THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (7-9, 0-7 Pac-12) vs. No. 19/15 Arizona (14-4, 4-3 Pac-12)
WHEN: Sunday at 3 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
TV: Pac-12 Arizona
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here
UP NEXT
For the first time since Jan. 8, the Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-9, 0-7 Pac-12) will be back in action on Sunday (3 pm MST) when it hosts Arizona (14-4, 4-3) in the second of two Territorial Cup contests.
The Sun Devils did not play last week after their scheduled games at Utah (Jan. 13) and at Colorado (Jan. 15) were canceled due to the team not having enough available players.
"...the reality is there was no decision to be made," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said of her team having to cancel the games. "With few healthy scholarship players time to heal is our only option. Our plan is to get our team healthy over the course of this week and be ready when we host Arizona."
As challenging as ASU's non-conference schedule was – eight of its 11 contests were vs. teams that qualified for postseason play in 2022 – the beginning of conference play meant an even higher degree of difficulty. Three of ASU's five Pac-12 games were against ranked opponents: at No. 18 Arizona, at No. 2 Stanford, vs. No. 18 Oregon. The last of those five contests, a 69-59 loss in Tempe, came against an Oregon State squad that upset current No. 9 UCLA on Jan. 1 and nearly upset the Wildcats prior to coming to Tempe.
ASU was defeated by Arizona 84-66 in the Pac-12 opener for both teams on Dec. 28. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, ASU put together a 9-2 run that started in the last two minutes of the half and culminated with a 3- pointer by junior guard Treasure Hunt that got ASU back within single digits early in the second half. UA scored the next seven points starting a scoring run that eventually put the game out of reach. Junior guard Tyi Skinner led ASU with a game-high 26 points, the most points scored against Arizona this season until Alissa Pili had 27 in UA's most recent contest at Utah on Jan. 15.
At Stanford (Dec. 31), the difficulty of ASU's task of trying to upset the No. 2 team on its homecourt became exponentially more difficult after the Cardinal jumped out to a 16-3 lead. At Cal (Jan. 2), after Hunt tied the game at 55-55 in the first minute of the fourth quarter, ASU suddenly hit a cold spell on the offensive end. Over a period of seven-plus minutes ASU saw its ability to influence the outcome slowly slip away as the Bears methodically put together a game-deciding 12-0 scoring run.
The Sun Devils dropped their first Pac-12 home game of the season 82-62 vs. Oregon on Jan. 6. ASU led by as many as seven and was up by two after Meg Newman's layup put ASU back up 26-24. The Ducks scored the last eight points of the first half and opened the third quarter with a 19-4 run to break open the game.
After falling behind by 16 in the third quarter vs. the Beavers (Jan. 8), ASU used a 14-2 run to get within four points. The Beavers would reclaim a double-digit advantage and ASU could not get any closer than eight in the fourth quarter.
Sunday's game will be ASU's first Pac-12 rematch of the season. The next two weeks the Sun Devils will play the Washington schools (home) and the Los Angeles schools (away) in their only meeting of the season against the four schools.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS ARIZONA
• The Sun Devils have won 30 of the last 40 meetings, however Arizona has had recent success with six wins in the last nine 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.
AS A TEAM...
• ASU is ranked in the top third of the Pac-12 in free throws attempts per game (1st/21.06/35th in the nation), free throw makes per game (2nd/15.5/23rd in the nation), fewest turnovers per game (3rd/13.0/21st in the nation) and offensive rebounds per game (4th/14.2/44th in the nation).
IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE NAME TYI SKINNER YET... GET READY
Junior guard Tyi Skinner, who transferred to ASU from Delaware in the offseason, has quickly ascended to 'must-see' status for all basketball fans. In a sport in which one's height is usually the measurable most associated with its competitors, at five-foot-five, Skinner is more often than not making the biggest plays on the court.
As of Jan. 20, Skinner, who has scored in double figures in every game, is 2nd in the Pac-12 and 18th in the nation in scoring (20.5 ppg). She is also among the Pac-12's leaders in free throws made (2nd/74) and attempted (4th/89), minutes per game (2nd/36.1/24th in the nation), 3-pointers per game (3rd/2.75/30th in the nation), free throw percentage (5th/83.1), steals per game (6th/1.88) and 3-point FG percentage (7th/36.7).
Currently the owner of a Pac-12 high 10 20-point games this season, Skinner needs eight points to reach 1000 for her career. Thirty-two of Skinner's 44 makes from long range have come in ASU's last nine contests. She is shooting 42 pct (32-76) from beyond the arc and averaging 20.4 points during that stretch.
On Dec. 4 vs. Missouri, Skinner tied her career high in scoring for the second time in three games (29 points) and came one triple short of tying the single-game school record after knocking down six vs. the Tigers.
Skinner's 20-point efforts include consecutive 24-point efforts at New Mexico (Nov. 20) and vs. American (Nov. 25), a pair of career-high 29-point games at Grand Canyon (Nov. 30) and vs. Missouri (Dec. 4) and a 26-point showing at Arizona (Dec. 29), the most points given up by the Wildcats this season until Jan. 15.
While it is her scoring she has come to be known for, Skinner makes an effort to be a contributor no matter where she is on the court and no matter whether the ball is in her hands or not.
• Has had 3 or more steals 6x times this season, including a season/career-high 4 at Montana State (Nov. 15). Skinner also opened Pac-12 play with consecutive 3-steal games at Arizona (Dec. 29) and at Stanford (Dec. 31).
• In consecutive games, Skinner dished out 6 assists at SFA (Dec. 11) and followed that with a career high-tying 7 assists vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17).
• Has pulled down 5 or more rebounds 4x. In addition to scoring 13 points at Cal (Jan. 3), Skinner pulled down a team- and career-high 10 rebounds for the first double-double of her career.
SIMMONS' SOLID, STEADY PLAY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ASU'S SUCCESS
Among returning players, Jaddan Simmons is ASU's most experienced player with starts in all 65 games she has played. As great as Simmons' play was over her first two seasons in Tempe, she has taken it to even greater heights as a junior.
A starter in all 15 games she has played this season (missed ASU's game vs. Missouri on Dec. 14 due to illness), Simmons opened the 2022-23 campaign with nine straight double-digit scoring efforts, including a career high-tying 22 points in ASU's season opener vs. Northern Arizona (Nov. 7). Like fellow backcourt teammate Tyi Skinner, Simmons is a difference maker no matter where she is on the court as she enters Sunday's game as the team leader in assists per game (3.1), minutes per game (36:46/1st in Pac-12/18th in the nation) and blocks per game (0.93/13th in Pac-12), is 2nd in scoring (12.3 ppg), steals per game (1.8/10th in Pac-12), free throws made (62/4th the Pac-12) and attempted (80/5th in the Pac-12) and free throw percentage (77.5/9th in Pac-12) and 4th in rebounds per game (3.9).
THIS TREASURE IS NOT HIDDEN
Junior guard Treasure Hunt joined ASU in the offseason after playing her first two seasons at Kentucky where she started 30 of 45 games.
Hunt had a strong start to the season, averaging a double-double over the season's first four games (13.5 ppg/10.3 rpg). The opening sequence included a then-career high 19 points in ASU's win at Montana State (Nov. 15). She averaged 4.5 ppg in her next four games, two of which came in the immediate aftermath of an injury she incurred in ASU's loss to Notre Dame (Nov. 26). The injury caused Hunt to miss ASU's ensuing game at Grand Canyon (Nov. 30).
ASU's slower pace of playing games – the Sun Devils played nine games over the first 27 days of the season (Nov. 7 - Dec. 4) followed that with a stretch in which they played two games in 23 days (Dec. 5 - Dec. 28) – benefitted Hunt's ability to heal from her injury. In recent games she has once again been a consistently solid contributor as she has averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in ASU's last seven games. In ASU's non-conference finale vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17), Hunt had career-high 22-point outing. She accounted for her third double-double of the season (17 points, 12 rebounds) vs. Oregon (Jan. 6). Hunt is currently 4th in the Pac-12 in minutes per game (34.43) and 10th rebounds per game (7.2/leads ASU).
CONTRIBUTORS APLENTY RESPONSIBLE FOR ASU'S SUCCESS
• In ASU's games vs. Prairie View A&M and at Arizona, Meg Newman came off the bench and provided the Sun Devils with big-time efforts that included per-game averages of 11.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg. Newman had career highs in points (12) and rebounds (18) for her first career double-double in ASU's win over Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17). Newman's 18 boards were the most for a Sun Devil since Ja'Tavia Tapley pulled down 18 on Dec. 6, 2019 against BYU. Newman leads the team in field goal percentage (48.2 percent) and offensive rebounds per game (2.7/5th in Pac-12), is 2nd on the team in rebounds per game (7.1/11th in Pac-12) and offensive rebounds per game (2.7/7th in the Pac-12).
• TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah is 3rd on the team in rebounds per game (4.8), 2nd in offensive rebounds (2.3 rpg/10th in the Pac-12) and 4th in scoring (5.6 ppg). Mokwuah's second career double-double (16 points and 13 rebounds) proved critical in ASU's OT win at New Mexico (Nov. 20). She also scored in double figures (10 points) in ASU's come-from-behind win over GCU (Nov. 30).
• After accounting for six points, four rebounds and one block in the fourth quarter of ASU's comeback win at GCU (Nov. 30), freshman forward Journey Thompson had her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. UMass (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). Thompson only played in 14 minutes in ASU's first three Pac-12 contests, including a DNP at Stanford (Dec. 31), due to illness. She pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds vs. Oregon State (Jan. 8).
• Junior guard Sydney Erikstrup is 3rd on the team in 3-pointers per game (0.5). 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). She has has a season-high 5 assists three times.
• In the 11 games she has played in (has missed four games due to injury and was injured less than three minutes into another contest), senior guard Isadora Sousa has connected on 52 percent of her FGs (14-27). Sousa had a career-high 12 rebounds vs. American (Nov. 25) and scored a career high-tying seven points consecutive games (at Stanford/Dec. 31 and at Cal/Jan. 2). Most recently, Sousa went down due to injury less than three minutes into ASU's game vs. Oregon (Jan. 6).
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 too much for ASU 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 came away with the win.
At the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26/Bimini, Bahamas) ASU faced two 2022 NCAA Tournament teams in the form of American (NCAA First Round and Patriot League Tournament champions, W, 70-61) and current No. 5 Notre Dame (NCAA Third Round/L, 65-85). 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.
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 ALL TOO COMMON THEME IN 2022-23
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. Three consecutive losses followed before ASU got win No. 7.
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 the 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.
At the start of Pac-12 play, ASU was boosted by the return of senior guard Isadora Sousa, who played at Arizona for the first time since Nov. 30. After accounting for five points, five rebounds in her return, Sousa scored a season-high seven points in ASU's next two games at Stanford (Dec. 31) and at Cal (Jan. 2). Sousa's return to the floor was tempered by an illness that limited the availability of freshman forward Journey Thompson. Recently elevated to the starting lineup, Thompson played only 14 minutes in the three games: started at Arizona (10 minutes), missed ASU's game at Stanford and returned in a reserve role at Cal (four minutes).
Sousa once again went down with an injury less than three minutes into ASU's contest vs. Oregon (Jan. 6) and has not played since.
ASU's injury situation reached its nadir the second week in January when it had to forfeit games at Utah (Jan. 13) and at Colorado (Jan. 15) due to not having enough healthy players to play.
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."
WHEN: Sunday at 3 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
TV: Pac-12 Arizona
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here
UP NEXT
For the first time since Jan. 8, the Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-9, 0-7 Pac-12) will be back in action on Sunday (3 pm MST) when it hosts Arizona (14-4, 4-3) in the second of two Territorial Cup contests.
The Sun Devils did not play last week after their scheduled games at Utah (Jan. 13) and at Colorado (Jan. 15) were canceled due to the team not having enough available players.
"...the reality is there was no decision to be made," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said of her team having to cancel the games. "With few healthy scholarship players time to heal is our only option. Our plan is to get our team healthy over the course of this week and be ready when we host Arizona."
As challenging as ASU's non-conference schedule was – eight of its 11 contests were vs. teams that qualified for postseason play in 2022 – the beginning of conference play meant an even higher degree of difficulty. Three of ASU's five Pac-12 games were against ranked opponents: at No. 18 Arizona, at No. 2 Stanford, vs. No. 18 Oregon. The last of those five contests, a 69-59 loss in Tempe, came against an Oregon State squad that upset current No. 9 UCLA on Jan. 1 and nearly upset the Wildcats prior to coming to Tempe.
ASU was defeated by Arizona 84-66 in the Pac-12 opener for both teams on Dec. 28. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, ASU put together a 9-2 run that started in the last two minutes of the half and culminated with a 3- pointer by junior guard Treasure Hunt that got ASU back within single digits early in the second half. UA scored the next seven points starting a scoring run that eventually put the game out of reach. Junior guard Tyi Skinner led ASU with a game-high 26 points, the most points scored against Arizona this season until Alissa Pili had 27 in UA's most recent contest at Utah on Jan. 15.
At Stanford (Dec. 31), the difficulty of ASU's task of trying to upset the No. 2 team on its homecourt became exponentially more difficult after the Cardinal jumped out to a 16-3 lead. At Cal (Jan. 2), after Hunt tied the game at 55-55 in the first minute of the fourth quarter, ASU suddenly hit a cold spell on the offensive end. Over a period of seven-plus minutes ASU saw its ability to influence the outcome slowly slip away as the Bears methodically put together a game-deciding 12-0 scoring run.
The Sun Devils dropped their first Pac-12 home game of the season 82-62 vs. Oregon on Jan. 6. ASU led by as many as seven and was up by two after Meg Newman's layup put ASU back up 26-24. The Ducks scored the last eight points of the first half and opened the third quarter with a 19-4 run to break open the game.
After falling behind by 16 in the third quarter vs. the Beavers (Jan. 8), ASU used a 14-2 run to get within four points. The Beavers would reclaim a double-digit advantage and ASU could not get any closer than eight in the fourth quarter.
Sunday's game will be ASU's first Pac-12 rematch of the season. The next two weeks the Sun Devils will play the Washington schools (home) and the Los Angeles schools (away) in their only meeting of the season against the four schools.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS ARIZONA
• The Sun Devils have won 30 of the last 40 meetings, however Arizona has had recent success with six wins in the last nine 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.
AS A TEAM...
• ASU is ranked in the top third of the Pac-12 in free throws attempts per game (1st/21.06/35th in the nation), free throw makes per game (2nd/15.5/23rd in the nation), fewest turnovers per game (3rd/13.0/21st in the nation) and offensive rebounds per game (4th/14.2/44th in the nation).
IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE NAME TYI SKINNER YET... GET READY
Junior guard Tyi Skinner, who transferred to ASU from Delaware in the offseason, has quickly ascended to 'must-see' status for all basketball fans. In a sport in which one's height is usually the measurable most associated with its competitors, at five-foot-five, Skinner is more often than not making the biggest plays on the court.
As of Jan. 20, Skinner, who has scored in double figures in every game, is 2nd in the Pac-12 and 18th in the nation in scoring (20.5 ppg). She is also among the Pac-12's leaders in free throws made (2nd/74) and attempted (4th/89), minutes per game (2nd/36.1/24th in the nation), 3-pointers per game (3rd/2.75/30th in the nation), free throw percentage (5th/83.1), steals per game (6th/1.88) and 3-point FG percentage (7th/36.7).
Currently the owner of a Pac-12 high 10 20-point games this season, Skinner needs eight points to reach 1000 for her career. Thirty-two of Skinner's 44 makes from long range have come in ASU's last nine contests. She is shooting 42 pct (32-76) from beyond the arc and averaging 20.4 points during that stretch.
On Dec. 4 vs. Missouri, Skinner tied her career high in scoring for the second time in three games (29 points) and came one triple short of tying the single-game school record after knocking down six vs. the Tigers.
Skinner's 20-point efforts include consecutive 24-point efforts at New Mexico (Nov. 20) and vs. American (Nov. 25), a pair of career-high 29-point games at Grand Canyon (Nov. 30) and vs. Missouri (Dec. 4) and a 26-point showing at Arizona (Dec. 29), the most points given up by the Wildcats this season until Jan. 15.
While it is her scoring she has come to be known for, Skinner makes an effort to be a contributor no matter where she is on the court and no matter whether the ball is in her hands or not.
• Has had 3 or more steals 6x times this season, including a season/career-high 4 at Montana State (Nov. 15). Skinner also opened Pac-12 play with consecutive 3-steal games at Arizona (Dec. 29) and at Stanford (Dec. 31).
• In consecutive games, Skinner dished out 6 assists at SFA (Dec. 11) and followed that with a career high-tying 7 assists vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17).
• Has pulled down 5 or more rebounds 4x. In addition to scoring 13 points at Cal (Jan. 3), Skinner pulled down a team- and career-high 10 rebounds for the first double-double of her career.
SIMMONS' SOLID, STEADY PLAY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ASU'S SUCCESS
Among returning players, Jaddan Simmons is ASU's most experienced player with starts in all 65 games she has played. As great as Simmons' play was over her first two seasons in Tempe, she has taken it to even greater heights as a junior.
A starter in all 15 games she has played this season (missed ASU's game vs. Missouri on Dec. 14 due to illness), Simmons opened the 2022-23 campaign with nine straight double-digit scoring efforts, including a career high-tying 22 points in ASU's season opener vs. Northern Arizona (Nov. 7). Like fellow backcourt teammate Tyi Skinner, Simmons is a difference maker no matter where she is on the court as she enters Sunday's game as the team leader in assists per game (3.1), minutes per game (36:46/1st in Pac-12/18th in the nation) and blocks per game (0.93/13th in Pac-12), is 2nd in scoring (12.3 ppg), steals per game (1.8/10th in Pac-12), free throws made (62/4th the Pac-12) and attempted (80/5th in the Pac-12) and free throw percentage (77.5/9th in Pac-12) and 4th in rebounds per game (3.9).
THIS TREASURE IS NOT HIDDEN
Junior guard Treasure Hunt joined ASU in the offseason after playing her first two seasons at Kentucky where she started 30 of 45 games.
Hunt had a strong start to the season, averaging a double-double over the season's first four games (13.5 ppg/10.3 rpg). The opening sequence included a then-career high 19 points in ASU's win at Montana State (Nov. 15). She averaged 4.5 ppg in her next four games, two of which came in the immediate aftermath of an injury she incurred in ASU's loss to Notre Dame (Nov. 26). The injury caused Hunt to miss ASU's ensuing game at Grand Canyon (Nov. 30).
ASU's slower pace of playing games – the Sun Devils played nine games over the first 27 days of the season (Nov. 7 - Dec. 4) followed that with a stretch in which they played two games in 23 days (Dec. 5 - Dec. 28) – benefitted Hunt's ability to heal from her injury. In recent games she has once again been a consistently solid contributor as she has averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in ASU's last seven games. In ASU's non-conference finale vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17), Hunt had career-high 22-point outing. She accounted for her third double-double of the season (17 points, 12 rebounds) vs. Oregon (Jan. 6). Hunt is currently 4th in the Pac-12 in minutes per game (34.43) and 10th rebounds per game (7.2/leads ASU).
CONTRIBUTORS APLENTY RESPONSIBLE FOR ASU'S SUCCESS
• In ASU's games vs. Prairie View A&M and at Arizona, Meg Newman came off the bench and provided the Sun Devils with big-time efforts that included per-game averages of 11.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg. Newman had career highs in points (12) and rebounds (18) for her first career double-double in ASU's win over Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17). Newman's 18 boards were the most for a Sun Devil since Ja'Tavia Tapley pulled down 18 on Dec. 6, 2019 against BYU. Newman leads the team in field goal percentage (48.2 percent) and offensive rebounds per game (2.7/5th in Pac-12), is 2nd on the team in rebounds per game (7.1/11th in Pac-12) and offensive rebounds per game (2.7/7th in the Pac-12).
• TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah is 3rd on the team in rebounds per game (4.8), 2nd in offensive rebounds (2.3 rpg/10th in the Pac-12) and 4th in scoring (5.6 ppg). Mokwuah's second career double-double (16 points and 13 rebounds) proved critical in ASU's OT win at New Mexico (Nov. 20). She also scored in double figures (10 points) in ASU's come-from-behind win over GCU (Nov. 30).
• After accounting for six points, four rebounds and one block in the fourth quarter of ASU's comeback win at GCU (Nov. 30), freshman forward Journey Thompson had her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. UMass (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). Thompson only played in 14 minutes in ASU's first three Pac-12 contests, including a DNP at Stanford (Dec. 31), due to illness. She pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds vs. Oregon State (Jan. 8).
• Junior guard Sydney Erikstrup is 3rd on the team in 3-pointers per game (0.5). 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). She has has a season-high 5 assists three times.
• In the 11 games she has played in (has missed four games due to injury and was injured less than three minutes into another contest), senior guard Isadora Sousa has connected on 52 percent of her FGs (14-27). Sousa had a career-high 12 rebounds vs. American (Nov. 25) and scored a career high-tying seven points consecutive games (at Stanford/Dec. 31 and at Cal/Jan. 2). Most recently, Sousa went down due to injury less than three minutes into ASU's game vs. Oregon (Jan. 6).
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 too much for ASU 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 came away with the win.
At the Goombay Splash (Nov. 25-26/Bimini, Bahamas) ASU faced two 2022 NCAA Tournament teams in the form of American (NCAA First Round and Patriot League Tournament champions, W, 70-61) and current No. 5 Notre Dame (NCAA Third Round/L, 65-85). 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.
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 ALL TOO COMMON THEME IN 2022-23
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. Three consecutive losses followed before ASU got win No. 7.
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 the 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.
At the start of Pac-12 play, ASU was boosted by the return of senior guard Isadora Sousa, who played at Arizona for the first time since Nov. 30. After accounting for five points, five rebounds in her return, Sousa scored a season-high seven points in ASU's next two games at Stanford (Dec. 31) and at Cal (Jan. 2). Sousa's return to the floor was tempered by an illness that limited the availability of freshman forward Journey Thompson. Recently elevated to the starting lineup, Thompson played only 14 minutes in the three games: started at Arizona (10 minutes), missed ASU's game at Stanford and returned in a reserve role at Cal (four minutes).
Sousa once again went down with an injury less than three minutes into ASU's contest vs. Oregon (Jan. 6) and has not played since.
ASU's injury situation reached its nadir the second week in January when it had to forfeit games at Utah (Jan. 13) and at Colorado (Jan. 15) due to not having enough healthy players to play.
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."