ASU Bests Jayhawks Behind Stifling Defense

Photo: Madison Sorenson (WCSN)

TEMPE — It was “Celebrating Cultures” day Saturday at Desert Financial Arena as ASU women’s basketball (17-2, 4-2) hosted Kansas (11-8, 1-6), and it was only fitting that one of the Sun Devils’ international players led the charge against the Jayhawks.

Brazil native and sophomore forward Heloisa Carrera dropped 22 points and seven rebounds, leading ASU to a decisive 67-51 win.

ASU head coach Molly Miller continued to sing the praises of her forward in the post-game press conference. Carrera just so happened to be sitting right next to her as she was showered in compliments.

“I’m proud of (Heloisa),” Miller said. “And she’s only a sophomore. And really, she’s on freshman minutes. She scored 22 points her freshman year, and now, she’s a go-to for us.”

Carrera looked on, trying her best to resist a smile.

Carrera and graduate guard Gabby Elliott combined for most of the Sun Devils’ scoring on Saturday. Elliott finished the game with 20 points and 4 rebounds. 

Her performance definitely finished in style, but it began messily.

A mere 16 seconds into the game, Kansas’ Sania Copeland poked Elliott in the eye. Play was stopped as Elliott fell to the ground, grasping for her right eye with both hands. 

What was originally called a common foul on the floor was reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant 1 call, which gave Elliott two free throws, which she promptly sank.

The foul clearly didn’t bother her too much, as Elliott would go on to have her best scoring performance in Desert Financial ArenaDFA.

Though multiple ASU players eclipsed the 20-point mark, Coach Miller’s emphasis always remained defensive.

The Sun Devils forced 24 turnovers and capitalized with 21 points off Kansas miscues. Miller couldn’t help but remark on her team’s defensive progress since the season opener.

“When I think back to Coppin State,” she said. “I know we turned them over 33 times, but we weren’t organized in how we played. Now, we know when to go on a trap, when to rotate, how to rotate, how to rotate, what our verbiage is for switching and screen coverages.”

The Sun Devils’ defensive improvements were highlighted by a sequence midway through the fourth quarter led by senior guard Marley Washenitz. 

With 6:22 left in the game, Washenitz went to offer help defense on a Kansas player driving to the basket. As a shot left the fingertips of the Jayhawks player, Washenitz’s arm flew in to swat the ball out of bounds.

On the ensuing play, with limited time left on the shot clock, Kansas attempted to put up a shot from behind the three-point arc. Washenitz was right there to stuff the shot again, before rebounding her own block and taking the ball coast-to-coast for a layup. 

On the very next possession, Washenitz jumped a pass, intercepting it to give the Sun Devils possession. Back-to-back-to-back forced turnovers.

Her performance might not have jumped off the box score, but Washenitz was everywhere.

“She is the heartbeat out there,” Coach Miller said. “She really does make us go. Those hustle plays are the Sun Devil brand.”

After a slow start that saw both teams tied at 13 at the end of the first quarter, the Sun Devils took the reins in the second.

ASU scored 27 points in the second quarter, the second most it has scored in any individual quarter this season.

Elliott led the way with 10 points in the period, having two straight possessions where she drove to the basket and fought through a foul to score. And-1. 

Redshirt junior forward Deborah Davenport also had a significant contribution to the Sun Devils’ second-quarter scoring outburst.

She scored seven points in the quarter, on her way to a season high of nine, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field. 

ASU was able to hold Kansas to its lowest point total of the season on Saturday, thanks in part to the fan attendance. 3,812 rear ends proudly filled the DFA seats.

“I think our players and the brand that they play is exciting to watch, “Miller said. “It’s exciting to play and it’s exciting to coach. But the brand is really alive and well.”

“Sun Devil basketball,” as Miller calls it, is thriving like it never has before. ASU looks to stay hot as they head east to play West Virginia on January 21. The game streams on ESPN+.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post