TEMPE, Ariz. – Jalyn Brown put on a performance that was simultaneously an ode to the past greats of Sun Devil Women's Basketball – perhaps fitting that Sun Devil Hall of Famer Briann January was sitting courtside – as much as it was to the potential of the program's future in the Sun Devil women's basketball team's 81-68 loss to fifth-ranked Colorado on Sunday.
Brown, a sophomore who transferred to ASU from Louisville last spring, scored 35 points, the most by a Sun Devil in the 21st century and the highest single-game total by a player this season in a game contested between two Pac-12 teams.
MOST POINTS BY A SUN DEVIL SINCE 2000
35 - Jalyn Brown vs. Colorado (1/7/24)
34 - Jade Loville at San Diego (12/18/2021)
33 - Jade Loville vs. Oregon St. (2/4/2022)
32 - Kylan Loney vs. Arizona (1/31/04)
30 - Kianna Ibis at Utah (12/31/17)
30 - Amanda Levens vs St. Peter's (11/17/01)
Brown (11-23 FGs, 11-12 FTs) and Isadora Sousa (4-5 FGs, 10 points) combined to shoot 54 percent from the floor. Brown, Sousa and Trayanna Crisp (12 points), who was able to return to action after suffering an injury that forced her to leave the game seconds after the curtain went up in ASU's contest vs. Utah on Friday, combined for 57 of ASU's points vs. Colorado.
"It's not the outcome we wanted because every game we play we want to win. But understanding as a coach, their coach, sitting in the seat, there's a process. I know we're all so used to instant by click of the button, but it doesn't work that way and we know every day what we emphasize and how they've been working day in and day out."
Brown had one of the finest weekends by a Sun Devil in recent memory as she authored career-high scoring totals in consecutive games against two of the Pac-12's top teams: 21 points vs. No. 15 Utah on Friday and 35 points vs. No. 5 Colorado on Sunday. Brown hit 92 percent of her FTs in the two games and played all 40 minutes vs. Colorado. With the Sun Devils down by as many as 25 early in the third quarter on Sunday, Brown scored 19 points in the second half, hitting 60 percent of her shots (6-10 FGs) and all six of her FTs in the final 20 minutes.
"It's a blessing, but I feel like I've worked for it," Brown said of her performance on Sunday. "Every day I'm training, every day I'm preparing. My coaches are preparing me to be put into those positions, so just being ready to do what I'm told to do and just to help the team in any way possible."
The Sun Devils found it difficult to get the ball in the hoop early in the game. By the time they made their first basket of the game – a layup by Brown ended a streak of six missed to start the game – Colorado had scored nine points.
Brown's field goal provided a swift jumpstart for the Sun Devil offense as ASU went on to hit seven of its next eight shots. Brown personally accounted for nine points, including a triple that tied the game at 11-11 with 4:36 remaining – during an 11-2 Sun Devil scoring run.
Simmons, Sousa and Brown all had game-tying baskets as the two teams went back and forth. Brown's free throw with 2:46 left gave ASU its first lead of the game, 18-17.
The Buffaloes ended the quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 25-17 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Unfortunately for ASU, the hot shooting it displayed during its successful offensive sequence in the first quarter was not enough to thaw out what it experienced in the early minutes of the game. After Brown's layup tied the game at 17, the Sun Devils made just one of their next 18 shots, a stretch that started with 1:51 remaining in the first quarter and concluded when Sousa knocked down a 3-pointer with 8:39 remaining in the third quarter.
During ASU's offensive cold spell, the Buffaloes took control of the game with a 33-8 run that helped them take a 50-25 lead early in the third quarter.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable hill they had to climb, the Sun Devils refused to give into the circumstances before them. The flashes of brilliance were still there as illustrated by the six straight shots Brown and Sousa combined to make at one point in the third quarter.
Adair credited Sousa's experience and leadership as one of the critical components in ASU's second half resurgence. The third-year Sun Devil missed the first 10 games of the season due to injury. A starter in the last three games, Sousa has steadily increased her playing time, logging a season-high 25 minutes on Sunday.
"Just her impact, her leadership, that's the biggest thing and Izzy's smart. We call her our little Magic Johnson," Adair said. "She's so crafty with the ball, but she brings the team together almost like another floor general out there on the court. But the more she can just sustain that effort, will go four minutes, will go seven minutes, she'll go 10 minutes. Just having her out there is so valuable to our team, the organization of our team, the toughness of our team and just the poise of our team, especially with a very young group."
The Sun Devils return to action next week when they go on the road to face Oregon (8 p.m. MST/7 p.m. PST) on Friday and Oregon State on Sunday (1 p.m. MST/12 p.m. PST).
Brown, a sophomore who transferred to ASU from Louisville last spring, scored 35 points, the most by a Sun Devil in the 21st century and the highest single-game total by a player this season in a game contested between two Pac-12 teams.
MOST POINTS BY A SUN DEVIL SINCE 2000
35 - Jalyn Brown vs. Colorado (1/7/24)
34 - Jade Loville at San Diego (12/18/2021)
33 - Jade Loville vs. Oregon St. (2/4/2022)
32 - Kylan Loney vs. Arizona (1/31/04)
30 - Kianna Ibis at Utah (12/31/17)
30 - Amanda Levens vs St. Peter's (11/17/01)
Brown (11-23 FGs, 11-12 FTs) and Isadora Sousa (4-5 FGs, 10 points) combined to shoot 54 percent from the floor. Brown, Sousa and Trayanna Crisp (12 points), who was able to return to action after suffering an injury that forced her to leave the game seconds after the curtain went up in ASU's contest vs. Utah on Friday, combined for 57 of ASU's points vs. Colorado.
JAYLYN BROWN TOP SCORING GAMES
35 vs. No. 5 Colorado/Jan. 7, 2024 (11-23 FGs; 11-12 FTs)
21 vs. No. 15 Utah/Jan. 5, 2024
20 vs. Fresno State/Dec. 20, 2023
20 vs. Pacific/Dec. 1, 2023
20 vs. High Point/Nov. 25 at Paradise Jam
19 vs. Arizona/Dec. 17, 2023
16 vs. Grand Canyon/Dec. 8, 2023
16 vs. UTSA/Nov. 6, 2023
14 vs. South Florida/Nov. 24, 2023
"It's not the outcome we wanted because every game we play we want to win. But understanding as a coach, their coach, sitting in the seat, there's a process. I know we're all so used to instant by click of the button, but it doesn't work that way and we know every day what we emphasize and how they've been working day in and day out."
Brown had one of the finest weekends by a Sun Devil in recent memory as she authored career-high scoring totals in consecutive games against two of the Pac-12's top teams: 21 points vs. No. 15 Utah on Friday and 35 points vs. No. 5 Colorado on Sunday. Brown hit 92 percent of her FTs in the two games and played all 40 minutes vs. Colorado. With the Sun Devils down by as many as 25 early in the third quarter on Sunday, Brown scored 19 points in the second half, hitting 60 percent of her shots (6-10 FGs) and all six of her FTs in the final 20 minutes.
"It's a blessing, but I feel like I've worked for it," Brown said of her performance on Sunday. "Every day I'm training, every day I'm preparing. My coaches are preparing me to be put into those positions, so just being ready to do what I'm told to do and just to help the team in any way possible."
The Sun Devils found it difficult to get the ball in the hoop early in the game. By the time they made their first basket of the game – a layup by Brown ended a streak of six missed to start the game – Colorado had scored nine points.
Brown's field goal provided a swift jumpstart for the Sun Devil offense as ASU went on to hit seven of its next eight shots. Brown personally accounted for nine points, including a triple that tied the game at 11-11 with 4:36 remaining – during an 11-2 Sun Devil scoring run.
Simmons, Sousa and Brown all had game-tying baskets as the two teams went back and forth. Brown's free throw with 2:46 left gave ASU its first lead of the game, 18-17.
The Buffaloes ended the quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 25-17 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Unfortunately for ASU, the hot shooting it displayed during its successful offensive sequence in the first quarter was not enough to thaw out what it experienced in the early minutes of the game. After Brown's layup tied the game at 17, the Sun Devils made just one of their next 18 shots, a stretch that started with 1:51 remaining in the first quarter and concluded when Sousa knocked down a 3-pointer with 8:39 remaining in the third quarter.
During ASU's offensive cold spell, the Buffaloes took control of the game with a 33-8 run that helped them take a 50-25 lead early in the third quarter.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable hill they had to climb, the Sun Devils refused to give into the circumstances before them. The flashes of brilliance were still there as illustrated by the six straight shots Brown and Sousa combined to make at one point in the third quarter.
Adair credited Sousa's experience and leadership as one of the critical components in ASU's second half resurgence. The third-year Sun Devil missed the first 10 games of the season due to injury. A starter in the last three games, Sousa has steadily increased her playing time, logging a season-high 25 minutes on Sunday.
"Just her impact, her leadership, that's the biggest thing and Izzy's smart. We call her our little Magic Johnson," Adair said. "She's so crafty with the ball, but she brings the team together almost like another floor general out there on the court. But the more she can just sustain that effort, will go four minutes, will go seven minutes, she'll go 10 minutes. Just having her out there is so valuable to our team, the organization of our team, the toughness of our team and just the poise of our team, especially with a very young group."
The Sun Devils return to action next week when they go on the road to face Oregon (8 p.m. MST/7 p.m. PST) on Friday and Oregon State on Sunday (1 p.m. MST/12 p.m. PST).