WBB defeats Utah Tech, remains unbeaten

TEMPE – The Sun Devil women’s basketball team had four players score in double figures and came through with another strong defensive effort to defeat Utah Tech 81-54 and remain unbeaten (6-0).

For ASU, the 81 points scored represented the second time it has scored more than 80 points in a game this season, while the 54 points scored by Utah Tech (3-2) marked the fourth time ASU has allowed 54 or fewer points this season.

With six wins in six games, Molly Miller’s first ASU squad is off to the program’s best start since the 1991-92 team (coached by current Sun Devil WBB radio analyst Maura McHugh), opened its campaign with nine straight wins.

Sun Devil standouts

• McKinna Brackens posted her third consecutive double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. In ASU’s last three games, she is averaging 21.7 points and 10.3 rebounds. After tying her career high with a trio of 3-pointers on Tuesday night, Brackens has made 60 percent of her attempts from long range while shooting 52 percent from the floor during the game three-game stretch.
• Gabby Elliott nearly had her second double-double of the season after scoring 16 points and pulling down nine rebounds. Elliott's evening included career highs in free throws made (6) and attempted (7).
• After posting career-high totals of 16 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s win vs. UNLV, Heloisa Carrera came through with a solid 12-and-7 performance on Tuesday.
• Amaya Williams matched her career high in scoring with 10 of ASU’s 17 bench points in addition to a career-high six rebounds.
• Last-Tear Poa (nine points) and Marley Washenitz (eight points) also had solid scoring contributions.
• Freshman Martina Fantini nearly had her first double-figure rebounding game with a career-high nine boards.
• Deborah Davenport was one of six Sun Devils who collected at least five rebounds.

How it happened

• Five different Sun Devils scored to give ASU an 18-8 lead after 10 minutes. Elliott paced ASU with six points while Marley Washenitz and McKinna Brackens had four points each.
• ASU did not allow Utah Tech to establish any kind of offensive rhythm as the Trailblazers managed to shoot just 17 percent in the first quarter and missed all seven of their 3-point attempts.
• After missing four consecutive shots, the Sun Devils shot a sizzling 75 percent (9-12 FGs) over the last 4:28 of the second quarter. Brackens’ triple with five seconds remaining in the half gave the Sun Devils a 44-21 advantage going into the locker room.
• ASU went on to lead by as many as 30 after Poa's 3-point play with 7:28 remaining.

Notable

• Utah Tech’s 3-pointer with 7:18 remaining in the third quarter was its first make from long range after missing its first 16 attempts.
• Every player who got into the game played at least 13 minutes.
• ASU has now limited its opponent to 13 or fewer points in a quarter (52.0 ppg average) 11 times this season.
• ASU’s final rebounding total of 62 represented the third time in the last 25 years it had at least 60 rebounds in a game. Combined with the 59 rebounds they pulled down at Santa Clara on Nov. 16, the Sun Devils have the two highest rebounding totals in the Big 12 this season.
• The 22-7 advantage ASU had in second chance points represented the second time in three games the Sun Devils had more than twice as many second chance points as their opponent (20-8 at Santa Clara on Nov. 16).
• The eight points Utah Tech scored in the first quarter matched the fewest number of points ASU has allowed in a quarter this season, while the 21 points Utah Tech scored in the first half were the fewest allowed by ASU in a half this season.
• Tuesday’s game was the first of three home games ASU plays this week and the second of six consecutive home games overall. The current stretch of home contests started vs. UNLV on Nov. 22 and will conclude on Dec. 6 when the Sun Devils play San Francisco on the second day of the annual Briann January Classic.

Up next

The Sun Devils will host the Little Rock Trojans on Friday at 10:30 a.m., the first of two games ASU will play on consecutive days. ASU will close out its three-game week on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) when it hosts Southeast Missouri. The game between ASU and SEMO will be preceded by San Diego vs. Little Rock at 4 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets to this weekend’s games.

Postgame quotes

Head Coach Molly Miller

On the team being 6-0 for the first time since the 1991-92 season
“It's great, but I'm more dialed into how we're doing it and how we can improve. In this program I've kind of preached from the beginning about how we're not going to take shortcuts and what that process looks like. We're not going to short change and so I think these kids have really bought into one game at a time. I think Gabby (Elliot) said it best as I've been listening to her on the side. We want the now results. We're not going to come in here and wait for this thing to progress, but we're also mindful of the progress and the process. I’m so proud of this team. They've bought in. They're really fun to coach. I've come up here and said this a lot, but they are fun to coach. We got everyone some good minutes spread out tonight and a good testament to our freshmen. They're getting contribution minutes, not just minutes. Amaya (Williams) is a freshman point guard and she's getting significant minutes and making a difference out there. I really like where she's headed.”

On the progress of freshmen Martina Fantini and Amaya Williams thus far
“Marty is just a pleaser and bless her heart. She wants to do everything right, but the pace and the strength, those are all adjustments for freshmen. So it's such a great thing to get them involved early. They can learn from their mistakes and learn from the flow of the game. They're both anxious to get into the coach's office for game film, and I think they've got a hunger which will help them. But they're also built for the system and their teammates love them too. When Marty and Amaya are scoring, their biggest cheerleaders are on the bench and on the court as their teammates.”

On the team controlling the boards with 62 rebounds and 23 offensive rebounds
“I didn't realize we had 62 rebounds. I know (McKinna) Brackens was rebounding the ball well. Our forwards and Ell (Heloisa Carrera) were rebounding the ball well, but it's effort. And I said I want to see a different level of effort. Every game I say this, and the players say ‘we know what you're about to say, coach, play harder, more effort, more hustle, hard work.’ It's just the standard, and the standard is the standard. So get out there and play hard, or someone else will. And I think those rebounds are a good effort statistic.”

Senior Guard Gabby Elliot

On the team starting 6-0

“For any program it’s good to start undefeated, but especially with the changes that we had. It’s just a testament to how serious we are and to what we are trying to do this season. A lot of times when people go new places, it’s about laying a foundation and starting a full couple years later. No, it’s about now for us. That’s what it’s about. I think I heard 1990 was the last time? That wasn’t even a thought so just to hear stuff like that and be part of something big like that is something that you don’t want to take for granted. It’s also something that we wanted to do and that we’re also not satisfied with.”

On the 62 rebounds the team had

“That’s crazy. When I heard it I was like wow, that’s a lot. I might have to check the numbers to make sure you’re not lying to me. Again I think it is just a testament to what we are trying to do. We take advantages when we have them, it’s what we want to capitalize on and tonight we did great with that. She (Coach Miller) is going to be really happy about that number for sure.”

Freshman Guard Amaya Williams 

On the team starting 6-0

“It’s great to win games. We expected to be good this year and start off winning games. We want to go undefeated in non-conference. So we’re just doing what we’re supposed to do.”

On the difference between the high school and college level

“Everything is different, there’s a lot more people. The pace is a lot faster, the defense is a lot harder and getting boards is a lot harder. I think everything is just a big level up from the high school level”