ASU 49, VCU 40
It’s all about defense right now for Arizona State women’s basketball because early on the offense resembles a turkey gone wrong on Thanksgiving.
ASU shot just 23.1% overall and went 1-of-15 from 3-point range Friday but still out-fought Atlantic-10 preseason favorite VCU 49-40 at Desert Financial Arena.
Like in the season opener Wednesday, a 56-47 win over Southland Conference favorite Stephen F. Austin, ASU led by only a point (33-32) in the fourth quarter before pulling away because of defense including two charges taken by guard Sydnei Caldwell and free throws down the stretch.
The Sun Devils closed the game on a 16-8 run over the final 8:14, showing some offensive glimpses of hope via ball movement and cutting.
Caldwell had a runner for 40-33 and Eboni Walker came up with two steals then made a pair of free throws for a nine-point lead with 2:17 left.
The Rams (1-1) got as close as five (45-40) with 29 seconds left. Katelyn Levings and Caldwell were 4-of-4 on free throws to ice the win.
“Defense, defense,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne chanted as her post-game opening statement. “For a team this young to show toughness this early in the season, I’m really pleased. The poor shooting is related to not being in sync at all offensively.”
Hanson starts fast before third foul
Taya Hanson scored the game’s first five points and was instrumental in ASU opening a 17-7 lead with 8:04 left in the second quarter.
She had 11 points and five rebounds before picking up her third
foul, sitting out the final 4:20 of the first half.
VCU already was into a comeback before Hanson’s departure, putting together a13-2 run to take its first lead (2120). The Sun Devils scored the final three points of the second for a 22-20 halftime lead.
VCU senior guard Tera Reed, on the Atlantic-10 preseason first team, did not play due to injury. She scored a game high 22 points Wednesday in an 87-79 win over Saint Mary’s.
Walker records second double-double
Walker, a 5-11 forward, had her second consecutive double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. She had 12/12 against Stephen F. Austin.
Walker started in place of Jayde Van Hyfte, out due to a knee injury.
“Last year I did what I could for the team,” said Walker, who played in all 31 games as a freshman. “With a younger team, my role has become bigger. I take pride in doing what I can for the team whether that’s saving a possession from out of bounds or getting a rebound after a missed shot.”
Hanson didn’t regain her first-half rhythm but still finished with 12 points and six boards. Caldwell and freshman guard Jaddan Simmons scored 7 each.
“It came down to our defense,” Hanson said. “We had each other’s back and took some awesome charges. That’s our history with ASU women’s basketball. We’ll always bring that no matter how our offense goes. Even though the shots weren’t falling, the defense brought us home.”
Turner Thorne was especially pleased with Caldwell, coming off microfracture surgery in the offseason and getting her first substantial playing time. “She was beside herself after the first game because she didn’t play well on either side of the ball,” Turner Thorne said. “I’m so proud of her, what a great response. She works as hard as anybody preparing. She just relaxed and let the game come to her.”
Turner Thorne confident offense will come around
ASU had plenty of scoring chances, taking 65 shots to VCU’s 42.
The Sun Devils also led 53-36 in rebounding. Hanson and Levings combined for 12 boards in addition to Walker’s 13.
ASU had a 22-10 edge in paint points and after 15 first-half turnovers only committed five in the second half.
VCU clearly missed Reed and shot just 21.4 percent (9-of-42). Madison HattixCovington led the Rams with a gamehigh 16 points.
Turner Thorne is upbeat about the offense, which figures to get a lift when 6-3 freshman guard-forward Maggie Besselink is cleared to play. But Van Hyfte and Besselink are not expected to play in game three Monday.
“The physicality bothered us a little bit,” Turner Thorne said. “I’m glad we had this game because it’s going to be like this in the Pac-12,” which opens Dec. 4. I am optimistic but also realistic,” about the offense. “I know it’s going to take time. We’re nowhere near where we want to be. To have my youngest team ever at ASU and a pandemic and all new offensive stuff, to think right out of the gate we’d run things well was totally unrealistic. It’ll come.”
In the meantime, as always, the Sun Devils play defense no matter what’s happening on the other end.
Up next
ASU will complete play in the Global Sports & Events Tip-off against Saint Mary’s at 4 p.m. Monday. The Gaels lost to VCU on Wednesday before playing Stephen F. Austin in the second game Friday. ASU is 0-2 all-time vs. Saint Mary’s, but the teams have not played since December 1995.