It’s either win or go home. The ASU women’s basketball team is ready for the pressures and challenges of the Pac-12 tournament this week.
“We’re pumped up,” junior guard Micaela Pickens said. “We have to get this win in order to stay. We have to play together.”
ASU finished the season ranked No. 4 in the conference and was awarded a bye in the first round of the tournament.
The team now gets to sit back and wait for their next opponent, either UA or UCLA.
Senior forward Kimberly Brandon said the Sun Devils are taking full advantage of the time off.
“It’s going to give us a chance to get a little bit more practice in, focus on us going into the tournament, coming together and figuring out what we have to do to win,” Brandon said.
The Sun Devils traveled to Los Angeles on Tuesday and will see their first opponent Thursday afternoon.
The Wildcats and Bruins battle each other on Wednesday to determine who will take on the Sun Devils in the second round. UA and UCLA split their regular season series.
Pickens said the team is practicing hard and preparing for either opponent.
“Since we really don’t know, we are focusing more on us,” Pickens said. “We have our defense pretty down pat. I think we are focusing more on our offensive tools. We know that we can play defense on both the teams that we might come up against.”
Incidentally, ASU competed against UCLA and UA in the past two weeks. Brandon said both games are fresh in the Sun Devils’ minds.
The Sun Devils swept their in-state rival during the regular season. Except for the first half in Tucson, the Sun Devils’ defense has stifled UA’s offense this season.
UCLA, however, swept ASU during the regular season. The last time the Sun Devils played the Bruins, Brandon, ASU’s top scorer, and senior guard Olivia Major were sidelined with injuries.
Coach Joseph Anders said losing two players right before game time had an effect on the game.
“That’s an awful lot for a team going into any competition,” Anders said. “Being able to — knock on wood — hopefully have everyone just be ready (and) be healthy just from a mental standpoint, it gives us absolutely a better opportunity.”
Anders and the players stressed they will be focusing on one game at a time during the tournament.
The ultimate goal for the team is to make it to the weekend and compete in the championship game on Saturday afternoon.
It is Brandon’s senior season and her last Pac-12 tournament to accomplish some longtime goals.
“I’ve never played in the Staples Center, and that would be great,” Brandon said. “Since I’ve been here, we have not really made it past the first round of the Pac-12 tournament. Hopefully (we can) get some wins under our belt and make it to the Staples Center.”
Bennett honored for defense
Senior forward Kali Bennett has taken the conference by storm defensively this season and was honored this week by being named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.
She leads the Sun Devils in blocks with 82 this season, and she tied the school record for most blocks in a single game with seven. She also broke the ASU record for most career blocks.
Her post defense has helped the team have the best scoring defense in the Pac-12, allowing 52.5 points per game.
“Kali has done what you would hope every senior would, which is play their best basketball in their senior year,” Anders said. “Her growth as a player (and) her growth as a person has translated to her being able to garner that type of award, and rightfully so. I feel like she deserved it.”
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
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