(Photo: Susan Wong/WCSN)
Arizona State and UArizona were neck-and-neck even before the season started.
A preseason coaches poll predicted ASU would finish fifth in the PAC-12, one spot ahead of UArizona.
In their first meeting of the season in Tempe, the Wildcats stifled ASU’s comeback efforts in a wire-to-wire battle, emerging with a 58-53 victory.
Friday’s game was like déjà vu. UArizona emerged victorious in almost identical fashion, 59-53.
Both teams were ranked in the top 20 in scoring defense prior to their second match-up, separated by only four points. That became evident quickly.
The Sun Devils struggled on offense early, committing five of their 13 turnovers in the first quarter alone. But, they also forced five giveaways from the Wildcats in the period.
ASU struggled to grab the offensive rebounds that usually keep them afloat during rough patches in the game.
The Sun Devils average 17 offensive boards per game. They only had seven Friday night.
UArizona boxed out well and led the rebounding battle 18-16 heading into the locker room after two quarters. The Sun Devils didn’t secure their first offensive board until under three minutes left in the first half.
“We knew that was going to be the difference in the game,” said ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne.
Players like Ja’Tavia Tapley and Jayde Van Hyfte, who lead ASU in offensive boards, were neutralized.
Tapley couldn’t find the bottom of the net either. Arizona denied post entry passes and played solid one-on-one defense on her drives from the high post. To make matters worse, she got in foul trouble in the fourth quarter, and wasn’t able to turn her motor to high gear for fear of fouling out.
“Did we want to win this game? Yes. Did we have our best effort? No,” said Turner Thorne.
Without the energy and momentum of extra possessions, or the offensive production from Tapley, ASU had to find a way to create opportunities if they wanted a fighting chance in the second half.
Robbi Ryan was the answer. And so, the game essentially turned into a battle of wills between Ryan and Aari McDonald.
With home court advantage, UArizona had the emotional edge.
Every score for Arizona was followed by ear-splitting roars from what seemed like every person in Tucson.
The calm, collected demeanors of the ASU seniors simply weren’t enough to keep them above water.
“The seniors have been unbelievable in leading us in this five-game win streak,” said Coach Turner Thorne. “But I think they would tell you, they needed to be tougher.”
Ryan finished with a career-high 25 points, almost half ASU’s total.
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt used to say, “Offense sells tickets, defense wins games, and rebounding wins championships.” ASU found out Friday night that if they want to continue to contend with the best teams in the PAC-12, they need to be consistent on the offensive boards. They can’t rely on Ryan to carry the team on her own.
