Photo: Scott Russomano/WCSN
For a team that typically calls Desert Financial Arena home, Arizona State women’s basketball initially struggled to adjust to the unfamiliar hardwood of Mullett Arena under its feet, ending with just 10 points in the first quarter.
30 minutes later, the opening period was a distant memory as the Sun Devils (10-0) tied their 1991 predecessors for the best start in program history after a 57-47 win over McNeese State (5-3).
“It means a lot,” graduate guard Gabby Elliott said of her team’s record-tying start. “When I first decided to come here, I wanted to leave it a place better than I found it. And I’m definitely on the right track for sure.”
A second-quarter offensive explosion propelled ASU to a 33-19 halftime lead it would never relinquish, led by Elliott’s game-high 19 on 8-15 shooting.
In a contest that was scrappy all night long, the Sun Devils exploited the discrepancy in size to maintain constant control, dominatingthe Cowgirls 46-26 on the glass and outscoring them in the paint 28-18. Despite the physical dominance, the Sun Devils’ 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 15.4 percent from distance left head coach Molly Miller desiring more.
“Honestly, I wish we could have taken advantage of it a little bit more in the interior,” Miller said. “They were coming with doubles. They were really pushing us out … they were smaller than us, but they pushed us around inside. That can’t happen again.”
McNeese State’s physicality didn’t just cause ASU issues inside but with ball security as well. The Sun Devils finished with 20 turnovers, their second most in a game this season, and were visibly affected by the Cowgirls’ defensive pressure, getting picked up 94 feet and being aggressively trapped when coming off screens.
Although the Maroon and Gold were subpar in moving the ball around to produce good looks, generating only 10 assists for the game, their interior passing became a focal point because of the defensive coverages thrown at them.
“We were expecting it, and we didn’t do that great at it at the beginning, but once we settled in, we’re like ‘okay, we need to calm down,’” junior forward McKinna Brackens said. “But making those passes and knowing that it’s not gonna be the first look, … I feel like we were prepared for it.”
During stretches of play where open shots seemed scarce and the rim seemed to reject every attempt thrown at it, ASU turned to its veteran presence time and time again: Elliott. With senior guard Marley Washenitz and Brackens restricted to just seven points on 18 percent shooting in the second half, the majority of the scoring load fell on Elliott’s shoulders.
Yet, the Sun Devils’ leading bucket-getter embraced the extra responsibility with five in both the third and fourth periods.
The fifth-year guard was able to consistently stop on a dime and rise above her defender in isolation situations, banking in mid-range jumpers off the glass with delicate touch or slicing through Cowgirl defenders to roll in a tough and-one.
Beyond her dynamic scoring attacks, Elliott’s confidence became clear on one defensive possession in the third quarter.
McNeese State freshman guard Tyreona Sibley had the ball in her hands at the top of the key with the shot clock winding down when Elliott decided to turn around and walk away before Sibley even shot it. The three clanked off the rim, and Elliott grabbed the board, went down the length of the court and nailed a mid-range pull-up.
“I feel like it’s just a little bit of me,” Elliott said. “I’m from Detroit, so swag is something I bring with me.”
Elliott drove the bus offensively, but the Sun Devils clamped down defensively as an entire unit, limiting the Cowgirls to a season-worst 27.2% shooting from the field.
With the exception of a five-minute stretch to open the fourth quarter that saw McNeese State score 17 points on 6-9 shooting, ASU held their opponents under 21% from the field and three.
Those missed shots led to rebounding opportunities. Although Brackens took a backseat to Elliott in the scoring department, she filled up the stat sheet on the boards.
The junior finished with a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with 14 points, her fourth double-double in nine games in a maroon and gold uniform.
“I feel like the staff believes in me, my teammates believe in me, so it’s easy to go put in that work for them, get the extra possessions for the team, not trying to play for myself and just play for them,” Brackens said, adding that she feels this is the best she’s ever played.
Unselfishness appears to be a guiding principle that the Sun Devils congregate around, a concept that stems from the very top with Miller. Her team-first, defensive-oriented philosophy requires every player to completely buy in and at this moment in time, trust in their head coach is incredibly high.
“I look back at my recruiting pitch in the portal, and … they kept on saying, ‘We’re gonna win,’” Miller said. “So credit to them that they took that leap of blind faith with me, and they bought into the style, and they bought into what we’re trying to do here at Arizona State.”
