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ASU Basketball: Sun Devils in for tough test in Round of 32

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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After defeating Nebraska in the first round, ASU women’s basketball battles Texas in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Arizona State is riding high following a 73-62 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday night.

The win marked the fifth year in a row that ASU won an NCAA tournament game, an extremely underrated feat.

With the victory, the Sun Devils will play the Texas Longhorns Monday in the Round of 32.

“With Texas, it’s hard to find any chinks in their armor,” head coach Charli Turner Thorne remarked.

ASU’s journey ended in the Round of 32 the past two seasons with losses to Tennessee (2016) and South Carolina (2017).

The No. 2 seeded Longhorns will host ASU at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin.

Being 15-2 at home, in one of the biggest games of the season, the Sun Devils are up for a tall task. But for Kiara Russell and company, they are always up for the challenge.

“It’s kind of fun to shut up the crowd,” Russell said.

The Sun Devils are putting together a season that many found unreachable in November. Having no seniors and losing Sabrina Haines early, the team has done a phenomenal job banding together and reaching their full potential.

“That’s the incredible part of this team.” Turner Thorne said. “We don’t have one person in our starting lineup that was a full time starter last year. So for them to be in this position right now is a super credit to them and how hard they’ve worked.”

Next: ASU Basketball: Sun Devils defeat Nebraska in first round

Arizona State will look to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 as the winner of this game will play the winner of Creighton-UCLA Friday in Kansas City.