Sun Devils suffer first loss in first road contest in Louisiana

(Photo via Julia Coyne/WCSN)

Thursday, ASU women’s basketball visited Grambling State for the first time in program history, just the third game it’s ever played against the Tigers. While the Sun Devils were victorious in each of the previous games against Grambling State, this time they weren’t so lucky.

After the game opened with a back-and-forth first quarter, the second was all Grambling State, as the Tigers took a 45-32 lead following a shower of 3-pointers. All of the Tigers’ 27 points in the second frame came off of the three-ball. Grambling State extended its lead to 60-49 by the end of the third quarter, but the Sun Devils were not finished just yet.

Arizona State outscored the Tigers 18-10 in the fourth quarter. Senior guard Jaddan Simmons tied the game up at 67 on a 3-pointer with 38 seconds left, but Grambling State fired back with a three of their own, courtesy of sophomore guard DeMaya Young – who had a game high 23 points – to put the final nail in the Sun Devils’ coffin 70-67.

As ASU falls to 3-1 on the season, the Sun Devils must clean up their three-point defense heading into their next game. They allowed Grambling State (2-2) to go 15-of-24 from deep, despite limiting their three previous opponents to 26.6% from beyond the arc.

The other glaring issue for Arizona State Thursday night was offensive involvement. While sophomore forward Kadidia Toure and Simmons each had 18 points on the night, only two other Sun Devils scored in double figures.

While Grambling State couldn’t seem to miss from 3-point land, the Sun Devils struggled from range. ASU went just 4-of-12 as a team from deep, keeping in line with their 30.5% line entering play.

The Sun Devils were just barely out-rebounded by the Tigers, hauling in 35 boards to Grambling State’s 37. Rebounding has been an issue early this season for the Sun Devils, but they put up a good display on the glass Thursday night. They were helped largely thanks to senior forward Maggie Besselink, who had a double-double with 11 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Besselink’s return this season has greatly helped ASU in this category after she missed all of last year due to injury.

The Sun Devils couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities from the free-throw line either, as they went a poor 17-for-26. These chances at the charity stripe could’ve helped ASU win the game had they converted, especially considering they only lost by three points.

As the Sun Devils return home for the weekend, they will prepare to face Idaho State on Sunday. This will be ASU’s last home game before they travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam, where they are set to face two teams that appeared in last season’s NCAA tournament in No. 11 Texas and South Florida.