(Photo credit: Aishling Cavanaugh/WCSN)
PHOENIX — Even with a new-look roster, Arizona State women’s basketball still faces familiar issues.
Throughout head coach Natasha Adair’s tenure, the Sun Devils have struggled to compete through all 40 minutes per game. Despite leading by nine at the end of the first half on Thursday against the Grand Canyon Antelopes, Arizona State lost momentum and relinquished its lead by the fourth quarter.
“We talked to them about playing a full 40 minutes and not 20,” Adair said after the game.
The Sun Devils (1-2) met the Lopes (2-1) at Footprint Center for the 2024 Hall of Fame Series in Phoenix. Grand Canyon came back from a 42-33 first-half deficit to defeat Arizona State 70-59, picking up its second victory over ASU in back-to-back seasons to move the all-time series record to 3-2 in favor of ASU.
In the first half, the Sun Devils’ balanced offensive approach created opportunities all around the floor. ASU spaced the floor well, converting on shots in the paint and accumulating foul shots driving to the basket. They shot 40.6% from the field in the first two periods, while knocking down 12-of-14 free throw attempts.
Graduate guard Tyi Skinner led Arizona State during the first half, tallying nine points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and going 3-of-3 from the free throw line. She finished as ASU’s leading scorer on Thursday, totaling 15 points at 36% on field goals and a perfect 5-of-5 on free throws.
After the mid-game intermission, Grand Canyon adjusted to the style of play the Devils brought to the floor. A more aggressive rotation from Lopes head coach Molly Miller disrupted Arizona State’s offense and shifted the flow of the game toward her squad’s favor.
GCU forced 14 turnovers in the second half, converting those into 15 of its 37 points during that span. By creating that added pressure, Grand Canyon limited the Sun Devils to just 25% shooting from the field, as they scrambled to answer every Antelope bucket.
Additionally, Grand Canyon found favorable offensive looks against an Arizona State defense that overcommitted and left open shots.
“We were late on our rotations, and again recognizing where [Grand Canyon senior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas] was and not leaving her [open],” Adair said.
The Sun Devils had trouble containing Durazo-Frescas on the perimeter, who had a game-high 22 points and shot a whopping 6-of-10 from 3-point range. The senior transfer from UNLV electrified the crowd in Footprint Center with her lights-out shooting.
Durazo-Frescas’s spacing allowed the Lopes to turn in a potent offensive effort in the second half, as Grand Canyon shot 41% from the field and from deep over that span.
While GCU only shot eight free throw attempts – making four – in the second half, Arizona State had 11 personal fouls in that time and 24 on the evening. This gave Grand Canyon 26 total foul shots, with the Lopes converting 57% of them. In addition to the points surrendered these errors further hindered the Sun Devils’ efforts to keep the game close.
Furthermore, ASU’s foul trouble limited its ability to rebound.
“There was a lot of foul trouble early with our bigs because the [Grand Canyon] littles were kind of attacking,” Adair said. “So we had to adjust in that aspect and not put our bigs in that position to pick up those cheap fouls.”
Arizona State junior forward Kennedy Basham was one of the Sun Devils affected by the Lopes’ early aggression in the paint. While she recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, she was cautious not to play too physically under the basket. ASU was ultimately outrebounded 39-41 on Thursday night.
After dropping two straight games in the early going of the season, the Sun Devils know what needs to happen heading into back-to-back weekend contests against SMU and Oregon State.
“It’s putting together two halves and making sure we’re consistent in doing the things, one to get us the lead, to keep the lead, and then to stretch it out,” Adair said. “I just think there were moments that we’re really going to use as teaching moments in film.”
