Devils in Detail
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ASU WBB: Arizona State vs. San Jose State Preview

By Sam Ficarro

Dec 23, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky during the first half against the Detroit Titans at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky during the first half against the Detroit Titans at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a convincing 36-point victory Friday night versus Illinois State, Arizona State women’s basketball is back at it Sunday versus San Jose State.

The Sun Devils’ highly-touted recruiting class made their much anticipated debut Friday night versus Illinois State, and immediately made an impact. Head coach Charli Turner Thorne opted to start sophomore Sabrina Haines and freshman Kiara Russell as her starters in the backcourt.

Russell scored the first two buckets of the game, finishing with 6 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Reili Richardson finished with 7 points and a team-high 7 assists in her first game as a Sun Devil. In total, everybody played at least eight minutes Friday night as Thorne aggressively switched up the rotations to give everybody playing time. Twelve players scored, with sophomore guard Armani Hawkins leading the team with 14 points shooting 6-for-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range.

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The defense, a benchmark of Arizona State, didn’t disappoint versus the Redbirds. They pressured the ball, forcing 27 turnovers and allowing a field goal percentage of 34%. Illinois State scored 20 points in each half, with a 12-point first quarter the highest scoring quarter of the game for the Redbirds. It was an impressive performance from Arizona State.

Thorne said post-game that she believes Sunday’s game versus San Jose State will be a lot of tougher, citing the experience of the starting lineup. The Spartans feature a starting lineup of four seniors and one junior, a polar opposite to Illinois State’s young lineup. The Spartans heading to Tempe 0-1 after losing to New Mexico State 66-55 Friday.

San Jose State only led for two minutes in the game, as they were outscored in each quarter. Senior guard Dezz Ramos led the Spartans with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. In total, the team shot 30 percent from the field and 24 percent form 3-point range. The Sun Devils strength is shutting down the perimeter and forcing the opponent to drive inside for a contested shot near or at the basket. The Spartans turned the ball over 21 times vs. New Mexico State, which plays toward another strength of the Sun Devils, forcing turnovers.

Next: ASU WBB: A Star Athlete in Her Final Year

Arizona State vs. San Jose State tips off at 2 p.m. and will be streamed live on Pac-12.com.