In the team’s first conference home game, No. 25 ASU Women’s Basketball defeated the California Golden Bears 80-71 at the Wells Fargo Arena Friday night.
The Sun Devils won their first game over a ranked opponent this season and are now on a five game winning streak. Over the last nine games in Tempe, all games have been decided by 10 points or less. Three games were decided by one point in that span.
ASU faced a tough California team who came into the matchup ranked 23rd in the country. The Golden Bears cut the Sun Devils lead to four at one point, but ASU managed to pull away.
The Sun Devils (12-3, 3-0) lead the entire game. ASU forced 11 turnovers throughout the game and out-rebounded California 31-29.
Junior forward Kianna Ibis came off her career high at Utah (30 points) with another strong performance, this time scoring 26 points. Ibis shot 11-22 from the field with most of her points coming from her mid-range game Friday night.
Arizona State finished shooting 52 percent from the field (5-16 from three) and made nine of their 12 free throws. The deciding factor in the top 25 matchup was the Sun Devils’ bench points as they outscored the Bears' bench 26-2.
Sophomore Jamie Ruden led the bench in scoring with 14 points.
Cal junior forward Kristine Anigwe entered tonight’s game averaging 16.8 points per game. Anigwe was relentless in the post against the Sun Devils, as she finished with 24 points on 10-14 from the field.
ASU faces another ranked opponent this Sunday, Jan. 7 at the Wells Fargo Arena, facing no. 24 Stanford Cardinal (9-6, 3-0) at 2 p.m.
Reach the reporter at sbemanue@asu.edu or follow @SebastianEman24 on Twitter.
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