine rebounds, while Newman chimed in with 12 points and 18 rebounds – both career-highs – off the bench to help the Sun Devils put away the pesky Panthers. Newman's 18 boards were the most for a Sun Devil since Ja'Tavia Tapley pulled down 18 on Dec. 6, 2019, against BYU.
SERIES NOTES
• The Sun Devils have won 30 of the last 39 meetings, however Arizona has had recent success with five wins in the last eight contests.
• Arizona's 58-53 win on Dec. 29, 2019 was its first in Tempe since 2000. ASU swept the season series in 2015, 2016 & 2018 and split with the Wildcats in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
• ASU's 81-77 win at home vs. No. 6/7 Arizona in the first meeting of 2021-22 was second consecutive upset of a Top 10 Arizona squad. ASU knocked off the No. 9 Wildcats 66-64 (OT) in in the 2020-21 rematch in Tempe. Jaddan Simmons scored 11 of her 15 points over the last 9:20 (last 4:20 of regulation and 5:00 of OT) of the game and was awarded Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after the win. Arizona won the first match of 2021-22, 65-37 in Tucson.
• The Sun Devils nearly made it three straight wins over the Wildcats before falling in last year's rematch, 62-58 in Tucson. Simmons tied her season high in scoring with 16 points and had a game-high four assists to lead the Sun Devils.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 23)
• As a team, ASU is ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (1st/24.1/eighth in the nation), FTs made per game (1st/17.9/sixth in the nation), offensive rebounds per game (3rd/14.7/35th in the nation), free throw percentage (3rd/74.3) and 3-point FG pct. defense (4th/29.3).
• Skinner leads the Pac-12 in free throws made (62/18th in the nation) and attempted (75/29th in the nation) and minutes per game (36.0/25th in the nation), is 2nd in scoring (20.6 ppg/15th in the nation), 3rd in 3-pointers per game (2.45), 5th in FT percentage (82.7) and 8th in steals per game (1.9) and 3-point FG percentage (36.5).
• Simmons is 2nd in the Pac-12 in FTs made (51) and minutes per game (36.0), 4th in FTs attempted (62), 6th in FT percentage (82.3) and 13th in scoring (13.7).
• Treasure Hunt and Meg Newman are tied for 8th in the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (7.5).
CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE INCLUDED EIGHT TEAMS THAT QUALIFIED FOR POSTSEASON PLAY IN 2022
Contests against eight teams that qualified for postseason play last season highlighted ASU's 2022 non-conference schedule.
ASU played five of its non-conference games at home. Included in those games were tilts against 2022 NCAA Tournament participant and Atlantic-10 champion UMass (Dec. 2/L, 64-88) and 2022 WNIT participant Missouri (Dec. 4/L, 60-71) in the Briann January Classic. In the latter contest, a sudden spate of injuries proved to much for the Sun Devils to overcome. The Sun Devils led the Tigers 31-28 at the half. ASU's lack of depth due to its injury situation affected its ability to defend a Missouri squad with a proven knack for scoring the basketball. Ultimately, the Tigers outscored ASU in the second half.
At the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26/Bimini, Bahamas) ASU faced two 2022 NCAA Tournament teams in the form of Notre Dame (NCAA Third Round/L, 65-85) and American (NCAA First Round and Patriot League Tournament champions, W, 70-61).
Other teams ASU faced that qualified for 2022 postseason play included road contests against Montana State (Nov. 15/NCAA First Round/W, 74-61), New Mexico (Nov. 20/WNIT Third Round, W, 83-77-OT), Grand Canyon (Nov. 30/WNIT First Round/W, 80-72) and Stephen F. Austin (Dec. 11/NCAA First Round/L, 60-75).
INJURIES TOOK THEIR TOLL
In ASU's 75-60 loss at SFA on Dec. 11, the Sun Devils had nearly as many players in uniform (eight) as players who were not suited up (six). The latter group was comprised of injured players.
On the last day of November, the Sun Devils found themselves with a 6-1 record after they overcame an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit in their dramatic 80-72 win at Grand Canyon. They would not get win No. 7 until Dec. 17.
In the loss at SFA, the aforementioned numbers game – as in ASU's number of healthy players – once again played a major factor in the outcome. At the start of the month, ASU had eight players who were averaging double figures in minutes. And that number did not include junior center Imogen Greenslade and freshman forward Journey Thompson, two players who were gradually seeing increased playing time.
During a three-game losing streak, the talented depth that was a major factor in the team's success had been dramatically reduced due to an unlucky spate of injuries/illness. In its loss vs. Missouri (Dec. 4), ASU was without junior guard Jaddan Simmons (the team's second-leading scorer), senior guard Isadora Sousa (averaged seven rebounds in her three most recent outings in addition to providing the team with an important defensive presence) and freshman forward Thompson (after accounting for six points, four rebounds and one block in the win at GCU, Thompson was coming off her first career double-double vs. UMass on Dec. 2).
At SFA, Simmons was back in the lineup but Greenslade was not available in addition to the other players who missed the game against Missouri. Thus, for the second straight game, ASU had seven players who accounted for nearly all the minutes. Just like in its loss to Missouri, ASU looked every bit the team that had won six of its first seven games – for the first 20 minutes. The final result? Just like against Missouri, fresher bodies enabled the opposition to out score and out rebound ASU.
Skinner continued to lead ASU's offense as the junior guard finished with a game-high 22 points, her sixth game scoring over 20 points this season.
In its non-conference finale, an 82-67 win over Prairie View A&M, two additional Sun Devils were available to play. Thompson, who missed ASU's previous two games, made her first career start and accounted for 11 points and six rebounds. In addition, freshman guard Jaylah Robinson made her first career appearance after missing the first 10 games.
"We had a phenomenal week of prep. What you saw today was just us finishing the job, this was our final exam," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said following the game. "We talked about defense, rebounding and the extra effort plays; doing whatever it takes and doing it together. This was a phenomenal team win and we did it together."
TEAM LEADERS
• Tyi Skinner leads the team in scoring (20.6 ppg), FTs made (62) and attempted (75), FT percent ( 3-point FG pct. (36.5), steals (1.9 spg) and 3-pointers per game (2.5) and tied for the team lead in free throw pct (83.1) and is 2nd in assists (2.9 apg).
• Jaddan Simmons leads the team in assists (3.1 apg) and blocks (0.9 bpg) and is 2nd in free throw pct (82.3), is second in scoring (13.7 ppg), FTs made (51) and attempted (62), steals per game (1.6) and 3-point FG percentage (31.6).
• Junior guard Treasure Hunt, who averaged close to a double-double in the season's first six games (11.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg), did not play in ASU's win at Grand Canyon after incurring a foot injury vs. Notre Dame (Nov. 26). Hunt became the first Sun Devil to account for a double-double this season with 13 points/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). Hunt poured in a then-career-high 19 points at Montana State (Nov. 15) and surpassed that with 22 points in ASU's win over Prairie View A&M (Dec. 27). She is tied for the team lead in rebounding (7.5 rpg) and is third in scoring (10.6 ppg) and offensive rebounds (1.9 rpg).
• Meg Newman leads the team in FG pct. (54.2) and is tied for the team lead in rebounds (7.5). TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah (5.2 rpg) is also among the team leaders in rebounds (5.2). Newman (2.7 rpg) and Mokwuah (2.3 rpg) are ASU's top two performers in offensive rebounds per game.
• 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. Newman (7.5 rpg) and Isadora Sousa (7.0 rpg/career-high 12 rebounds vs. American) were ASU's top rebounders at the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26). Newman made her first start (in place of Treasure Hunt) vs. GCU (Nov. 30) and had her second 10-point outing of the season. In ASU's win over Prairie View A&M, Newman posted career highs with12 points and 18 rebounds. Newman's 18 boards were the most for a Sun Devil since Ja'Tavia Tapley pulled down 18 on Dec. 6, 2019, against BYU.
• Junior guard Sydney Erikstrup is tied for third on the team in 3-pointers per game (0.6). Erikstrup posted career highs in scoring (11 points) and 3-pointers (3) in ASU's comeback win at GCU (Nov. 30).
• Freshman guard Trayanna Crisp averaged double figures in scoring (11.5 ppg) and connected on 60 percent of her field goals (9-15) at the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26). Crisp, who made her first career start in place of Jaddan Simmons (illness) vs. Missouri on Dec. 4, is currently 3rd on the team in assists per game (1.8).
• Eight different Sun Devils (with respect to each individual's health status) are averaging at least 12.8 minutes per game this season. And that does not include Journey Thompson, Jaylah Robinson and Imogen Greenslade.
• After accounting for six points, four rebounds and one block in the fourth quarter of ASU's comeback win at GCU, freshman Journey Thompson had her first career double-double vs. UMass on on Dec. 2) before getting injured prior to ASU's following game vs. Missouri (Dec. 4). In her first start, Thompson accounted for 11 points and six rebounds in ASU's win over Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17).
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. 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 ASU 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 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 the season, Adair summed up the process that took place over the offseason/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."