In the first half against Colorado, the ASU women’s basketball team could do no wrong.
Then, when CU (13–4, 2–4 Pac-12) came out strong in the second half, the Sun Devils did not compete at the same level.
Even with a lackadaisical effort in the second half, the Sun Devils (12–5, 3–3 Pac-12) were still able to come away with a 64–43 victory.
Senior forward Kimberly Brandon believes the team needs to compete for the entire game to maintain a high level of success.
“I thought we had a great first half,” she said. “(In the) second half, we could have come out a little bit stronger. We just need to really try to learn how to play full halves. I think we will be really successful down the road if we can figure that out.”
ASU offense exploded in the first half. The Sun Devils scored 42 points and shot 62 percent.
Junior guard Deja Mann led the Sun Devils on the offensive end, tying her career high of seven assists.
Brandon also made strong offensive contributions, as she was one point away from tying her career high with 20.
“I was kind of hot, and my teammates were giving me the ball in the right spots,” Brandon said.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Sun Devils were just as good — if not better.
They held CU to just nine points in the first half, which is the lowest amount of points they have allowed in a half this season.
Coach Joseph Anders gave the defense credit for the victory.
“It wasn’t even so much of the offensive eruption, (but) it was the defensive disruption that I loved seeing,” Anders said. “The first 20 minutes were just great basketball from our basketball team. Once we were able to do what we did in the first half, it set the tone.”
The ASU defense also held CU’s top scorer, junior guard Chucky Jeffery, to only two points in the first half and only nine points in the entire game.
Mann and freshman guard Promise Amukamara had most of the responsibility of guarding Jeffery.
“On film, the coaches said that’s their engine,” Mann said. “Trying to contain her was definitely a focus.”
The Buffaloes went into halftime down 42-9, but they did not back down from the fight.
They came out with energy in the second and scored 34 points to try and close the gap.
CU also stepped it up on defense and held the Sun Devils to 26.9 percent shooting in the second half.
Notes:
Thursday’s game was the annual field trip game at Wells Fargo Arena, in which elementary school children travel to watch the Sun Devils play.
Anders said he lost his voice trying to coach loud enough for his players to hear him over the kids’ cheers.
He thanked the young fans for coming out and giving the team an emotional boost.
“With all of that energy from those young people, we wish that we honestly had that kind of fan support nightly because you do derive energy from those people in the stands,” Anders said.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
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