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ASU women's basketball's offense stalls in loss to Rice in WNIT

The Sun Devils made only 14 field goals in the contest

Bball NIT Tourn

ASU junior guard Taya Hanson (0) drives against Rice University at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday, March 19, 2021. ASU lost 48-36.


ASU women's basketball failed to generate any offensive momentum in a 48-36 loss to Rice University in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Sun Devils finished with their second-lowest point total in a single game this season and made just 24.6% of their field goal attempts and 13.6% of their 3-pointers.

Both teams struggled to create offense in the first quarter, scoring a combined nine points in the period. ASU and Rice each made two field goal attempts in the opening period.

After entering halftime down 15-12, the Sun Devils picked up its offense by scoring 19 points in the third quarter on 46.6% shooting to head into the fourth quarter leading 31-30.

Rice turned up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter, holding ASU to just five points in the period on just two made shots, both from freshman guard Jaddan Simmons. Rice scored 18 points in the period on 61.5% shooting.

No ASU player scored above 10 points, but freshman forward Maggie Besselink produced the most efficient performance, finishing with a team-high nine points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Taya Hanson added eight points but made just three of her 14 field goal attempts in the game. 

The Sun Devils surrendered 28 points in the paint, with 22 of them being scored in the second half.

The loss pushed ASU's record to an even 11-11 this season. 

ASU will now move to the consolation bracket where it will face Missouri next on March 20 at 9 a.m. MST. A loss would end the Sun Devils' season, but a win would advance them within the bracket.


Reach the reporter at ltochter@asu.edu and follow @Leo_Toch on Twitter.

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