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Final home game shouldn’t affect seniors

Saying goodbye: ASU redshirt senior guard Dymond Simon guards UW freshman guard Dominique Banks during the Sun Devils’ 71-63 victory over the Huskies on Thursday. Simon and the rest of the ASU seniors will be honored on Saturday during their last home game against UCLA. (Photo Courtesy of the Daily of Washington)
Saying goodbye: ASU redshirt senior guard Dymond Simon guards UW freshman guard Dominique Banks during the Sun Devils’ 71-63 victory over the Huskies on Thursday. Simon and the rest of the ASU seniors will be honored on Saturday during their last home game against UCLA. (Photo Courtesy of the Daily of Washington)

It’s the last home weekend of the season for the ASU women’s basketball team, and the team will honor its seniors on Saturday night against UCLA.

Forward Becca Tobin and guards Tenaya Watson and Dymond Simon will all be recognized at halftime.

When asked if the emotions of senior night would affect her play at all, Simon said it wouldn’t be a problem.

“I’m not a very emotional person,” Simon said. “But I guess when you get out on the court it’s probably totally different. I do know that we have some business to take care of this weekend. Yes, it’s our senior night, but I would rather win.”

ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said she had already talked to the three seniors, and they know what to expect on Saturday.

“What I always tell them is obviously this is for the fans,” Turner Thorne said. “This is for them to say thank you and show appreciation and maybe their goodbyes a little bit. But we’ve got hopefully a lot of season left. So we’re not saying goodbye, we’re not ready to celebrate everything yet.”

Streamlining the offense

When Simon made her return from injury against UA on Feb. 13, the team experimented by running her in the shooting guard position for some of the game with sophomore Deja Mann at the point.

But against the zone defense the Sun Devils saw last weekend, particularly against WSU, Simon played almost exclusively at point guard.

“To be completely honest with you, I love the one spot,” Simon said. “If they want to put me at the two (shooting guard), I’m fine with that, but I like running the show.”

Turner Thorne added that Simon will likely play at point guard for the rest of the season.

“She’s really good at finding the scoring opportunities where she’s played all season,” Turner Thorne said. “We’re not really trying to change a lot right now, we’re just trying to be a little bit better at what we do.”

Whatever it takes

The Sun Devils beat Washington State on Saturday despite posting one of the lowest shooting percentages that they have had all season: 26.7 percent. The only time ASU shot lower was at Stanford in January, where they shot 22.8 percent and lost 82-35.

One place the Sun Devils have excelled at this season is at the charity stripe. ASU is second in the conference in free throw percentage at 71.8 percent, behind only Stanford.

Eight of their last 13 points came off free throws during last Saturday’s victory over WSU.

Pac-10 outlook

The logjam that is the Pac-10 conference isn’t clearing up anytime soon, despite the rapid approach of the conference tournament. While Stanford and UCLA have firmly established themselves as the top two teams, the next six teams down are all within three wins of each other.

The Sun Devils are currently tied for third in the Pac-10 standings with USC, who comes to town on Saturday.

The team that finishes in that spot at the end of the season will have a much easier time navigating the conference tournament in March.

Injury update

Redshirt junior guard Markisha Patterson is likely out for another two to three weeks, Turner Thorne said, and will likely not be available for the Pac-10 Tournament.

Patterson suffered fractures around her nose and eye during a practice leading up to the UA game.

“She can work out now, and at least start getting back into shape,” Turner Thorne said.

Full practices will remain out of the question until the fractures heal.

Redshirt junior Kali Bennett is still recovering from a ligament tear in her thumb, but it did not affect her shot in any way last weekend and she is expected to be fully available on Thursday.

Reach the reporter at egrasser@asu.edu


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