The Sun Devils, who posted their second win in three games, were remarkable throughout the game on the offensive end as they shot 54.8 percent, their highest field goal percentage since shooting 56 percent vs. SIU on Nov. 24, 2018. It was their highest shooting percentage in a Pac-12 game since a 55.6-percent effort vs. Arizona on February 16, 2018. On top of those feats, the Sun Devils set a school record for 3-point field goal percentage with a minimum of 10 attempts as they hit 80 percent (8-10) of their attempts from downtown.
“Complete team win from start to finish,” ASU head coach Natasha Adair. “We’ve talked about how this team is growing, the chemistry is building, just a new group just learning one another. Today, we had five players in double figures. I’m so proud of this group.”
Although ASU officially trailed for only 14 seconds of the game, it had to rely on a gritty defensive effort against a Cal squad that swished 12 triples and was within one possession for most of the fourth quarter. After the Bears pulled within two, 71-69, with 4:30 remaining, the Sun Devils proved their mettle on the defensive end as they allowed the Bears to score only two more points the remainder of the game.
“I just thought at winning time you saw it in their eyes,” Adair said. “It was get a stop, three stops to finish the game, rebounding to finish the game, and big-time free throws to finish the game. We had 40 minutes of ‘grit’ and ‘toughness.’ Those were the two words on the board today; this game is going to take toughness and grit. And I thought that was on display from these wonderful ladies and their teammates for 40 minutes today.”
The Sun Devils hit six of their first nine shots (67 percent) to take a 13-8 lead midway through the first quarter. Crisp led the early charge scoring six points on 3-of-4 shooting. They would go on to shoot 53 percent for the quarter to take a 19-15 lead. ASU scored more than half its points (10) off Cal’s 10 turnovers. Crisp led ASU with 8 points. Also contributing to ASU’s first quarter point total were Brown (4 points), Sousa (3 points), Simmons (2 points) and Thompson (2 points).
Although Cal shot 38 percent in the first quarter, it was able to stay within striking distance thanks to a 60-percent performance (3-5) from beyond the arc.
The Sun Devils started the second quarter with an 8-0 run – 3-pointers by Sousa and Brown and a layup by Thompson – to increase their lead to 27-15. Another triple, this one made by Crisp later in the quarter, increased ASU’s lead to 15, 33-18, with 6:05 remaining in the half.
The Bears quickly answered with an 11-2 run in the space of 1:35 to cut ASU’s lead to 35-29 with 3:21 remaining.
In what turned out to be a quarter of scoring runs, the Sun Devils got the last word in, outscoring the Bears 8-2 over the last three minutes of the half to take a 43-31 lead into the locker room.
The Sun Devils continued their outstanding accuracy in the second quarter, connecting on 57 percent of their FGs (8-14), including 80 percent (4-5) of their attempts from long range.
Brown paced ASU with eight points in the quarter and led ASU with 12 points at the half. Crisp also reached double figures with 11 points.
The Sun Devils’ advantage on the scoreboard was anywhere between eight and 12 points the first eight-plus minutes of the third quarter. After Thompson’s layup increased ASU’s lead to 12 with 3:27 remaining, Cal scored the game’s next eight points to whittle the deficit down to four points, 59-55.
ASU response included a 3-pointer by Sousa and a layup off an offensive rebound by Thompson as time expired.
In the final quarter, ASU was able to stretch its lead out to as many as six, 71-65, after a jumper by Brown with 5:28 remaining. The Bears came back with the next four points to get within two, 71-69.
“What you saw today was just beautiful basketball, they shared the ball,” Adair said of how the team won the game. “They play together on defense, they celebrate one another. So, the expectation is to always win. And for us to keep getting better. And I thought we did today.”
The Sun Devils return to action next Sunday (12 p.m. MST) when they play at Arizona in a rematch of last month’s game. The game can be seen on Pac-12 Network/Arizona.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Steve Rodriguez
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