ASU controls second straight home win ahead of UNLV trip

TEMPE – For three and a half quarters, fourth-year Sun Devil guard Ruby Whitehorn’s performance raised fans at Desert Financial Arena to their feet.

Whether she crashed into an opponent en route to a layup, tripped up three Lumberjacks with a behind-the-back move, or blocked one of three total shots, the crowd couldn’t help but jump out of its seats.

“Any given night, it can be any player who steps up,” Sun Devil women’s basketball head coach Molly Miller said. “And that was Ruby (Whitehorn) for you.”

But in the fourth quarter, Whitehorn received applause for one final moment.

This time, it was because she walked gingerly off the court after crashing into a Lumberjack defender.

With ASU’s star performer watching from the bench in the waning minutes, the Sun Devils (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) closed out the contest with a 79-52 victory over Northern Arizona University (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky). Miller’s roster feasted below the rim, scoring 44 points in the paint while out-rebounding the Lumberjacks 45-32. After being outscored by seven points in the second quarter, the Sun Devils hit bumpy terrain, but ultimately decided to stick with their offensive game plan, resulting in a victory.

“This is the first program that I’ve been a part of where the bigs down low are lethal,” Whitehorn said. “You can trust them. They’re tough. They’re strong. They’re going to get the ball for you.”

ASU’s second bucket of the night occurred after Whitehorn ran full speed into the paint and challenged the Lumberjack bigs to make a play against her.

And despite forcing noticeable contact on Whitehorn’s shot, they couldn’t stop her.

For basically the entire game.

“I mean, it’s no better feeling, honestly,” Whitehorn said. “I just think that once I see one go in, it gives me confidence to keep going.”

Whitehorn finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and an 84% field goal percentage without making a single 3-pointer.

Thursday’s performance was her first double-double in a maroon and gold jersey.

“She’s the all-around player,” Miller said.

Whitehorn’s success wasn’t a solo effort. ASU’s hustle plays set up a bulk of her production.

In the second quarter, NAU delivered an errant pass under its own basket that headed toward the courtside seats.

Instead of watching the ball careen out of play, fourth-year Sun Devil guard Rashunda Jones hurled it back toward her teammates, creating a fast-break opportunity.

“Every 50-50 ball is 100% ours,” Miller said. “So if there’s a ball on the loose, we’re diving for it. If there’s a ball that’s up in the air, we’re jumping for it.”

The basketball eventually found itself to Whitehorn, who delivered the layup.

As the Lumberjacks watched Whitehorn pile up points in the paint, they decided to try to replicate the same bully-ball offensive mindset.

But the Sun Devil defense figured out what games NAU was trying to play.

In the first quarter, fourth-year Lumberjack guard Aaliyah Smith glued her eyes to the rim and bolted from the elbow toward third-year ASU forward Ayanna-Sarai Darrington.

As Smith charged into the paint, Darrington placed herself right in front of the speeding Smith.

In a flash, a huge crash ensued as both players found themselves lying on the floor.

When the dust settled, the referee signaled a charging call.

“I always say the charge in women’s basketball is like the slam dunk in men’s basketball,” Miller said. “It’ll get the fans fired up, it’ll get your bench fired up and it’ll get your coach fired up.”

Although the Sun Devils never relinquished their lead, the Lumberjacks managed to close a once-14-point gap after the first quarter to just seven going into the half.

In the second quarter, both teams tallied six made shots. Yet, NAU scored 20 points while ASU only managed 13. Half of the Lumberjacks’ field goals were 3-pointers.

“I think we were just too casual getting out to or contesting the 3-point shot in the second quarter,” third-year Sun Devil guard Madison Morson said.

ASU, however, missed all four of its 3-point attempts.

“The defense was the most frustrating thing for me,” Miller said. “… So there was a little gut check there at halftime. (I) challenged some people, kind of looked them in the eye. And they responded.”

After ASU received its dose of criticism from Miller, it responded by giving up just one 3-pointer and 22 total points for the rest of the game.

Although the Sun Devils’ defensive adjustment won the approval of the crowd, their decision not to force 3-point attempts and instead stay with their game plan down low is what won them the game.

In the third quarter, the Sun Devils scored 24 points while only attempting four 3-pointers.

Soon enough, the Sun Devils found themselves with a 22-point lead at the end of the third quarter.

Only then, with that expanded lead, did it decide to attempt eight 3-point shots in the fourth.

Wrapping up the night with a fundamentally sound second-half performance, ASU’s players headed to the locker room and immediately praised Whitehorn’s showing.

“Ruby (Whitehorn) played crazy,” Morson said.

Yet Whitehorn knows she isn’t the only one who will lead this team to bigger and better things.

It will take a village.

“It’s not just going to be one person carrying this team to the championship,” Whitehorn said. “We have a lot of people who are happy for each other when we have games like this … we support each other through and through, and that’s a special thing to find.”