A disheartening loss to Stanford on Sunday leaves Arizona State scrambling to win and maintain their top-20 ranking as they take on No. 13 UCLA.
UCLA (6-2) is ranked third in the Pac-12, and is on a four game winning streak with back-to-back wins against USC. Numerous fouls from USC gave the Bruins the opportunity to make 24-33 free-throws along with being able to capitalize on Trojan turnovers to score 25 points, allowing UCLA to pull off the win.
What really put UCLA on top was their ability to force so many turnovers. Their field goal and three-point numbers were fairly low, especially in comparison to USC, however 19 turnovers from the Trojans against a top-20 team like the Bruins was what cost them the game.
For ASU, their inconsistency with scoring is what hurt them the most against Stanford. They were outscored for the first three quarters of the game and were only able to outscore Stanford by six in the fourth, unable to overcome a final 10-point deficit.
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Freshman Robbi Ryan fell off from her high mark she set earlier in the season, only shooting 1-10 after a stellar 14 point performance against Cal. If Ryan is able to bounce back against UCLA, it could be the upper-hand that the Devils need to win.
ASU needs to be able to better work the perimeter against the Bruins. A highly ranked team like UCLA will be able to shut down the Sun Devils’ driving style of play. Washington was able to figure this out and shut down Quinn Dorstauder in the paint, and once that outlet is shut the team seems to struggle trying to adjust.
Sophie Brunner does an excellent job of being able to adjust and create plays, but this game cannot rely solely on her; the freshman guards will be needing to step up to give the seniors a break.
Reili Richardson has been a disappointment as of late for the team. After going 2-11 against Cal and then 0-7 against Stanford, the freshman guard is in need of a strong performance tonight. Coach Charlie Turner-Thorne has often praised the young guard of her poise and calm presence on the court that helps lead the team, and having missed that as of late has proved detrimental to the team.
The Devils haven’t had it easy during their road games, and a loss tonight could affect the outcome of the rest of their season.
Next: ASU WBB: The Sun Devils Get Outmatched at #10 Stanford
Tip-off will be at 9 p.m. MST January 27 at Pauley Pavilion, in Los Angeles, California. The game can be streamed live on Pac-12.com.