(Photo: Susan Wong/ WCSN)
After three turbulent months, Sun Devil women’s basketball (10-9, 5-9 Pac-12) will close out the regular season as it hosts No. 9 Arizona (15-3, 13-3 Pac-12) in the Territorial Cup on Sunday.
Arizona State is coming off its most disappointing weekend of play in this postponement-filled season. A 39-point loss at Stanford, followed by a 12-point defeat at the hands of then-winless Cal.
The team will try and put all its focus into its final game against its cross-town rival. While the stakes are high as always, head coach Charli Turner Thorne says the young roster is still new to the high-pressure environment that a rivalry matchup brings.
“Talking about how big games are and stuff like that, it doesn’t even fully register,” Turner Thorne said in her weekly media availability. “Because we don’t have these seasoned veterans who have been there and done it and understand it. So we’re just continuing to figure things out, but we’ve played great basketball this year, and we know we can go toe-to-toe with anybody.”
Both schools met in Tucson on December 10, where the then-No. 6 Wildcats scored a 65-37 win. Arizona State struggled from the field, a common trend this season, shooting 27 percent and giving up 23 turnovers. Junior Taya Hanson led the Sun Devils with 14 points, but their offense was outpaced by 11 long-range shots from the Wildcats.
ASU was also without junior guard Iris Mbulito, magnifying their lack of experience on the court. It was the first road game for Arizona State, and the Sun Devils had just 31 combined starts.
“It’s always a different game the second time around,” Turner Thone said. “It’s been a long time. Maggie [Besselink] was barely cleared. We didn’t have Iris. Nine of our 11 kids, it was the first time they had ever played U of A…So they got the best of us, but at least they’ve been there.
“We kinda know what to expect now. I feel good about that. I feel good that we’re a little bit stronger and at full strength.”
The game will also be Senior Day for Bre’yanna Sanders, the lone senior this year in the program.
Arizona is coming off a 62-48 loss to No. 4 Stanford on Monday, giving the Cardinal the Pac-12 regular season title. Senior guard Aari McDonald led the Wildcats with 20 points and three steals after starting off cold. McDonald was also named a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist earlier this week.
This will be the final chance for the Sun Devils to overcome the inconsistencies that have plagued them throughout the season before the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament next week. The Sun Devils sit at ninth place in the conference, and will play the first round of the tournament on March 3.
“One day we do it, one day we don’t,” Turner Thorne said. “That’s usually the story of a young team. We don’t really have it consistent, but we know it’s there and we’re excited to have it show up on Sunday.”
With seven postponed games, the program also has the opportunity to pick up an opt-in game during tournament week, which could help its case of making a postseason tournament. The team would have to decide by Sunday if it wants to pick it up.
The Territorial Cup will be a high noon showdown at Desert Financial Arena on Sunday. The matchup will be available on Pac-12 Networks.
