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ASU Basketball: Arizona State vs. Washington Preview
After a dominant win versus Washington State Friday, No. 19 ASU basketball women’s gets ready to host eighth-ranked Washington in a Top-20 Pac-12 showdown.
It was an emotional win for Arizona State Friday after seeing two Washington State players suffer serious injuries as Cameron Fernandez was stretchered off with a head/neck injury and Chanelle Molina appearing to suffer a serious knee injury.
The Sun Devils were able to push forward and they went on to win 68-49 thanks to a big second half.
With Washington State’s depth being tested, Arizona State wore down the Cougars outscoring WSU 37-19 in second half.
Also, ASU won the rebounding advantage over Washington State 47-35.
It was highly competitive first half despite the scare both teams experienced seeing Fernandez on the court for a lengthy delay as Sun Devils led 31-30 at halftime.
Game finished with seven ties and 13 lead changes.
Forward Sophie Brunner continued her great form finishing with 20 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
Center Quinn Dornstuader has been playing well the last four games finishing Friday’s game with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Head coach Charli Turner Thorne praised freshman guard Reili Richardson’s poise as she posted another strong game with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
It was an important win for the Sun Devils as they prepare to host one of the best teams in the nation in No. 8 Washington.
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The Huskies currently stand at 17-2 and sit atop the Pac-12 conference with a 5-1 conference record.
Washington is led by the fearsome tandem, the “Big 2” as pegged by Thorne, of guard Kelsey Plum and forward Chantel Osahor.
Plum is coming off a 36-point performance against Arizona Friday becoming the first Pac-12 player, male or female, to eclipse the 3,000 career point total.
Plum leads the nation in scoring averaging 31.0 points per game.
Alongside Plum is Osahor who leads the nation in rebounding averaging 13.5 rebounds per game.
Them two make the engine run.
Washington has looked awfully impressive this season with their only two losses coming on the road at Notre Dame and Oregon State, two schools currently ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll.
Plum and Osahor have help around them this season unlike last season.
Washington have guards Aarion McDonald and Natalie Romeo averaging over 9 points per game as the Huskies boast the nation’s fourth-highest scoring offense (88.5 PPG).
Thorne said post-game Friday that this will be the Sun Devils’ toughest defensive test yet.
While Washington scores a lot, Arizona State doesn’t give a up lot boasting the nation’s ninth-best scoring defense allowing just 53.5 PPG.
Arizona State has outrebounded every opponent this season but Maryland in late-November, but this game will be challenging dealing with Osahor and the guards who chase down loose balls.
ASU has to limit second-chance opportunities because of Washington’s prolific offense.
The guard play will be a decisive match-up as well with the young backcourt dealing with Plum’s scoring ability.
As Brunner said after the game Friday, it’s going to take a team effort to contain her.
This game is pivotal for both in Pac-12 standings with both only having one loss in conference play.
Tip-off of Arizona State-Washington is at 6 p.m. MST on Pac-12 Network.
