WHAT: NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Greensboro Regional Semifinal Game – No. 9 Arizona State (29-5, 15-3 Pac-12 – No. 3 seed Greensboro Region) vs. Florida State (31-4, 14-2 ACC – No. 2 seed Greensboro Region)
WHEN: Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT
WHERE: Greensboro Coliseum • Greensboro, N.C.
TELEVISION: ESPN2
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 (coverage begins at 6 p.m. PT)
UP NEXT
The ninth-ranked Arizona State women’s basketball team returns to the site of one of its biggest wins in program history on Friday when it plays seventh-ranked Florida State in the second of two regional semifinal games taking place at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Game time is 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. At stake in Friday’s game between the Sun Devils (29-5, No. 3 seed in Greensboro Region) and the Seminoles (31-4, No. 2 seed) is a spot in Sunday’s regional final vs. South Carolina or North Carolina. The Gamecocks (No. 1 seed) and the Tar Heels (No. 4 seed) will meet in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader.
Eight years ago the Sun Devils, the No. 3 seed in the Greensboro Region in 2007, came to Greensboro and defeated Bowling Green to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. ASU would ultimately fall short of its first Final Four, falling to Rutgers in the regional final. ASU would return to the Elite Eight again in 2009, but was defeated by UConn in the Trenton regional final. Friday’s game will be ASU’s first in the regional round since the loss to the Huskies in 2009.
The Sun Devils will be playing in Friday’s game thanks to a remarkable comeback in Monday’s second round game vs. UALR. ASU came back from 16 points down in the second half to defeat the Trojans 57-54. Down by 13 with nine minutes left, the Sun Devils closed the game on a 24-8 run. During that stretch they connected on 67 percent of their shots (10-15) while allowing UALR to shoot only 31 percent (4-13). In addition, ASU did not have any turnovers over the last nine minutes.
ASU, which played both its first and second round games at home, opened the NCAA Tournament with a 74-55 win over Ohio on Saturday.
Leading ASU in its first two NCAA Tournament games have been Sophie Brunner (15.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg), Katie Hempen (14.5 ppg/5-11 3-pointers) and Promise Amukamara (12.5 ppg/8-13 FGs/61.5 percent).
The Sun Devils have connected on 46 percent of their shots in the two tournament games and have allowed an average of only 54.5 points.
The Seminoles have already set a school record for victories this season (31). Earlier this month they made it to the championship game of the ACC Tournament for the first time ever where they fell to second-ranked Notre Dame.
TELEVISION/RADIO
Friday’s game can be seen live on ESPN2. Pam Ward (play by play) and Carolyn Peck (analysis) will call the action with Maria Taylor reporting from the sidelines. The game can also be heard live on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060. Coverage will begin at 6 p.m. in the Valley. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona’s 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 11th season as the voice of ASU women’s basketball.
ASU'S NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• Arizona State is currently in the midst of its 13th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, its 10th under head coach Charli Turner Thorne.
• ASU’s overall record in the NCAA Tournament is 16-12, including a 14-9 record under Turner Thorne.
• The Sun Devils have won at least one NCAA Tournament game in eight of their last nine tournament appearances (2002, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘14, ‘15). This will be ASU’s fourth appearance in the regional semifinals during Turner Thorne’s tenure (‘05, ‘07, ‘09, ‘15).
• ASU’s No. 3 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament matches its highest in school history. ASU was also the No. 3 seed in the Greensboro Region in 2007 when it made its first appearance in the Elite Eight.
• Prior to its Elite Eight berth in 2007, the furthest ASU had reached was the round of 16 (1982, 1983 and 2005). In both 1982 and `83, the No. 4 seed Sun Devils lost to the eventual national champion in the round of 16 (Louisiana Tech in 1982 and USC in 1983).
• ASU has a 4-1 record in NCAA Tournament games played in Tempe, winning first round contests in 1982, 1983 and first and second rounds in 2015. Its only home loss was in the 2005 regional semifinals.
• ASU’s first NCAA appearance in the Charli Turner Thorne era came in 2001. As the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region, the Sun Devils fell to No. 6 seed LSU in the first round. Turner Thorne earned her first victory in the NCAA Tournament the following year after the Sun Devils (No. 9 seed) defeated Wisconsin (No. 8 seed) in the first round of the Midwest sub-regional, 73-70. ASU would fall to the top seed, Vanderbilt, in the second round, 61-35.
• As the No. 5 seed in the Tempe Region in 2005 the Sun Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 22 years after upsetting No. 4 seed Notre Dame, 70-61. In that game the Sun Devils overcame a 13-point, first-half deficit. In the Sweet 16 against North Carolina, the Sun Devils led by as many as 10 points and were within two points, 62-60, with 9:29 remaining before the Tar Heels closed out the game with a 17-12 run.
• As a No. 4 seed in 2006 ASU defeated Stephen F. Austin in the first round in Tucson (80-61) before falling to Utah in the second round (86-65).
• ASU earned a No. 3 seed in the Greensboro Region in 2007 and advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history, posting a school record 31 wins along the way. ASU denied the upset bids of No. 14 seed UC Riverside (first round) and No. 6 seed Louisville (second round), overcoming double-digit deficits in the final 10 minutes of both games before going on to defeat Bowling Green (67-49) in the Sweet 16. ASU’s season ended with a 64-45 loss to Rutgers in the Greensboro Regional Final.
• As a No. 6 seed in 2008, ASU defeated Temple (61-54) in the first round before bowing out with a 67-59 loss to Duke (No. 3 seed).
• In 2009, ASU (a No. 6 seed in the Trenton Region) earned its second Elite Eight berth in three years. ASU defeated No. 11 Georgia and No. 3 Florida State in Duluth, Ga., before knocking off the No. 2 seed Texas A&M in the regional semifinal in Trenton, N.J. ASU was defeated by eventual national champion UConn in the Trenton Regional final.
• In 2011, ASU (No. 7 in the Dayton Regional) lost to Temple, 63-45, in a first-round game contested in Salt Lake City.
• ASU’s 10 NCAA Tournament appearances (‘01, ‘02, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘11, ‘14, ‘15) are the second-highest total in the Pac-12 behind Stanford since the 2000-01 season.
• The highest seed ASU has ever defeated is a #2 (Texas A&M in the 2009 Trenton Regional Semifinal).
SERIES HISTORY VS. FLORIDA STATE (ASU LEADS 2-1)
This will be only the fourth all-time meeting between ASU and Florida State. The Sun Devils were victorious in the first two meetings, defeating the Seminoles 85-70 in the 1983-84 season opener and again 63-58 in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament in Duluth, Ga. In the latter game, ASU came in as the No. 6 seed and Florida State as the No. 3 seed. The Seminoles won the most recent meeting, 65-55, in the championship game of the 2010 Junkanoo Jam played in the Bahamas.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
• In 2014-15 ASU got off to its best start (18-1) and conference start (7-0) in school history. Previous best starts: 14-1 in 1982-83/best conference start: 5-0 in 2007-08. In addition, ASU reached 20 wins faster than any team in program history (22 games). ASU’s current win total of 29 is the second highest total in school history surpassed only by the 31 wins collected by the 2006-07 squad.
• On Dec. 22 ASU made its first appearance of the season in the AP Top 25, entering the poll at No. 25. Since then they either moved up or remained steady all but one week. They concluded the regular season ranked No. 9 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches’ poll. ASU’s highest ever AP ranking was No. 8 in 2007.
• ASU’s earlier 14-game winning streak (started on Nov. 30 and ended on Jan. 25) was its second longest in school history. Only the 2008-09 team won more games in succession (15). Most recently, the Sun Devils won six straight games before falling to Stanford, 59-56, in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament.
• The Sun Devils have now won 30 of 33 home games going back to last season, including a 16-2 record this season. ASU allowed an average of only 55.1 points per game at home this season while outscoring the opposition by an average of 12.2 ppg. In its last six home games ASU allowed only 49.8 ppg.
• ASU has had the same starting lineup in all but five games this season: G Elisha Davis, G Katie Hempen, G Promise Amukamara, F Kelsey Moos and F Sophie Brunner. Quinn Dornstauder started her first career game at Oregon State (Feb. 13) in place of Kelsey Moos (injured elbow). She would go on to start five games before Moos returned to the starting lineup on Mar. 1.
• ASU has had 15 or fewer turnovers 21 times this season, including a season-low seven at Oregon State (Feb. 13). The Sun Devils are on pace to shatter the school record for fewest turnovers per game, 16.4, set by the 2011-12 team. Coming into Friday’s game, ASU is averaging 14.1 turnovers per game, 2.3 fewer than the current record.
• ASU has won the battle of the boards in 24 of 34 games.
• Nine Sun Devils have scored in double figures this season. Of those nine, seven have posted double-digits in scoring multiple times. Leading the way is Katie Hempen, who has scored in double figures 22 times. Also scoring in double figures have been Sophie Brunner (22x), Promise Amukamara (20x), Elisha Davis (13x), Quinn Dornstauder (11x), Kelsey Moos (8x), Arnecia Hawkins (2x) Peace Amukamara (1x) and Eliza Normen (1x).
• Promise Amukamara (All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defense), Sophie Brunner (All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Defensive Honorable Mention) and Katie Hempen (All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention) all earned Pac-12 honors this season as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
• The top rebounding guard on the team (3.7 rpg), Promise Amukamara was ASU’s leading scorer during its earlier 14-game winning streak (13.1 ppg) and was also the leading scorer during its recent six-game winning streak (12.5 ppg).
• Brunner has scored 20 or more points five times this season, including a career-best 26 points vs. Arizona (Jan. 10). Brunner was named to the Pac-12’s All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds while hitting 59 percent of her shots in ASU’s two P12 Tournament games.
• Elisha Davis has had five or most assists 17 times, including a career-high 11 at Illinois State (Dec. 16). Equally important is she has had 18 games with two or fewer turnovers – 2 (7x), 1(7x), 0 (4x).
• Katie Hempen, who has knocked down 3 or more 3-pointers 13 times this season, broke former Sun Devil and current Indiana Fever guard Briann January’s single-season record for most 3-pointers (65) after hitting four vs. Colorado on Mar. 1. Hempen currently has 73 triples this season. In ASU’s NCAA First Round win over Ohio, Hempen set a new ASU NCAA Tournament single-game record with five 3-pointers while scoring a career-high 23 points.
• Kelsey Moos, who missed four games due to injury in February, has had seven or more rebounds 14 times this season. Moos returned to starting lineup vs. Colorado (Mar. 1).
• Quinn Dornstauder, who started five games in the absence of Kelsey Moos, currently leads the Sun Devil bench in both scoring (7.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg).
• ASU was picked to finish seventh in the Pac-12 by the coaches and sixth by the media and ended up finishing second. Last season ASU was picked to finish 10th (coaches) and ninth (media). They would go on to finish fourth, were ranked as high as No. 11 in the AP poll and would advance to the second round of NCAAs, their 14th postseason appearance in 15 seasons.
MOVING ON UP
ASU’s 67-48 win over Washington State in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament on March 6 was its 27th win of the season, giving this year’s squad sole possession of second place for the most wins in school history (now at 29 after two NCAA Tournament wins).
Prior to the win over the Cougars, this year’s Sun Devils were tied with the 2008-09 team that won 26 games (26-9) on its way to the program’s second Elite Eight berth in three seasons. The 2008-09 team actually started the season with an 8-6 record, including an 0-2 record in Pac-10 play, before reeling off a school record 15 straight wins. This year’s team came just short of tying the consecutive wins mark after winning 14 straight games, which included its last seven non-conference games and its first seven Pac-12 contests.
The first Sun Devil team to qualify for the Elite Eight was the 2007 squad, which holds the school record for most wins in a season with 31 and the most wins in Pac-10/Pac-12 play with 16.
Another characteristic the three winningest teams in school history have shared is their ability to be successful on the road. Both the 2006-07 team and this year’s squad accomplished the feat of winning 10 of 11 games on the road, tied for the best mark in school history. The 2008-09 team won nine of 13 on the road. Of the 29 wins the three teams combined for in true road games, perhaps none was more impressive than the one captured by this year’s Sun Devils on Jan. 19 when they traveled to Stanford and became the first ASU team to leave Maples Pavilion with a win since 1984. But there’s more. Prior to the 60-57 win at Stanford, ASU went to Cal and defeated the Bears 67-52, the largest margin of victory by a team at Haas Pavilion this season. By the time the weekend was over, ASU had become the first school in the conference since 2000-01 to travel to the Bay Area and win both games.
DEVIL DEFENSE LEADS THE WAY
While the Sun Devils made great strides last season in returning to the NCAA Tournament following a 13-18 season in 2012-13, head coach Charli Turner Thorne made it a point of emphasis in the offseason that the 2014-15 team would start to play defense more like some of the great Sun Devil teams in recent memory. The defining characteristics of those defenses: Ball pressure, excellent position defense without fouling and excellent work on the boards.
The results have been nothing short of phenomenal.
Coming into Friday’s regional semifinal game, the Sun Devils are giving up 10.1 fewer points this season (55.6) compared to last season (65.7). In conference games, ASU gave up 11.8 fewer points during the Pac-12 season in 2015 (55.1) compared to last season (66.9).
The Devils have also shown improvements from last season to this season in opponent 3-point FG percent (31.3/25.1 = –6.3), opponent rebounds per game (34.6/31.4 = –3.2), opponent field goal attempts per game (56.6/52.1 = –4.5) and fouls given per game (19.8/15.2 = –4.6).
ASU currently leads Pac-12 in scoring defense (55.6 ppg - 19th in the nation), 3-point FG percent defense (25.1 - fourth in the nation) and rebounding defense (31.4).
In addition, ASU has held the opposition to 25 or fewer points in a half 26 times this season. It has also held the opposition to 25 percent or less from 3-point range 18 times. ASU has given up more than three triples in a game only 10 times this season.
In its last nine games (8-1 in those games) ASU is giving up an average of only 53.9 points per game.
Sophie Brunner (2015 Pac-12 Defensive Honorable Mention/1.9 steals per game - seventh in the Pac-12) and Promise Amukamara (2015 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team/1.8 steals per game - ninth in the Pac-12) are both among the league’s top 10 in steals per game. Brunner is the only post player in the top 10. In addition, her eight steals vs. Colorado (Mar. 1) represent the most by a player in the Pac-12 this season. Brunner also had seven steals vs. Cal on Feb. 8.
CHARLI TURNER THORNE NAMED ONE OF 10 SEMIFINALISTS FOR NAISMITH WOMEN'S COLLEGE COACH OF THE YEAR
Arizona State head women’s basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year, according to an announcement by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on March 3.
This season Turner Thorne has led the Sun Devils to their best start in school history (18-1), their best conference start in school history (7-0), a second-place finish in the Pac-12 and 27 wins entering the NCAA Tournament (currently 29), which is the second-highest number of wins in school history.
The all-time winningest coach in program history and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in career wins (354), Turner Thorne has turned Sun Devil women’s basketball into one of the nation’s premiere programs since taking over in 1996-97. Included in ASU’s earlier run of 13 consecutive postseason appearances (2000-12) were a school record five-consecutive NCAA Tournament bids from 2005-09. During that time the Sun Devils qualified for the Elite Eight on a pair of occasions, making ASU one of only 15 programs in the country to have qualified for the Elite Eight at least two times between 2007-12.
In 2013-14, Turner Thorne helped the Sun Devils post one of the best turnarounds in the country as they went from a 13-18 record and a ninth-place Pac-12 finish (5-13) the previous season to a 23-10 record and fourth-place Pac-12 finish (11-7). Included among ASU’s 23 wins last season were three triumphs over Top 25 teams.
On Jan. 25, 2013, Turner Thorne became the third Pac-12 coach to reach 300 victories following ASU’s 60-53 win over USC, a game in which ASU came back from 16 down in the second half.
A closer look at Turner Thorne’s path to 300 puts into perspective the incredible 180-degree turnaround Sun Devil women’s basketball has undergone since she came to ASU. To reach 150 wins it took Turner Thorne 272 games (150-122 - .551) as she rebuilt a program that had an aggregate record of 20-60 in the three years prior to her arrival and only two NCAA Tournament wins in its history. It would take her 215 games to get 150 more wins. Since picking up her 150th win at ASU, Turner Thorne is 204-90 (.694). Included in those wins are 11 of Turner Thorne’s 14 NCAA Tournament victories.
ASU is currently in the midst of its 10 NCAA Tournament appearance with Turner Thorne at the helm. Among schools that qualified for the 2015 NCAA Tournament, ASU’s 10 NCAA bids since 2000 are the second-most in the West.
SUN DEVIL WBB AMONG NATION’S BEST IN THE CLASSROOM
In addition to the success it has enjoyed on the court over the years, the Sun Devil women’s basketball program has been equally brilliant in the classroom where it has earned national recognition for its academic achievements. While the team’s current success on the court is receiving the most attention, the program learned in December of another great accomplishment that it is just as proud of as it concluded the fall semester with a cumulative team GPA of 3.47.
Just like the continued success they are experiencing on the court, the Sun Devils have not skipped a beat when it comes to hitting the books. Last season the Sun Devil women’s basketball team was among the top 25 women’s basketball programs listed on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s (WBCA) 2014 Academic Honor Roll.
ASU’s combined team GPA of 3.412 in 2013-14 was No. 21 among NCAA Division I institutions. In addition, ASU was one of only three teams (DePaul and Florida Gulf Coast) among the WBCA’s top 25 that also participated in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
But it doesn’t stop there. Last March it was revealed that the Sun Devils had the highest combined number (3) of first- (1 - Joy Burke) and second-team (2 - Elisha Davis and Deja Mann) honorees represented on the Pac-12’s All-Academic Team. Also earning Pac-12 honorable mention recognition were Promise Amukamara, Katie Hempen and Eliza Normen.
Since the 1996-97 season, head coach Charli Turner Thorne’s first season at ASU, the Sun Devils lead the Pac-12 in the number of first-team All-Academic conference awards (15) and the combined number of first- and second-team All-Academic conference awards (34).
FREE THROWS
• ASU’s two wins over Stanford during the regular season represented the first time a Pac-10/Pac-12 school swept Stanford during the regular season since 1988.
• Katie Hempen has accounted for double-digit point totals in the second half of a game eight times this season. Also proving to have a propensity for putting up big scoring totals in the second half has been Sophie Brunner, who has scored in double figures in the 2nd half seven times, including 20 vs. Arizona and at Oregon State and 18 vs. Northwestern. Brunner’s 24 points at Oregon State tied the second-highest point total scored by an individual player against the Beavers this season.
• ASU has finished in the top third of the conference standings 10 times since 2001.
• How is this for consistency? Entering the NCAA Tournament ASU gave up 55.6 points per game over the first 16 games of the season and 55.7 points per game over the last 16 games.
CARDIAC KIDS
One of the biggest factors in ASU’s success over the last two seasons has been its one-of-a-kind resiliency and knack for finding a way to not only win close games, but also to come back when facing large deficits.
In the last two years the Sun Devils are an incredible 20-3 in games decided by five points or less and/or overtime, including 8-2 this season.
In its most recent contest vs. UALR in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, ASU needed a comeback for the ages to keep its season alive. The Sun Devils were down by as many as 16 in the second half and trailed by 13, 46-33, with nine minutes left. Fueled by the home crowd, the Sun Devils would respond by outscoring the Trojans 24-8 over the last 8:42 to come away with a 57-54 win and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Other close calls this season include...
On Nov. 25 ASU overcame an eight-point deficit in the second half to win at Miami, 65-61. The Sun Devils then used an 11-0 run in the last 2:38 to knock off Villanova 51-46 (Nov. 28). On Nov. 30, ASU defeated Vanderbilt 72-67. On Jan. 19, ASU held off Stanford, 60-57, to win at Stanford for the first time since 1984. In the rematch on Feb. 6, ASU overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half to sweep the Cardinal for the first time since 1984.
ASU’s 50-49 loss to Cal on Feb. 8 was its first loss in a game decided by five points or less this season (7-2).
On Feb. 22, ASU went to double-OT to beat USC, 76-73. On Feb. 27, ASU survived a scare from Utah to win 46-42.
In the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals vs. Stanford (Mar. 7), the Sun Devils were unable to complete a second half comeback in a 59-56 loss to the eventual tournament champions. n
Last season the Sun Devils were 12-1 in games decided by five points or less and/or overtime.
ASU has come back to win five games this season in which it was facing a double-digit deficit – at Miami (10) vs. Vanderbilt (11), vs. Stanford (12), vs. Utah (12) and vs. UALR (16).
In games vs. Cal (14 points), at Oregon State (10 points) and vs. Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament (13 points), the Sun Devils faced large second-half deficits and nearly came back to win each contest. Against Cal, ASU came back to take a 49-48 lead with 16 seconds left, but the Bears got a tip-in at the buzzer to win the game. At Oregon State, the Sun Devils had the ball with under a minute left and down by three, but had a turnover on the possession and the Beavers would go on to win by six points. Most recently against Stanford, the Devils found themselves down by 13 with under nine minutes remaining. Their defense would start to lock Stanford down, setting the stage for a 19-5 run as the Devils would take a 56-55 lead with 2:19 remaining. Unfortunately the Devils were unable to find any points in the final minutes and the Cardinal came away with its first win in three tries against ASU this season.