Devils in Detail
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ASU Women’s Basketball: Sun Devils face tough teams in Cancun Challenge

By Sam Ficarro

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 14: Arizona State Sun Devils masct, 'Sparky' performs during the college football game against the Washington Huskies at Sun Devil Stadium on November 14, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Huskies 27-17. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 14: Arizona State Sun Devils masct, 'Sparky' performs during the college football game against the Washington Huskies at Sun Devil Stadium on November 14, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Huskies 27-17. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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After a 4-0 start, the 24th-ranked ASU women’s basketball team heads to Mexico for three games in three days in the Cancun Challenge beginning Thursday.

ASU women’s basketball have gotten out to a strong start this season.

The Sun Devils sit at 4-0 after winning four games in an eight-day span with the most recent win coming against Colgate Sunday.

After scoring 106 points against Sacramento State Saturday, Arizona State came out of the gates slow Sunday as Colgate led 16-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Head coach Charli Turner Thorne attributed the first-half struggles to fatigue as the team is still trying to get into game shape.

The Sun Devils hunkered down defensively forcing 19 turnovers leading to 20 points with ASU dominating in the paint with 38 points compared to the Raiders’ 14 points.

Forward Kianna Ibis led all scorers Sunday with 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting with guard Robbi Ryan and center Charnea Johnson-Chapman finishing with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Arizona State eked out a 65-54 win in what has been their closest game so far.

The team said they will be able to take a lot out of the performance Sunday as they prepare for the three games in three days in the Cancun Challenge beginning Thursday.

First up for the Sun Devils is the seventh-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs, the reigning national runner-up.

The Bulldogs, after their magical run to the National Championship Game, are driven to finish the job this season behind guards Victoria Vivians and Morgan William and center Teaira McCowan.

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Vivians is the team’s co-leading scorer averaging 18.7 points per game this season with McCowan sitting third on the team in points per game (14.7) and leads the team in rebounds per game (8.3).

William, known for her iconic buzzer beater in the Final Four that sunk UConn, leads the team in assists averaging 8.0 a game.

This will be the toughest test for both teams as the Bulldogs sit at 3-0 with wins over Virginia, Georgia State and Southern Miss.

Key for the Sun Devils in this game will be the paint. Johnson-Chapman will have her hands full in stopping McCowan inside and it’s going to be important that the Sun Devils give her help defense if she struggles.

Arizona State’s second opponent will be Green Bay Friday.

The Phoenix are one of the best mid-major programs in the nation having won 19 straight Horizon League regular season titles.

Green Bay is also undefeated sitting at 3-0 with wins over Chattanooga, an impressive 67-34 win at Wisconsin and South Dakota State.

Guard Jessica Lindstrom is the best player for Green Bay as she leads the team with 13.0 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game.

The Phoenix are the best defensive team in the nation allowing just 35.0 points per game so far this season.

The Sun Devils backcourt will need to help set up the offense and finds ways to create open shots against Green Bay’s defense.

Arizona State will conclude its stay in Cancun Saturday when they play Columbia.

The Lions are off to a 2-2 start with victories over Providence and Vermont and losses against Richmond and UMass-Lowell.

Guard/forward Camille Zimmerman leads the team averaging 22.8 points per game on 58.9 percent shooting to go with a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game.

Guard Riley Casey is the only other play averaging in double-digits for Columbia averaging 12.8 points per game and is tied for the team lead in assists (13).

The Sun Devils are the favorite in this game, but it will be interesting to see how fatigue will play a role as both teams will be playing their third game in three days.

This week’s games in Cancun will be a measuring stick for Arizona State of how good this team really is.

ASU is fortunate that they’ll get their toughest game out of the way first in Mississippi State and have put most of their prep towards the Bulldogs.

Green Bay will be no rollover for Arizona State either, and the Sun Devils will need to stop Lions’ Zimmerman.

Next: ASU Women’s Basketball: Devils defeat Colgate; now 4-0

Arizona State will look to stay in the AP Poll after entering the rankings this week at No. 24. All three games this week tip off at 11:30 a.m. MT and can be streamed on CollegeSportsLive (subscription required).