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Gutsy performance helps WBB finish non-conference play 13-0

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Gutsy performance helps WBB finish non-conference play 13-0Gutsy performance helps WBB finish non-conference play 13-0
Sun Devil Athletics

SPOKANE, Wash. – Missing two players due to injury, the Sun Devil women’s basketball team had to dig deep to maintain its perfect record on Tuesday night, fending off a furious rally by Gonzaga (6-5) to come away with a 68-66 win to complete the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 13-0 record.

Sun Devil standouts

  • Gabby Elliott scored a season-high 30 points. In the final quarter she accounted for 17 of ASU’s 19 points, the most points scored in a quarter by a Sun Devil this season. Her 21 points in the second half are the most scored by a Sun Devil in a half this season. Elliott also established new career highs for free throws made (7) and attempted (10).
  • Marley Washenitz scored all 12 of her points in the first half. She also had four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
  • In a game in which ASU needed its bench to step up, Jyah LoVett and Martina Fantini and answered the call. LoVett (12 points) and Fantini (seven points, team-high six rebounds and two steals) combined to outscore Gonzaga’s bench 19-13.
  • Last-Tear Poa had a team-high five assists.
  • Making her first career start, Deborah Davenport scored four points and had four rebounds.

How it happened

  • ASU’s defense once again helped it create offense as it scored 26 points off of Gonzaga’s 26 turnovers.
  • The Sun Devils jumped out to a seven-point lead twice in the first quarter. As would be a common theme throughout the night, each time the Sun Devils started to build a lead, Gonzaga would do enough to stay within striking distance. The seven-point lead ASU had was reduced to one point by the end of the quarter.
  • ASU scored the last eight points of the second quarter and the first two points of the third quarter to take it largest lead of the game, 38-29, less than a minute into the second half.
  • The Bulldogs got within two points but the Sun Devils scored the last five points of the third quarter to take a seven-point advantage into the final period.
  • Gonzaga used the long ball to get itself back into the game as the Bulldogs made six of their 10 triples in the last 10 minutes.
  • Time and again, the Bulldogs got within a single possession, eventually getting within a point, 62-61, with 2:34 remaining. However, they could not get any closer as LoVett (layup) and Elliott (jumper) scored the game’s next four points to give ASU a 66-61 lead.
  • In the end, ASU’s defense once again saved the day. Down by two in the final seconds, Gonzaga’s Taylor Smith had her shot rejected by Heloisa Carrera. Allie Turner’s last-second 3-pointer was off target and the Sun Devils left the court with their second consecutive two-point win.

Short-handed Sun Devils

  • The Sun Devils played Tuesday night’s game at Gonzaga without their second-leading scorer and top rebounder McKinna Brackens and key reserve Makayla Moore.

Winning streaks

On Dec. 6, head coach Molly Miller’s first ASU squad (10-0) surpassed the 1991-92 team (9-0) for the best start in school history. ASU’s current overall winning streak of 13 games is the longest since the 2015-16 team tied the 2008-09 team for the school record for consecutive wins (15). 

Miller’s Sun Devils are now one win away from tying the second-longest winning streak (14) accomplished by the 2014-15 team.  

Longest winning streaks 

  • 15: Dec. 6, 2015 – Jan. 29, 2016
  • 15: Jan. 28 – Mar. 5, 2009
  • 14: Nov. 30, 2014 – Jan. 23, 2015
  • 13: Nov. 3, 2025 - current

Notes

  • Marley Washenitz scored 12 points in the first half on Tuesday, the fourth time this season she has scored in double figures in a half.
  • For the eighth time this season, ASU forced more than 20 turnovers. It was also the eighth time this season the Sun Devils were able to score more than 20 points off turnovers.
  • Gonzaga became just the third ASU opponent to score more than 58 points.
  • ASU limited Gonzaga to only 13 points in both the second and third quarters. The Sun Devils have now held the opposition to 13 or fewer points in a quarter (52.0 ppg pace) 27 times this season.

Up next

The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday (5 p.m. MST) when they open Big 12 play vs. Colorado. On Sunday, fans will have the opportunity to celebrate World Basketball Day with a Holiday Hoops doubleheader. The Sun Devil men’s basketball team will get the day started when it faces Oregon State at 1 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets for Sunday’s game(s).