Despite ferocious attacks from Utah, the ASU women’s basketball team was able to hold on to its second half lead and come away with a 59–51 win Saturday.
ASU (13-5, 4-3 Pac-12) went into the half leading Utah (9-9, 2-5 Pac-12) 22–19. The Sun Devils began the second half with intensity and pushed the lead to 10 points.
However, the Utes continued to fight back and made the Sun Devils earn their win.
Coach Joseph Anders said he expects nothing less of Pac-12 competition.
“Even as you get up on an opponent, they are going to be able to step up and hit shots at some point,” Anders said. “The thing I was really pleased with was that we never, at any point, showed any lack of poise or discipline and that’s what good teams are able to do no matter what.”
The top performer of Saturday’s game was senior forward Kali Bennett.
Bennett scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. She also flirted with a triple-double, recording seven blocks —which ties the ASU record for most blocks in a single game.
Bennett said she enjoys being placed in the record books and gave credit to her work ethic for the performance.
“I’m stoked,” Bennett said. “I haven’t blocked that many shots since club ball back in high school.”
Bennet said conditioning helped improve her slower feet and avoid fouls.
“This year, I move quicker and I get there quicker,” she said.
Earlier this season, Anders said Bennett is the best help defender on the team.
Junior guard Deja Mann appreciates Bennett’s presence in the frontcourt to help on defense and “erase mistakes.”
When Bennett totaled six blocks in the first half, it set the tone. Utah was reluctant to penetrate the rest of the game.
The top offensive performer for the Sun Devils was Mann, who ended the night with 17 points.
When Mann was named a team captain, Anders said the point guard must be “an extension of the coach on the floor.” However, Mann took some opportunities to create an offense on her own.
“I just try and stay in the flow of the offense,” Mann said. “In the second half, we were a lot more focused, we played together better and when the shot was there, I just took it.”
Utah continued to battle back for the entire second half. As the seconds wound down, the Utes started to foul and tested the Sun Devils at the free throw line.
ASU was considerably more familiar with the charity stripe, going to the line 14 more times than Utah. As a team, the Sun Devils only missed two of 20 free throws.
Senior forward Kimberly Brandon, who made five out of her six free throws, said making the shots made a difference in the game.
“It was really close down at the end, so our free throws were big for us and we did a pretty good job,” Brandon said. “We practice our free throws everyday, so it’s natural.”
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
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