THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (8-4) vs. Santa Clara (11-3)
WHEN: Saturday at 1 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
WATCH: ASU Live Stream
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (Pregame coverage starts at 12:30 p.m. MST)
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here
UP NEXT
Coming off its longest period of inactivity of the season (10 days) in the month in which it has played its fewest games of the season, the Sun Devil women's basketball team (8-4) plays it last non-conference game of the season when it hosts Santa Clara on Saturday (1 p.m. MST at Desert Financial Arena).
With a win on Saturday, the Sun Devils can surpass their win total from 2022-23, a campaign in which a plethora of injuries to a cast of several new new players played a central role in the team finishing with an 8-20 record. So dire was the squad's health situation last season, it had to forfeit two games during the Pac-12 portion of the schedule because ir did not have enough healthy players to compete.
The Sun Devils are coming off one of their best offensive performances of the season, an 80-76 win over Fresno State as part of the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series played at Footprint Series in 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. 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 the win, 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.
The Sun Devils hit a season-high 33 field goals and tied their second-highest assist total of the season (12). Defensively, ASU committed a season-low nine fouls, resulting in only two free throw attempts taken by the Bulldogs, the fewest number of free throws taken by a Sun Devil opponent this season.
ASU's game against Fresno State (Dec. 20), represented the first time the Sun Devils played a contest that was not separated by six or more days since it played three games in three days at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 23-25). Six days later, ASU played Pacific in the first game of the Briann January Classic on Dec. 1. After ASU's contest vs. Xavier on Dec. 2 was canceled due to Xavier not having enough healthy players, seven days passed before ASU faced Grand Canyon on Dec. 8. ASU then had its second-biggest gap in between games (nine days) before it played its conference opener vs. Arizona on Dec. 17.
WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday's game vs. Santa Clara can be seen via ASU's Live Stream. The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 12:30 p.m.). Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year and a finalist for the 2023 award, Jeff Munn is in his 20th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former ASU head coach Maura McHugh.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS SANTA CLARA
Despite the relative proximity of the two schools – the distance between the two schools is similar to ASU's annual Bay Area trip to take on Stanford – this will be the first meeting between the Sun Devils and Broncos.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 29, 2023)
• As a team, ASU leads the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (21.17/36th in the nation) and is 2nd in FTs made per game (14.25/62nd in the nation). ASU is also ranked among the top half of the Pac-12 in turnover margin (5th/+2.83) & 5th in turnovers per game (13.8/53rd in the nation)
• Jaddan Simmons is among the leaders in both the Pac-12 and the nation in free throws attempted (74/1st in Pac-12/11th in the nation), free throws made (63/2nd in Pac-12/11th in the nation) and minutes per game (2nd/34.9/50th in the nation). Simmons is also among the leaders in the Pac-12 in steals per game (7th/2.17), FT pct. (11th/80.8) and scoring (20th/13.08 ppg).
• Jalyn Brown is 13th in scoring (14.4 ppg) and 9th in minutes per game (31.58).
• Trayanna Crisp is 7th in minutes per game (32.99), tied for 15th in steals per game (1.58) and 21st 3-point FG pct. (38.0).
• Kadidia Toure is 14th in offensive rebounds per game (2.25).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• With a win on Saturday, the Sun Devils would eclipse their win total from 2022-23. In addition, it would give them a win over a squad currently ranked in the Top 100 of the NCAA's Net Rankings (Santa Clara is No. 59 as of Dec. 29).
• ASU has had five players lead/tie for team lead in scoring: Jaddan Simmons (5x), Kadidia Toure (4x), Trayanna Crisp (3x), Jalyn Brown (2x) and Treasure Hunt (1x). Simmons' career-high 26 points in ASU's win over Pacific (Dec. 1) represents the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil this season.
• In the rebounding department, seven Sun Devils have led/tied for the team lead: Maggie Besselink (4x), Journey Thompson (3x), Toure (3x), Mallory Miller (1x), Sandra Magolico (1x), Hunt (1x), Brown (1x). Toure's 14-rebound game vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13) represents the best rebounding game by a Sun Devil this season.
• On Dec. 20, Simmons (1002 points) became the 25th Sun Devil to score more than 1000 points. In ASU's last 4 games, she's averaged 16.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.3 spg, 7.0 FT attempts. In ASU's win over Fresno State (Dec. 20), Simmons had a career-high 8 assists with zero turnovers.
•In ASU's last 5 games, Brown (currently ASU's leading scorer/14.4 ppg) is averaging 19.0 ppg and is shooting 50 pct (38-76) from the floor. Shess scored in double figures in all 8 games she's started (earlier this season came off the bench 2x after missing two games due to injury).
• Crisp scored a then-career high 17 points 2x in ASU's first seven games. She surpassed that with 18 points vs. GCU (Dec. 8). Crisp has scored in double figures in all but 2 games and is averaging 14.7 ppg in the last 3 games. During that stretch: 50 pct both from the floor (19-38) & from beyond the arc (6-12) & is tied for the team lead in assists (2.7 apg).
• ASU is averaging 16.9 ppg off opponent turnovers this season. It scored a season-high 31 points off TOs at Grambling State (Nov. 16).
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in a quarter 18x, including 5x in single digits.
• ASU scored a double-digit point total in each of the first 20 quarters of the season. Overall, it has scored in double figures in 40 of 48 quarters.
• During earlier 3-game stretch (game Nos. 2-4), Toure averaged 19.0 ppg & 9.3 rebs per game. She posted first career double-double with career highs in points (22) & rebounds (14) vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13). She tied her career high with 22 points in ASU's win over Fresno State (Dec. 20).
WHEN: Saturday at 1 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
WATCH: ASU Live Stream
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (Pregame coverage starts at 12:30 p.m. MST)
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here
UP NEXT
Coming off its longest period of inactivity of the season (10 days) in the month in which it has played its fewest games of the season, the Sun Devil women's basketball team (8-4) plays it last non-conference game of the season when it hosts Santa Clara on Saturday (1 p.m. MST at Desert Financial Arena).
With a win on Saturday, the Sun Devils can surpass their win total from 2022-23, a campaign in which a plethora of injuries to a cast of several new new players played a central role in the team finishing with an 8-20 record. So dire was the squad's health situation last season, it had to forfeit two games during the Pac-12 portion of the schedule because ir did not have enough healthy players to compete.
The Sun Devils are coming off one of their best offensive performances of the season, an 80-76 win over Fresno State as part of the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series played at Footprint Series in 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. 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 the win, 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.
The Sun Devils hit a season-high 33 field goals and tied their second-highest assist total of the season (12). Defensively, ASU committed a season-low nine fouls, resulting in only two free throw attempts taken by the Bulldogs, the fewest number of free throws taken by a Sun Devil opponent this season.
ASU's game against Fresno State (Dec. 20), represented the first time the Sun Devils played a contest that was not separated by six or more days since it played three games in three days at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 23-25). Six days later, ASU played Pacific in the first game of the Briann January Classic on Dec. 1. After ASU's contest vs. Xavier on Dec. 2 was canceled due to Xavier not having enough healthy players, seven days passed before ASU faced Grand Canyon on Dec. 8. ASU then had its second-biggest gap in between games (nine days) before it played its conference opener vs. Arizona on Dec. 17.
WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday's game vs. Santa Clara can be seen via ASU's Live Stream. The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 12:30 p.m.). Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year and a finalist for the 2023 award, Jeff Munn is in his 20th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former ASU head coach Maura McHugh.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS SANTA CLARA
Despite the relative proximity of the two schools – the distance between the two schools is similar to ASU's annual Bay Area trip to take on Stanford – this will be the first meeting between the Sun Devils and Broncos.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 29, 2023)
• As a team, ASU leads the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (21.17/36th in the nation) and is 2nd in FTs made per game (14.25/62nd in the nation). ASU is also ranked among the top half of the Pac-12 in turnover margin (5th/+2.83) & 5th in turnovers per game (13.8/53rd in the nation)
• Jaddan Simmons is among the leaders in both the Pac-12 and the nation in free throws attempted (74/1st in Pac-12/11th in the nation), free throws made (63/2nd in Pac-12/11th in the nation) and minutes per game (2nd/34.9/50th in the nation). Simmons is also among the leaders in the Pac-12 in steals per game (7th/2.17), FT pct. (11th/80.8) and scoring (20th/13.08 ppg).
• Jalyn Brown is 13th in scoring (14.4 ppg) and 9th in minutes per game (31.58).
• Trayanna Crisp is 7th in minutes per game (32.99), tied for 15th in steals per game (1.58) and 21st 3-point FG pct. (38.0).
• Kadidia Toure is 14th in offensive rebounds per game (2.25).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• With a win on Saturday, the Sun Devils would eclipse their win total from 2022-23. In addition, it would give them a win over a squad currently ranked in the Top 100 of the NCAA's Net Rankings (Santa Clara is No. 59 as of Dec. 29).
• ASU has had five players lead/tie for team lead in scoring: Jaddan Simmons (5x), Kadidia Toure (4x), Trayanna Crisp (3x), Jalyn Brown (2x) and Treasure Hunt (1x). Simmons' career-high 26 points in ASU's win over Pacific (Dec. 1) represents the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil this season.
• In the rebounding department, seven Sun Devils have led/tied for the team lead: Maggie Besselink (4x), Journey Thompson (3x), Toure (3x), Mallory Miller (1x), Sandra Magolico (1x), Hunt (1x), Brown (1x). Toure's 14-rebound game vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13) represents the best rebounding game by a Sun Devil this season.
• On Dec. 20, Simmons (1002 points) became the 25th Sun Devil to score more than 1000 points. In ASU's last 4 games, she's averaged 16.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.3 spg, 7.0 FT attempts. In ASU's win over Fresno State (Dec. 20), Simmons had a career-high 8 assists with zero turnovers.
•In ASU's last 5 games, Brown (currently ASU's leading scorer/14.4 ppg) is averaging 19.0 ppg and is shooting 50 pct (38-76) from the floor. Shess scored in double figures in all 8 games she's started (earlier this season came off the bench 2x after missing two games due to injury).
• Crisp scored a then-career high 17 points 2x in ASU's first seven games. She surpassed that with 18 points vs. GCU (Dec. 8). Crisp has scored in double figures in all but 2 games and is averaging 14.7 ppg in the last 3 games. During that stretch: 50 pct both from the floor (19-38) & from beyond the arc (6-12) & is tied for the team lead in assists (2.7 apg).
• ASU is averaging 16.9 ppg off opponent turnovers this season. It scored a season-high 31 points off TOs at Grambling State (Nov. 16).
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in a quarter 18x, including 5x in single digits.
• ASU scored a double-digit point total in each of the first 20 quarters of the season. Overall, it has scored in double figures in 40 of 48 quarters.
• During earlier 3-game stretch (game Nos. 2-4), Toure averaged 19.0 ppg & 9.3 rebs per game. She posted first career double-double with career highs in points (22) & rebounds (14) vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13). She tied her career high with 22 points in ASU's win over Fresno State (Dec. 20).