The ASU basketball women’s team will not get to move on in the Pac-12 Tournament after a 77-68 loss against UCLA.
What went wrong for the ASU basketball women’s team today versus UCLA?
1. Rebounding
ASU’s best quality throughout the season has been their rebounding. They don’t win many games without controlling the boards.
On Friday, they were dominated down low by UCLA, losing the rebounding margin 31-26. The Devils usually rely on Sophie Brunner and Quinn Dornstauder to do the dirty work down low, but against the Bruins the two only accounted for 3 combined rebounds.
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2. Their Start
The start of the game for ASU could not have been much worse as UCLA opened up on a 26-4 run.
Arizona State couldn’t buy a bucket as the Bruins kept driving down low for easy layups.
The Sun Devils committed early turnovers and let Bruins guard Jordin Canada go off for 24 points.
Throughout the game the ASU guards would hold the ball and not get a shot off until the shot clock was winding down, the offense never found a rhythm, and had to force a flurry of late shots.
3. Defense
The Devils could not control UCLA down low as the Bruins racked in 36 points in the paint to ASU’s 20.
UCLA seemed to be able to drive down low at will, getting the ball to Jordin Canada or Monique Billings who finished with 19 points.
If the Sun Devils started to help and create a double team, the Bruins would then just kick it out to the corner where Nicole Kornet would connect on four 3-pointers.
The Positives…
1. Their Fight
Arizona State was down the entire game, but after a 18-point halftime deficit, the Devils were able to cut it to 13 in the third quarter.
In the fourth, again UCLA would extend their lead to 17, ASU and its seniors kept clawing and fighting to only be down six with 30 seconds left.
ASU never quit, the bench was engaged the entire game as the Devils were throwing themselves at loose balls trying to get back in the game.
Next: ASU WBB: Devils Roll Against Utah in the Pac-12 Tournament
2. Jamie Ruden
In only her second game back from injury, the freshman forward was able to make a major offensive impact with 12 points in just 13 minutes. Coach Charli Turner Thorne put her in the lineup without a real practice after doctors cleared her this week. She didn’t look like a freshman on the court and will help solidify ASU’s frontcourt for years to come.