(Tempe, AZ) After a very spirited win over downstate rival Arizona, the Sun Devils look to put any lingering emotions behind them in a reverse trap game and focus on the other Wildcats from Manhatten Kansas.
Kansas State came in at .500 11-11 and 4-5 in the Big XII. ASU leads the all time series 3-2, but three games were played on a neutral court.
Arizona State was 12-0 at home this season.
First Quarter
Sun Devils began slow with two turnovers in their first three possessions, but McKinna Brackens forced consecutive turnovers herself and finished with a basket on the other end.
Early on in the game, both teams shot 60% or better as the score went back and forth and a 9-7 Kansas State lead at the media timeout.
The Wildcats started out hot from beyond the arc but also were plagued with 9 turnovers from a ball hawking ASU defense.
Brackens found Carrera down low as the shot clock ran down to tie the score at 9-9. Sun Devils first lead 11-9 was came at the 5:42 mark
KSU made their first three 3 pointers as they’ve been a very good shooting team from outside.
A contract of two stats had the Wildcats committing 9 turnovers in the quarter, but successfully finding the open shooter from the perimeter.
The Wildcats led 12-0 at the end of the quarter.
Second Quarter
KSU’s defense was only allowing the Sun Devils one shot per offensive possession as the bigs cleaned the glass and the Cat’s were getting the extra tried on their end of the court.
It was at times chaotic as Kansas State committed four turnovers in the first three minutes of the quarter.
As the shooting grew cold for the Sun Devils, their offensive movement without the ball stopped and they stood around instead of screen and rolls or backdoor cuts.
Nastja Claessens, a forward from Belgium, who joined the team this season was 3/4 on three pointers. ASU’s perimeter defense was allowing Wildcat wing shooters open looks. They shot 75% behind the arc as the lead grew to ten points with 2:10 to fo til halftime.
Devil outside shooters went cold so KSU who was already in a 2-3 Zone defense, began to pack the paint.
The Wildcats went on a 7-0 run in the final two and a half minutes and ASU’s scoring drought went to 3:25.
That gave Kansas State the momentum heading to the locker room. The Sun Devils only scored 9 point in the quarter and trailed 37-24.
Halftime
The Cats shot 57% (13-23) from the field to ASU’s 40% (10-25), but the big difference was the 7-9 (78%) three pointers for Kansas State.
Even though Arizona State created 13 Wildcats turnovers, they didn’t capitalize on the opportunities.
Third Quarter
Guard Taryn Sides was perfect from the field and made clutch jumpers to keep the Sun Devils out of sync.
Gabby Elliott did her best to keep the Devils’s hanging around but it was trading two point baskets for three point baskets for KSU.
Kansas State due to injuries played the 2-3 matchup zone effectively packing the paint. That’s where ASU’s strength all season has been and the outside game wasn’t effective.
To make matters worse, the Devils had a 4:14 scoring drought where they went 0-6 and Kansas State went on an 11-0 run.
The Sun Devils bad shooting stopped the last two minute of the quarter as they sunk 5 baskets without missing a shot. They finished out the quarter on a 12-2 run but trailed 58-44.
Fourth Quarter
AS the long three’s kept falling for the Wildcats, ASU had to extend their perimeter defense opening up the inside.
KSU Guard Gina Garcia who is relied on for scoring only had a single field goal but dished out 9 assists.
Now it was the Cat’s turn to go cold and went without a point for two minuted allowing the Sun Devils to creep back into relevance.
Seeing they were shooting well, Kansas State began to use most of their shot clock to cut down on Sun Devils possesions.
ASU got the Wildcat’s lead down to 9 with 3:30 to go showing the resiliency Coacn Miller had been waiting for, but the bigger enemy was the lack of time left.
At the end, the Devils fell 74-67.
Wrap Up
The middle quarters of the game is where ASU lost control. Between the scoring droughts and the three pointers falling for the Cats, it’s was too big of hill to climb to the top.
Rarely will you play a team that makes 12 three’s while shooting 60% from that distance. Kansas State shot 44% inside the arc and that’s the same percentage as ASU shot the entire game.
The Sun Devil defense never quit forcing an incredible 22 turnovers. Where ASU usually thrives is fast break points but KSU won that battle 23-12. Kansas State led all but 24 seconds of the game.
This game marked the first loss at home for Molly Miller.
Up Next
ASu has one more home game before parting for a three game road trip. The Oklahoma State Cowgirls cone to Desert Financial Arena on Wednesday, tipoff is at 7 p.m.OSU is 18-5 and 7-3 in 5th place in the Big XII.
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