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ASU Basketball: Sun Devils’ Pac-12 championship hopes fall in loss to Stanford

By Scotty Gange

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Fatigue, strength of Cardinal proved to be too much for young Sun Devils as the ASU women’s basketball‘s run in Seattle ends in the semifinals.

Coming off one of their strongest wins of 2018, the Arizona State Sun Devils met a tree too tall to climb.

The defending Pac-12 Tournament champion Stanford Cardinal beat ASU handily by a final score of 58-46.

The game began and ended with runs, Stanford kicked things off with a 13-3 scorching lead, while ASU proudly closed the game on a 16-2 run.

ASU was unable to find the basket early, as they shot ten percent from the floor in the first quarter.

Robbi Ryan, Courtney Ekmark and Kianna Ibis combined for just 11 points as the Sun Devils showcased one of their worst offensive games of the season.

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Reili Richardson’s three early fouls left the Devils in trouble as the short-staffed backcourt was left without a key-player for the majority of the second quarter.

Stanford was powered behind freshman Kianna Williams, who led all scorers with 24 points.

ASU didn’t have much go right in the first half. Foul troubles, missed shots and Stanford’s high-potent offensive attack gave the Cardinal a 32-18 lead.

The first 20 minutes came and went, and so did the last, as Stanford cruised to a win.

They are an extremely talented, experienced team. Up and down their roster.

The Sun Devils did a lot right tonight, they just couldn’t knock their shots and met a strong veteran team that made them pay.

Stanford will play Oregon tomorrow night for a chance at wining back-to-back Pac-12 championships.

Despite the tough loss, the Sun Devils put together an impressive tournament run, and will most likely get a bid into the NCAA tournament.

It was unpopular to say that the young inexperienced Sun Devils would find their way into the Pac-12 semifinals earlier this week. But the youngest team in the conference made it happen.

A lot went into this weekend. Grit, guts and passion sent them past Oregon State last night, and although Stanford was too big of a beast to conquer, it was a successful tournament for ASU.

After tonight’s loss, Coach Charli Turner Thorne spoke on the team’s character.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this team and how they carry themselves and how they compete,” she said.

Arizona State gave all they could tonight, but it was obvious that they had just run out of juice, and couldn’t muster up anything more.

“I know in their hearts they wanted it. But fatigue is real,” said Turner Thorne.

Next: ASU Basketball: Defense and rebounding propels Sun Devils to semifinals

With the loss, ASU now stands at 21-12 on the season. The NCAA tournament bracket will be officially released next Monday, March 12th.