The ASU women’s basketball team opened its season with a weekend sweep, beating NAU 81-46 on Friday at home and UC Riverside 58-47 away on Sunday.
The Sun Devils (2-0) got off to exactly the start they hoped for, but understand there is still plenty of room for improvement, ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said.
“I think we all feel like we need to get better at everything,” Turner Thorne said. “But at the same time, I think it was a great opening weekend. I think we are really showing our depth and our versatility.”
Redshirt senior point guard Dymond Simon said she was pleased with the offense, but echoed Turner Thorne about getting better as the season goes on.
“The offense was very good. I think we still have some room for improvement,” Simon said. “I know teams are definitely going to be keying on me, and I have to realize that and do as much as I can, but get my teammates the ball more.”
The Sun Devils opened against NAU (0-1) with a 27-2 run in the first 9:15, and never looked back. In her first regular season game back from injury, Simon led the Sun Devils with 18 points, and senior forward Becca Tobin very nearly had a double-double, with 10 points and nine rebounds. ASU’s starters outscored NAU all by themselves, racking up a total of 51 points.
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NAU guard Amy Patton went 6-for-21 and finished with a game-high 20 points, but didn’t get a whole lot of help from the rest of her team beyond senior guard Vickie Toney, who dished out six assists.
The Sun Devil defense held the Lumberjacks to 31.5 percent shooting, and ASU outrebounded its opponents 56-38.
On Sunday against Riverside (1-1), the Sun Devils didn’t get off to quite the same start. There were several lead changes in the first half, but ASU held a slim three-point advantage at the half.
In the second half, the shots started falling for the Sun Devils, and they would not give up the lead again. Rebounds were again key for ASU, and redshirt junior center Kali Bennett led the Sun Devils with 11.
“I think they did a tremendous job basically crushing both teams on the boards,” Turner Thorne said.
Bennett credited the rebounding with all the work the team put in over the summer.
“Rebounding in the offseason is what I focused on the most out of anything,” Bennett said. “I figured I’m such a big body down there anyways, I’ve got to make use of myself.”
Simon again led ASU in scoring with 15 points in 31 minutes. Senior guard Tenaya Watson also had nine points and an assist for the Sun Devils.
With Tobin not feeling very well on Sunday, the bench stepped up big against the Highlanders, Turner Thorne said.
“To be honest, I went into this season looking for five clear-cut starters,” Turner Thorne said. “I don’t feel like we have that, but I feel like we have 10 or 11 really good players.”
The Sun Devils return to action next Sunday at Tennessee.
Reach the reporter at egrasser@asu.edu
