PHOENIX – Kadidia Toure scored 12 of her career high-tying 22 points in the second half while Jalyn Brown continued her streak of scoring in double figures in games she has started (eight) with 20 points to help the Sun Devil women's basketball team defeated Fresno State 80-76 on Wednesday afternoon as part of the 2023 Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series.
Trayanna Crisp scored 12 points while Jaddan Simmons and Journey Thompson (career-high four steals) scored 10 points each for the Sun Devils (8-4) who shot 49 percent for the game, their second-highest mark of the season. Simmons, who went over 1,000 career points in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game, set a career high with eight assists and hit a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to help clinch the win for the Sun Devils.
Toure, who led ASU in the rebounding department, came one rebound short of a double-double after securing nine boards. Brown, who had a career-high eight rebounds vs. Arizona on Sunday, came back with seven in Wednesday's win.
Crisp was tremendously efficient in the win as she hit 6-of-9 of her shots and knocked down two of ASU's three triples while adding two assists and two steals.
ASU's final point total (80) represented its highest of the season while its five turnovers were the fewest since ASU had the same number vs. Baylor on Nov. 11, 2018.
"We just told them to fight to the finish," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said. "Before the game we talked about a defensive effort, toughness and putting together 40 full minutes. I was super proud when you look at the contributions from everyone.
"We wanted to be super aggressive, but it was the 50-points in the paint and just how we shared the ball. I just thought we played team basketball. It started on the defensive end and very proud that Jaddan (Simmons) was able to score her 1,000th point. Just a lot of good things to carry into Christmas break. We love Christmas break (wins) but we did it together and we did it playing hard."
Down by 10 early in the final quarter, the Bulldogs (7-6), used a 14-2 run to go up 66-64 after Sydney Dethman's 3-pointer with 5:35 remaining.
The Sun Devils countered with a 6-0 spurt with Thompson scoring four of the six points to help ASU take a 70-22 lead. After Fresno State got back within two points, the Sun Devils responded with a pair of free throws from Crisp and a 3-pointer by Crisp to extend back out to a seven-point lead with 2:06 remaining. The Bulldogs got within two points one more time, before Simmons clinched the win at the free throw line.
The first quarter was tightly contested as neither team led by more than three points. Toure's layup with 1:51 remaining gave ASU its first lead of the game 17-16. Another Toure layup gave ASU a 19-16 lead as the final minute approached. The Bulldogs were able to beat the clock with a layup at the buzzer and the Sun Devils went to the second quarter with a 19-18 lead.
Brown (seven points), Crisp (four points), Thompson (four points) and Toure (four points) were responsible for ASU's scoring in the quarter.
Much of the second quarter followed a similar script as the first as the two teams remained within a possession of each other until a jumper by Simmons gave ASU a 33-28 lead with 3:06 remaining. ASU led by as many as eight and would go on to take a six-point lead into the locker room.
The Sun Devils conclude non-conference play on Sat., Dec. 30 (1 p.m. MST) when they host Santa Clara. Click here to purchase tickets.
Trayanna Crisp scored 12 points while Jaddan Simmons and Journey Thompson (career-high four steals) scored 10 points each for the Sun Devils (8-4) who shot 49 percent for the game, their second-highest mark of the season. Simmons, who went over 1,000 career points in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game, set a career high with eight assists and hit a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to help clinch the win for the Sun Devils.
Toure, who led ASU in the rebounding department, came one rebound short of a double-double after securing nine boards. Brown, who had a career-high eight rebounds vs. Arizona on Sunday, came back with seven in Wednesday's win.
Crisp was tremendously efficient in the win as she hit 6-of-9 of her shots and knocked down two of ASU's three triples while adding two assists and two steals.
ASU's final point total (80) represented its highest of the season while its five turnovers were the fewest since ASU had the same number vs. Baylor on Nov. 11, 2018.
"We just told them to fight to the finish," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said. "Before the game we talked about a defensive effort, toughness and putting together 40 full minutes. I was super proud when you look at the contributions from everyone.
"We wanted to be super aggressive, but it was the 50-points in the paint and just how we shared the ball. I just thought we played team basketball. It started on the defensive end and very proud that Jaddan (Simmons) was able to score her 1,000th point. Just a lot of good things to carry into Christmas break. We love Christmas break (wins) but we did it together and we did it playing hard."
Down by 10 early in the final quarter, the Bulldogs (7-6), used a 14-2 run to go up 66-64 after Sydney Dethman's 3-pointer with 5:35 remaining.
The Sun Devils countered with a 6-0 spurt with Thompson scoring four of the six points to help ASU take a 70-22 lead. After Fresno State got back within two points, the Sun Devils responded with a pair of free throws from Crisp and a 3-pointer by Crisp to extend back out to a seven-point lead with 2:06 remaining. The Bulldogs got within two points one more time, before Simmons clinched the win at the free throw line.
The first quarter was tightly contested as neither team led by more than three points. Toure's layup with 1:51 remaining gave ASU its first lead of the game 17-16. Another Toure layup gave ASU a 19-16 lead as the final minute approached. The Bulldogs were able to beat the clock with a layup at the buzzer and the Sun Devils went to the second quarter with a 19-18 lead.
Brown (seven points), Crisp (four points), Thompson (four points) and Toure (four points) were responsible for ASU's scoring in the quarter.
Much of the second quarter followed a similar script as the first as the two teams remained within a possession of each other until a jumper by Simmons gave ASU a 33-28 lead with 3:06 remaining. ASU led by as many as eight and would go on to take a six-point lead into the locker room.
The Sun Devils conclude non-conference play on Sat., Dec. 30 (1 p.m. MST) when they host Santa Clara. Click here to purchase tickets.