(Tempe, AZ) A little more than a year after suffering a knee injury that ended her 2023-24 season before it started, Tyi Skinner once again proved why she is special. In ASU’s season opener vs. Jacksonville State on Monday night, Skinner scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Sun Devils to a 74-66 win over Jacksonville State.
Jalyn Brown just missed scoring in double figures with nine points to go with six boards. Two of the newest members of the team – local product Kennedy Basham (eight points, game-high 10 rebounds, four blocks) and Nevaeh Parkinson (eight points) – combined for 16 points on the offensive end.
Entering the final frame trailing 60-57, the entire team came out and showed its best stuff on both ends of the floor. The Sun Devils scored the first nine points of the final quarter. At the same time, ASU used a stifling defensive effort that completely shut down Jacksonville’s State’s offense. The Gamecocks did not score their first points of the quarter until 3:13 remained to cut ASU’s lead to 66-62.
Jacksonville State eventually pulled within two, 68-66, with 1:35 remaining. Skinner made sure they would get no closer as she immediately scored on the opposite end to start a 6-0 run by the Sun Devils to close out the game.
“Gritty and gutsy win with this new group,” ASU head coach Natasha Adair said. “When it was winning time, we got the stops we needed and we made big shots. I just thought it was a good team win. Seeing so many different things from players, I just told them this is a team that’s never played together. So we’re learning about each other and it’s great to learn in a win. Especially in the fourth, I really saw them come together when we talked about winning time in the time out. There were key plays, key stops and key contributions from each one who stepped on the floor. So proud of our effort to find a way to win and finish strong.”
Skinner, who scored had her 16th career game with 20 or more points while playing in the Maroon and Gold, picked up right where she left off at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season as she scored a game-high 14 points in the first half (4-5 FGs, 3-3 3FGs). She would go on to add a game-high five assists.
“I’m just happy to be in front of the fans and everybody else supporting us,” said Skinner. “Like coach said, it was a gritty win, but we always want to put on a show and we always want to show our love back to the people who come out and support us. It was just a great feeling to be in that atmosphere.”
The Sun Devils conclude the first week of play when they host Arkansas State on Friday at 3 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Steve Rodriguez
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