TEMPE, Ariz. – For the second time in as many games, the Sun Devil women's basketball team found itself in a hole too deep to dig itself out of in Saturday's 78-59 loss to Baylor.
Jalyn Brown (21 points) and Tyi Skinner (13 points) both tallied double-digit scoring totals for the Sun Devils (8-9, 2-3 Big 12), who fell behind by 20 in the second quarter, got back within seven in the same quarter only to fall behind by double digits again at the half. Baylor's 13-4 run to start the second half proved to be too much for ASU to overcome.
One of the biggest factors in the outcome of the game was on the boards where the Bears (14-4, 4-1) finished plus-18. Baylor had nearly twice as many offensive rebounds (17-9) as ASU which translated into a 21-7 advantage in second chance points.
Nevaeh Parkinson (game-high 12 rebounds, six points) and Jazion Jackson (six rebounds, five points) were the only Sun Devils who had more than four rebounds.
Although both teams had 16 turnovers, Baylor had more success in scoring points off its opponent's miscues (14-9).
An important sequence came with 3:24 remaining in the first half as each team lost the player who at the time was leading them in scoring – Kennedy Fauntleroy for ASU (was tied with Brown with nine points at the time) and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs for Baylor (12 points) – following an altercation while Baylor was on offense. The Sun Devils also lost starting guard Jyah Lovett and reserve post Heavenly Greer for coming off the bench during the squabble.
Both teams shot the ball well in the first quarter. The Bears swished 60 percent (12-20) of their attempts and, although they ended up at 44 percent (7-17), the Sun Devils were shooting 50 percent (7-14) before missing their last three shots over the last 47 seconds of the quarter.
The Bears led 29-18 after 10 minutes due in large part to their ability to take advantage second chances on the offensive end (13 of their points came on six offensive rebounds) and a 7-0 advantage in points off turnovers.
Brown (six points) and Fauntleroy (five points) combined for 11 of ASU's points in the quarter.
The hill the Sun Devils had to climb to get back in the game became even more steep after the Bears scored the first nine points of the second quarter to take a 38-18 lead.
ASU immediately responded by making three of its next four shots. Fauntleroy's layup helped ASU trim Baylor's advantage to 40-27 with 5:16 remaining.
Jackson got the Sun Devils even closer after her layup cut ASU's deficit in half, 40-30. Much of ASU's offense was the product of great defense as the Bears encountered one stretch of more than three minutes in which it was only able to attempt three shots and missed six straight shots.
When play resumed after the aforementioned altercation, Brown hit a triple that capped a 15-2 run to get ASU within single digits, 40-33, with 3:14 left in the quarter.
The Bears scored the last four points of the quarter to once again take a double-digit lead, 44-33, at the half. Combined with a 13-4 run to start the third quarter, the Bears once again took a 20-point lead, 57-37, a little more than three minutes into the third quarter. Each team scored six points the rest of the way and the Sun Devils found themselves still trailing by 20, 63-43, entering the final quarter.
After Baylor took its largest lead of the game, 66-45, the Sun Devils went on a 10-2 run in less than two minutes to get within 13 after Skinner's 3-pointer with 6:37 remaining.
Up next for the Sun Devils is a road trip to the state of Kansas for games at Kansas (Thursday at 5 p.m. MST/ESPN+ and KDUS AM 1060) and at Kansas State (Sunday at 12 p.m. MST/ESPN+ and KDUS AM 1060).
Jalyn Brown (21 points) and Tyi Skinner (13 points) both tallied double-digit scoring totals for the Sun Devils (8-9, 2-3 Big 12), who fell behind by 20 in the second quarter, got back within seven in the same quarter only to fall behind by double digits again at the half. Baylor's 13-4 run to start the second half proved to be too much for ASU to overcome.
One of the biggest factors in the outcome of the game was on the boards where the Bears (14-4, 4-1) finished plus-18. Baylor had nearly twice as many offensive rebounds (17-9) as ASU which translated into a 21-7 advantage in second chance points.
Nevaeh Parkinson (game-high 12 rebounds, six points) and Jazion Jackson (six rebounds, five points) were the only Sun Devils who had more than four rebounds.
Although both teams had 16 turnovers, Baylor had more success in scoring points off its opponent's miscues (14-9).
An important sequence came with 3:24 remaining in the first half as each team lost the player who at the time was leading them in scoring – Kennedy Fauntleroy for ASU (was tied with Brown with nine points at the time) and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs for Baylor (12 points) – following an altercation while Baylor was on offense. The Sun Devils also lost starting guard Jyah Lovett and reserve post Heavenly Greer for coming off the bench during the squabble.
Both teams shot the ball well in the first quarter. The Bears swished 60 percent (12-20) of their attempts and, although they ended up at 44 percent (7-17), the Sun Devils were shooting 50 percent (7-14) before missing their last three shots over the last 47 seconds of the quarter.
The Bears led 29-18 after 10 minutes due in large part to their ability to take advantage second chances on the offensive end (13 of their points came on six offensive rebounds) and a 7-0 advantage in points off turnovers.
Brown (six points) and Fauntleroy (five points) combined for 11 of ASU's points in the quarter.
The hill the Sun Devils had to climb to get back in the game became even more steep after the Bears scored the first nine points of the second quarter to take a 38-18 lead.
ASU immediately responded by making three of its next four shots. Fauntleroy's layup helped ASU trim Baylor's advantage to 40-27 with 5:16 remaining.
Jackson got the Sun Devils even closer after her layup cut ASU's deficit in half, 40-30. Much of ASU's offense was the product of great defense as the Bears encountered one stretch of more than three minutes in which it was only able to attempt three shots and missed six straight shots.
When play resumed after the aforementioned altercation, Brown hit a triple that capped a 15-2 run to get ASU within single digits, 40-33, with 3:14 left in the quarter.
The Bears scored the last four points of the quarter to once again take a double-digit lead, 44-33, at the half. Combined with a 13-4 run to start the third quarter, the Bears once again took a 20-point lead, 57-37, a little more than three minutes into the third quarter. Each team scored six points the rest of the way and the Sun Devils found themselves still trailing by 20, 63-43, entering the final quarter.
After Baylor took its largest lead of the game, 66-45, the Sun Devils went on a 10-2 run in less than two minutes to get within 13 after Skinner's 3-pointer with 6:37 remaining.
Up next for the Sun Devils is a road trip to the state of Kansas for games at Kansas (Thursday at 5 p.m. MST/ESPN+ and KDUS AM 1060) and at Kansas State (Sunday at 12 p.m. MST/ESPN+ and KDUS AM 1060).