ASU Women’s Basketball: Creighton spoils the Sun Devils’ second half surge

(Photo: Brendan O’Keefe/WCSN)

Slow starts and poor shooting performances have been a problem for Arizona State all season, and Sunday’s matchup against Creighton was the latest example of these trends.

The Creighton Blue Jays’ (6-2, 2-0 Big East) captured a 69-62 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils (5-5) off a strong shooting performance. The Blue Jays came out of the gates with aggression, scoring 16 first-quarter points on 50 percent shooting. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils had a slow start and only found the net twice on their first seven attempts. But the struggles didn’t stop there. ASU would also commit eight of their 18 turnovers in the first quarter.

The first 50 seconds of the game were as ugly as it gets. Senior guard Jade Loville lost the ball, which led to a layup by Creighton’s Lauren Jenson. On the next procession, senior guard Taya Hanson was whistled for a traveling violation. Following the incident, Arizona State head coach Charli Turner Thorne would call her first timeout of the game.

The slow start resulted in a poor offensive first quarter. Sophomore guard Jaddan Simmons would score five of the Sun Devils’ nine points in the quarter. Combine the poor offensive play with the Blue Jays aggressiveness, and ASU found themselves down seven.

The Sun Devils would break the ice in the second quarter by forcing a turnover and finding Loville on the other end for a layup. Back-to-back fouls by Arizona State would allow Creighton to answer with a layup by sophomore Molly Mogense. The two squads would trade baskets, both finishing with 13 second-quarter points. The stalemate in the second quarter kept Creighton’s lead at seven but allowed ASU to settle into the game and have a strong third quarter.

Heading into the half, Turner Thorne looked upset with her team’s performance. The Sun Devils were shooting 25 percent from 3 and struggled to get to the charity stripe. It took almost the entire half for ASU to take the floor, as Turner Thorne did not allow her team to take the floor until the 1:10 mark on the halftime clock.

Whatever the message was that Turner Thorne told her team during halftime, it worked. Arizona State played its best basketball in the third quarter. The Sun Devils would go on an early 11-0 run, taking a 33-32 lead, their first of the night. Leading the charge was Loville, who had eight of her 15 points in the quarter.

Not only did Arizona State’s offense start to click, but its defense was too. Graduate transfer Mael Gilles set the defensive intensity early in the second half by forcing Creighton into tough shots. Simmons and Hanson would also contribute with two steals and a block, respectively.

After limiting the Blue Jays to 12 points, the Sun Devils would go up by five points. But the lead would collapse as Creighton’s offense would explode and go on a 13-2 run. Leading the Blue Jays was junior Carly Bachelor, who had nine of her career-high 23 points in the fourth.

The late run gave Creighton a 58-52 lead. Quickly, Arizona State’s offense stalled, and its defense collapsed. The Sun Devils were outscored 28-16 in the final quarter and would get as close as four points. Ultimately Arizona State’s second-half surge still resulted in a loss.

Turner Throne and her squad will enter their final non-conference matchups at .500. The first game will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18, in San Diego. Following the trip to San Diego, ASU will return to Tempe on Dec. 21 for their final non-conference game against UC Irvine.