ASU’s Ruden, Russell back in home state
Minnesota women’s basketball was in a coaching transition when Kiara Russell and Jamie Ruden were getting serious about a college commitment.
Pam Borton was fired as Gophers coach in March 2014 and replaced by Marlene Stollings, previously at Virginia Commonwealth, when Russell and Ruden were high school sophomores.
“I was looking at Minnesota early in eighth and ninth grade,” said Ruden, who grew up in Rochester, Minn. “After the coaching change, I fell off their list.”
Russell, from Minneapolis, had the hometown university among her final three choices but in June 2015 – after Stollings’ first season – joined Ruden and three others as part of an Arizona State recruiting class that would end up ranked a school-high No. 10 nationally.
Four of those five still are at ASU – Sydney Goodson transferred to Texas Tech, now coached by Stollings – with three NCAA Tournament appearances to their credit. The path to No. 4 goes through Minneapolis on Sunday in a homecoming game of sorts for the Minnesota Sun Devils against the Gophers.
A combined 100 family and friends are expected at Williams Arena – opened in 1928 and known in the Twin Cities as the Barn – to cheer for Russell, Ruden and No. 18 ASU (2-0), playing for the first time in a week. Minnesota improved to 2-1 Thursday and is receiving votes in both major national polls.
“I’ve been preparing myself mentally and physically,” Russell said. “I’m trying to stay as poised as possible and relaxed. I don’t want to see my family until after the game. I’ve got to take care of business first then enjoy the company after. It’s going to be fun.”
Ruden, 6-2 forward/center, and Russell, 5-8 guard, started in ASU’s first two games, one-sided wins over Air Force and Army. But Ruden played just eight minutes vs. Army due to a right foot injury and her availability Sunday is uncertain.
“It’s hard to know what to expect,” Ruden said. “It’s a cumulative injury and I landed on it wrong (vs. Army) and that aggravated it. They’re taking good care of me. It seems like it’s getting better. I hope I can play.”
ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne makes a point of scheduling games close to where out-of-state players are from. Last season, the Sun Devils played Kansas State at Wisconsin Lacrosse
for that exact purpose.
“I don’t care who you are, it’s hard to not be a little bit distracted when your loved ones are there and they’re not normally there,” Turner Thorne said. “But these guys are veterans. They’re been in super tough game environments so they’ll be OK.
“This gives us a great gauge of where we’re at. It’s probably going to be our best dress rehearsal for a Pac-12 road trip,” in a game that could draw up to 10,000 fans.
Lindsay Whalen starred for Minnesota from 2001-04 then played on four WNBA championship teams with the Minnesota Lynx. She’s in her second season as Gophers coach, replacing Stollings.
“I was a big fan of hers growing up,” Ruden said. “I have close friends who were crazy Minnesota fans who would always take me and my sister to watch games when I was little and with the Lynx too. She was a really intelligent player. It will be pretty cool to play against her team.”
The 5-8 Russell and 5-9 Whalen have point guard in common, a position Russell more or less shares with Reili Richardson.
“I used to idolize Whalen,” Russell said. “Her and (Janel) McCarville were my favorite duo ever. She’s just another head coach, but with a lot of accolades under her name. It’s going to be fun to shake her hand after the game.”