UCLA completed a season sweep when they took advantage of a banged up ASU women’s basketball team and won 53–38.
Two ASU starters were not able to play in the game. Senior forward Kimberly Brandon was feeling ill and senior guard Olivia Major had a separated shoulder.
Coach Joseph Anders said the team responded well to the injuries despite the loss.
“I am really, really proud of this team because life is an adversity at times,” Anders said. “They stepped up. We were not able to do what we wanted to do. When basically two of your key hubs go down with injury, it is part of basketball. We just have to keep pushing forward.”
Redshirt junior forward Janae Fulcher got the start Thursday against UCLA, and she did not disappoint.
From the opening tip, Fulcher attacked the Bruins offensively. In the first six minutes, she had nine of the Sun Devils’ 11 points. Fulcher finished the game leading the team with 16 points.
With the help of Fulcher, the Sun Devils were able to push their lead to 20–8 early in the first half.
The young Sun Devils would play a pivotal role in the game. Freshmen forward Jada Blackwell saw the court for 23 minutes and guard Promise Amukamara played 19. Both players combined for just six points.
Late in the first half, the Bruins were led by senior forward Rebekah Gardner and went on a 7–0 run to cut the ASU lead to two to entering halftime. Gardner scored nine points for the Bruins.
In the early minutes of the second half, the Sun Devils were plagued with another injury to a starter. Senior forward Kali Bennett injured her ankle. She returned later in the game, but ASU missed her post presence.
The Sun Devils kept their lead for the early part of the second half, but the Bruins tied the score at 31 with less than 13 minutes left in the game.
UCLA was not content with just keeping the game close at that point. They went on another 7–0 run to put them up 38-31.
UCLA junior forward Markel Walker’s offensive game came alive in the second half to push the UCLA lead. She finished the night with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bruins’ zone defense stepped up its intensity to stifle ASU’s offense, holding the Sun Devils to only 13 points in the second half.
Anders said that when the shots are not falling, rebounding becomes even more important.
“In that case, you have to be able to get on the boards,” Anders said. “It’s not like we’ve been shooting lights out for the year, so we know that some of those shots are not going to go. We just did not get enough effort in terms of covering each other and getting second shots.”
The Sun Devils look to move forward from the loss when they travel to USC on Saturday.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
