Women's Hoops hits the road to face the Trojans and Bruins

THE GAME:  Sun Devil WBB (7-12, 0-10 Pac-12) at USC (16-5, 6-4 Pac-12)
WHEN: Friday at 7 p.m. PST/8 p.m. MST
WHERE: Galen Center • Los Angeles
TV: Pac-12 Arizona 
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click here
 
UP NEXT
After going toe-to-toe against the Washington schools, losing two games by a total of six points, the Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-12, 0-10 Pac-12) travels to Los Angeles this weekend to face USC (16-5, 6-4) on Friday (8 p.m. MST) and No. 14/16 UCLA (17-5, 6-4) on Sunday (1 p.m. MST).
 
The Sun Devils are coming off a pair of heartbreaking losses: 61-57 vs. Washington State and 55-53 vs. Washington. In the final minute of both games, the Sun Devils had a realistic chance to come out on top.
 
Against WSU, the Sun Devils trailed by nine points at halftime before outscoring the Cougars 22-15 in the third quarter to cut the lead to two. Jaddan Simmons led the comeback, scoring 16 of her game-high 20 points in the final 20 minutes to help ASU go up by one after her layup with under four minutes remaining. From there, ASU went cold and couldn't hang on. Against the Huskies, ASU went up 49-47 after a field goal by Tyi Skinner (scored all 11 of her points in the final quarter and scored or assisted on all but two of the team's points in the final quarter) with 5:30 remaining. The Huskies outscored ASU 8-6 down the stretch to claim the win.
 
A week after its scheduled games at Utah (Jan. 13) & at Colorado (Jan. 15) were canceled due to ASU not having enough available players, it was back on the court on Jan. 22, an 80-67 loss to Arizona. Junior guard Treasure Hunt scored a career-high 24 points in the loss, while Simmons (19 points) set a career-high with 11 free throw makes, the first time in her career making double-digit free throws in a single game.
 
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 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. Skinner led ASU with a game-high 26 points. 
 
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. After falling behind by 16 in the third quarter vs. Oregon State (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.
 
SERIES NOTES VERSUS USC
• ASU has prevailed in nine of the last 14 meetings with eight of those contests coming down to the final minute or OT, most recently USC's 60-58 win on a buzzer-beater last season in Tempe. The initial meeting between the two schools scheduled to be played in Los Angeles was postponed and eventually canceled due to Covid-19 protocols.
• In 2015 ASU had to go to double OT before coming away with a 76-73 win in LA.
• In 2016 Sophie Brunner converted a 3-point play with 1.4 secs remaining to lift ASU to a 69-68 win in Tempe. In the rematch in Los Angeles, ASU denied USC's attempts to tie the score twice in the final 32 secs in ASU's 50-45 win. 
• ASU swept the series in 2020, winning 63-54 in LA and 76-75 (3OT) in Tempe. 
• In 2020-21, ASU defeated USC Tempe in the earliest date it ever opened conference play (Dec. 4) 63-58 behind Jaddan Simmons' 20 points. USC won the rematch, 65-57 in Los Angeles. Simmons once again led ASU with 16 points.
 
CURRENT STORYLINES...
• ASU is ranked in the top half of the Pac-12 in free throws attempts per game (1st/20.53/40th in the nation), free throw makes per game (2nd/15.05/27th in the nation), fewest turnovers per game (3rd/12.7/15th in the nation) and offensive rebounds per game (4th/13.7).
• Only four players have played in all 19 games: Tyi Skinner (19 starts), Kayla Mokwuah (16 starts), Meg Newman (5 starts) and Trayanna Crisp (3 starts).
• As of Jan. 30, ASU has three of the top four players in the Pac-12 in minutes played per game: 1. Jaddan Simmons (36.95 mpg), 2. Tyi Skinner (35.21 mpg), 4. Treasure Hunt (34.93 mpg).
 
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. 30, Skinner, who has scored in double figures in all but two games (Jan. 23 vs. Arizona, Jan. 27 vs. Washington St.), is 3rd in the Pac-12 and 29th in the nation in scoring (18.7 ppg). She is also among the Pac-12's leaders in free throws made (3rd/88/tied with teammate Jaddan Simmons) and attempted (5th/97), minutes per game (3rd/35.21/49th in the nation), 3-pointers per game (3rd/2.42), free throw percentage (7th/79.4), steals per game (8th/1.74) and 3-point FG percentage (6th/34.1)
 
Currently the owner 10 20-point games this season (2nd in the Pac-12), Skinner reached the 1,000 career points vs. Arizona on Jan. 22.  
 
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). In addition to her scoring, Skinner has also...
• 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 (68 starts in 68 career games). As great as Simmons' play was over her first two seasons in Tempe, she has taken it to an even higher level as a junior.
 
A starter in all 18 games she has played this season (missed ASU's game vs. Missouri on Dec. 4 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 Friday's game as the team leader in assists per game (3.0), assist-to-TO ratio (1.59/12th in Pac-12), minutes per game (36:95/1st in Pac-12/10th in the nation), free throws made (77/3rd in Pac-12/tied with teammate Tyi Skinner/) and attempted (98/4th in the Pac-12), is 2nd in scoring (13.1 ppg), steals per game (1.78/7th in Pac-12), and free throw percentage (78.6/8th in Pac-12).
 
Simmons, who has pulled down 5 or more rebounds 9x this season, made a career-high 11 FTs as part of her 19 points vs. Arizona (Jan. 22). She led or tied for the team lead in scoring in ASU's near victories vs. WSU on Jan. 27 (scored 16 of her game-high 20 points in the second half) and vs. Washington on Jan. 29 (tied for team lead with 11 points had team highs with 5 assists and 2 steals. Simmons played 79 of 80 minutes in the two games.
 
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 – tit 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. When play resumed, Hunt again been a solid and consistent contributor as she scored in double figures in seven of ASU's next eight games. Hunt averaged 16.0 points and 6.8 rebounds during that stretch, including a then-career high 22 points in ASU's non-conference finale vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17). She accounted for her third double-double of the season (17 points, 12 rebounds) vs. Oregon (Jan. 6). She topped her previous career high in scoring with a game-high 24 points vs. Arizona (Jan. 22). Hunt is currently 10th in the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (6.8/leads ASU) & 4th in the minutes per game (34.93/3rd on the team).
 
CONTRIBUTORS APLENTY RESPONSIBLE FOR ASU'S SUCCESS
• In ASU's games vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 17) and at Arizona (Dec. 29), 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 PVAM. 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 (47.3 percent) and offensive rebounds per game (2.37/7th in Pac-12) and is 2nd on the team in rebounds per game (6.5/11th in Pac-12).
• TCU transfer Kayla Mokwuah is 3rd on the team in rebounds per game (5.0/6 or more rebounds 9x this season/averaging 6.3 rpg in last 3 games), 2nd in offensive rebounds (2.32 rpg/8th in the Pac-12) and 4th in scoring (5.7 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).
• 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 (1.6) and 4th in scoring (5.9 ppg). She's had a season-high 5 assists three times. Crisp averaged double figures in scoring in consecutive games – while starting consecutive games for the first time this season – for the second time this season vs. Washington State (Jan. 27/11 points) and vs. Washington (Jan. 29/9 points). 
• 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). She has not played since the OSU game due to injury.
• Junior guard Sydney Erikstrup is tied for 4th on the team in 3-pointers per game (0.4). Erikstrup posted career highs in scoring (11 points) and 3-pointers (3) in ASU's comeback win at GCU (Nov. 30).
• In the 14 games Isadora Sousa has played in – she has missed five games due to injury, was injured less than three minutes into game vs. Oregon (Jan. 6) and was limited to only 10 minutes vs. Arizona (Jan. 22) – she has connected on 47 percent of her FGs (18-38). 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 averaged 5.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg while averaging 20 minutes vs. Washington State (Jan. 27) and Washington (Jan. 29). 
 
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
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 a dramatic 80-72 win at Grand Canyon. Three consecutive losses followed before ASU got win No. 7. During the three-game losing streak, the talented depth that was a major factor in the team's success was dramatically reduced due to an unlucky spate of injuries/illness. 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.
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 three most recent outings in addition to providing ASU with an important defensive presence) and 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).
 
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 and it played a major factor in the outcome. 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.
 
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 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 Thompson, who played only 14 minutes in the three games: started at Arizona (10 minutes), missed game at Stanford and returned in a reserve role at Cal (four minutes). Thompson had a season-high 12 rebounds vs. Oregon St. (Jan. 8) but has not played since. 
 
Sousa once again went down with an injury less than three minutes into ASU's contest vs. Oregon (Jan. 6). She missed ASU's game vs. OSU (Jan. 8) before being limited to nine minutes vs. Arizona (Jan. 22).
 
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.
 
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN: NOTES ON THE 2022-23 ROSTER PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEASON
• Natasha 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. The first assignment for Adair and her staff was a difficult one: Trying to replace the contributions of five transfers who accounted for the following in 2021-22: 52.4 percent of minutes played, 71.2 percent of 3FGs and, most significantly, 57.0 percent of points. 
• Guards Jaddan Simmons, Sydney Erikstrup, Isadora Sousa (has missed five games due to injury and was limited three mins and nine mins in two other contests), G/F Maggie Besselink (has yet to play this season due to injury) and posts Imogen Greenslade (has not played since Dec. 4 – was injured in preparations leading up to ASU's Dec. 11 game at SFA) and Meg Newman all remained Sun Devils. Although she was on last year's roster, 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.
• Given the circumstances, 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. 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 quartet of impressive guards – sophomore Morasha Wiggins (North Carolina/suffered season-ending injury in fall practice), juniors Tyi Skinner (Delaware) and Treasure Hunt (Kentucky) and graduate Lauryn Satterwhite (Northwestern/retired prior to the season) – and an experienced, fifth-year center in Kayla Mokwuah (TCU).
• A pair of freshmen from Pennsylvania – guard Jaylah Robinson (has only played in one game due to injury) and post Journey Thompson. Since her breakout performance vs. UMass (Dec. 2), Thompson has played in only five games. Of those five games, Thompson played fewer than 10 minutes in three of them due to illness/injury. She has not played since Jan. 8 vs. Oregon State, a game in which she collected a season-high 12 rebounds. 
• 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."