ASU played closer than necessary for three quarters against Southern Utah before pulling away.
HOME team in caps.
Arizona State women’s basketball returned to non-conference play Monday for the first time since Dec. 13 and played a game remarkably similar to its four early-season wins.
Like against Stephen F. Austin, VCU, Saint Mary’s and San Diego, ASU played closer than necessary for three quarters against Southern Utah before pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 55-44 win at Desert Financial Arena.
But for the Sun Devils, who had games postponed last week against the Oregon schools and have missed seven Pac-12 games total due to COVID protocol, playing is essential to have a chance of extending their NCAA Tournament streak to seven and for improving a still hard-to-watch offense.
“Thanks to our administration for letting us pick up this game,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “Every game we get in with this young team makes a difference. We’re trying to get better and not where we need to be offensively in any realm.”
Late schedule add important
ASU (9-6) led from start to finish after scoring the first eight points but only 12-8 after the first quarter, 24-17 at halftime and 36-30 through three quarters.
The Sun Devils shot just 27% (7of-26) in the first half but stayed ahead by making of 9-of-11 free throws and forcing 10 turnovers.
Southern Utah (8-5) from the Big Sky Conference was within five (43-38) with 6:25 remaining before a 12-3 ASU run to 55-41, the largest lead of the game, with less than a minute left.
The Sun Devils ended their their three-game losing streak and Southern Utah’s five-game win streak in advance of two Pac-12 home games later this week.
“Going two weeks without a game is really hard in any situation,” Turner Thorne said. “We need game experience you can’t simulate in practice.
“As soon as we found out about Oregon State (postponement Sunday), we immediately thought can we pick up a game. We exhausted a lot of schools trying to find someone relatively close who could bus in and keep the cost down. Southern Utah has lost a lot of games as well and they were willing. It worked out perfect. They’re a good team with a level of skill and toughness that challenged us and made us better.”
ASU clawed its way to 35.8% shooting by the end and finished 5-of-14 from 3-point range.
Hanson, Simmons again lead scoring
Like the majority of the season, ASU was led by guards Taya Hanson and Jaddan Simmons with 15 and 13 points.
Hanson hit three 3-pointers in the third and early fourth quarters, the last barely beating the shot clock.
Jamie Loera, whose older sister Jordan is a graduate manager for Southern Utah, made an important trey and scored in transition off a steal in the game-deciding run.
Caldwell celebrates her father’s Super Bowl win
ASU sophomore guard Sydnei Caldwell is the daughter of Mike Caldwell, inside linebacker coach of the now Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
She watched the game with her roommate Walker while doing Facetime with her mom then talked to her dad after the Bucs’ 31-9 dominance over Kansas City.
“It was very exciting watching the game, a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said. “I was so proud and happy for my dad. He called me right after the game. To see his emotions meant the world to me.”
BLUE JACKETS 3, Hurricanes 2: Jack Roslovic scored the tiebreaking goal late in the third period, Joonas Korpisalo had 22 saves and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Monday night to split a back-to-back series. Scott Harrington and Cam Atkinson also scored for the Blue Jackets, who weren’t sharp for much of the night but still got their second win in three games.
MAPLE LEAFS 3, Canucks 1: Auston Matthews and Alexander Kerfoot scored in an 11-second span in the third period and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 on Monday night. Matthews’ goal proved to be the winner and extended his career-best goal streak to eight games. He also has a 10-game points streak. Morgan Rielly also scored for Toronto. Frederik Andersen made 31 saves as the Maple Leafs completed a three-game sweep of struggling Vancouver.
Islanders 2, RANGERS 0: Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin scored 2:05 apart in the third period to help Semyon Varlamov and the New York Islanders beat the New York Rangers 2-0 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Varlamov made 30 saves for his third shutout this season – second against the Rangers – as the Islanders won their second consecutive game. Islanders coach Barry Trotz earned his 850th victory, passing Ken Hitchcock for third place on the NHL’s career list.
Oilers 3, SENATORS 1: Tyler Ennis scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and goaltender Mike Smith made 27 saves in his season debut as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Ottawa Senators 3-1 Monday night. Ennis beat Matt Murray with a low shot on a 2-on-1 for his first goal of the season after Ottawa was caught on a line change at 6:09.
Lightning 4, PREDATORS 1: Anthony Cirelli scored two goals for Tampa Bay, and the Lightning beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Monday night for their fifth straight victory. The defending Stanley Cup champs extended the NHL’s longest winning streak even with goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy getting his first night off this season.
Coyotes 4, BLUES 3 (SO): Clayton Keller scored the tying goal with seven-tenths of a second remaining in regulation and Christian Dvorak’s shootout goal was the winner, leading the Coyotes to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. Conor Garland and Dvorak scored in regulation, and Darcy Kuemper made 39 saves as Arizona has won its third consecutive game over the Blues in St. Louis.
Sabres at BRUINS, ppd.