Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

Bench scoring, defensive effort lift ASU women's basketball to 68-59 victory over USC

The Sun Devils improve to 5-4 in the Pac-12 before rematch against Arizona

_MGL9974.jpg

ASU junior guard Robbi Ryan (11) guards the ball during a game against UCLA at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Arizona, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019.


After a devastating two-point loss to UCLA just two days ago, the ASU women's basketball team responded with a victory over USC on Sunday, 68-59. 

The win puts the Sun Devils (14-6, 5-4 Pac-12) back to .556 in conference, and drops USC to 11-8 overall and 1-7 in league play.

Redshirt senior Courtney Ekmark and senior Kianna Ibis shouldered the scoring load Sunday as each poured in 11 points. But Ibis battled foul trouble all afternoon and picked up her fifth with 3:50 left in the game.

Junior guard Robbi Ryan provided a boost with eight points and six boards while senior center Charnea Johnson-Chapman also contributed on the glass with seven rebounds. After the team's leading scorer fouled out late, Johnson-Chapman and her teammates said they knew they had to pick up the slack.

"Whenever Kianna's out, I feel like that's the mentality of everybody because she's such a big part of the team," Johnson-Chapman said. "I was just focused on rebounding. I was just trying to pick that up." 

ASU's bench also provided the team with a lift, as it outscored USC's bench 31-14. While ASU had the depth advantage against the Trojans, coach Charli Turner Thorne praised her bench's performance for not only its scoring effort, but also its defensive intensity.

"I thought our bench was amazing," Turner Throne said. "I'm really excited to build on this game, balancing the minutes a little bit better. That's our advantage going into the second-half of conference. This was the epitome of a total team effort." 

The Sun Devils held USC to 34 percent from the field and 22 percent from three-point range for the game. Although the Trojans started the game hot from three-point range, draining 4-7, ASU's defense ramped up, holding USC to 1-16 the rest of the way.

Particularly, the Trojan's leading scorer on the season, Minyon Moore, was held to 8 points on 1-9 from the field.

"She's the head of the snake, we all knew it," Turner Thorne said. "I thought we did a solid job keeping her in front." 

ASU's offense had its stagnant moments as well. Early on, USC's relentless defensive pressure forced ASU into some contested looks late in the shot clock.

"We weren't quite ready for (their ball pressure) at the beginning of the game but we got used to it and adjusted," Ryan said.  

That adjustment began in the second quarter, when the Sun Devils outscored USC 20-13, partly thanks to an early 10-0 scoring burst.

What was a seven-point deficit late in the first quarter quickly turned into a seven-point lead for ASU less than four minutes into the second quarter.

"We started scoring in transition which really helped," Ryan said. "They weren't able to pressure us in the half-court and we were able to get paint touches and we just did a good job at pushing it and moving the ball and that really helped us offensively."

After reserve junior forward Jamie Ruden's three-pointer put the ASU in the lead 23-20 in the second quarter, the Sun Devils continued lead the rest of the game. 

It was not all fine and dandy for the Sun Devils, however. Coach Turner Thorne said that the team needs to improve on the glass, despite edging USC in the rebounding department, 39-38.

"I'm not happy with our rebounding effort," she said. "The biggest takeaway from this game is this is not going to cut it. We have to rebound better. We cannot be giving up 14 offensive rebounds."

In a game where USC battled foul trouble all afternoon, the Trojans were led by senior guard Mariya Moore, who scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds. Senior guard Aliyah Mazyck added 14 points before she fouled out late in the fourth quarter. 

The Sun Devils will return to the court on Friday, Feb. 1 for a rematch against rival Arizona in Tempe. ASU will look to avenge its 12-point loss to the Wildcats in Tucson last month. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM MST. 


Reach the reporter at kmgianco@asu.edu and follow @Kaleb_Mart on Twitter.

Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter. 


Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.

Subscribe to Pressing Matters



×

Notice

This website uses cookies to make your experience better and easier. By using this website you consent to our use of cookies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.