(Photo:Brooke Farber/WCSN)
In a game where they led for only 9:06, this Arizona State squad that has shown their resiliency throughout the season found a way to win against Stanford.
In the first matchup between these two Pac-12 powers, ASU got off to a brilliant start, but allowed Stanford to claw their way back into it, holding on for a 60-57 victory. Tonight, the game looked completely different, but the result was the same.
The Sun Devils got off to a slow start, falling behind 31-22 at halftime, and allowing the lead to grow to as many as 12, but instead of sitting down and giving up, they decided it was their turn to claw their way back into it.
Down 42-30, the Sun Devils went on a 16-0 run midway through the second half fueled by back-to-back three-pointers from Katie Hempen and Kelsey Moos, putting them up 46-42 with 7:42 remaining. They would never give up the lead again.
Maybe Arizona State just wanted a dramatic comeback. If so, they definitely got one.
With five seconds remaining on the clock and the score locked at 53-52, the Cardinal inbounded the ball to Briana Roberson, who penetrated and pulled up for a jumper at the elbow. The shot hit off the back iron and time expired, securing the win.
The excitement was apparent as point guard Elisha Davis sprinted to midcourt and tackled one of her teammates, kicking off an all-out celebration for the Sun Devils.
Along with their incredible resiliency, the key in this one for the Sun Devils was defense.
ASU leads the Pac-12 in three-point defense, holding opponents to 24.7% on the season, and for the second consecutive time, Arizona State held Stanford well below their season average of 39.1% from deep, only allowing the Cardinal to go 4-14 (28.6%) on the night.
Stanford executed well on pick-and-rolls in the first half, getting open looks and penetrating for shots at the basket. After some halftime adjustments by Coach Charli Turner Thorne, the Sun Devils came out and played the screens with better speed and held the Cardinal to only 21 second-half points.
After taking 53-47 lead with 5:38 lead, Stanford went on a quick 5-0 run to get within one with 4:35 left in regulation. As they have many times before, ASU relied on their defense to get the job done, not allowing Stanford to score for the remainder of the game.
This victory earned ASU its first sweep of Stanford since 1984, when Turner Thorne played for the Cardinal. It is also Stanford’s first time being swept by a conference opponent since 1987-88.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Said Turner Thorne. “This team just keeps on making history.”
