TEMPE, Ariz. – Promise Amukamara and Sophie Brunner each scored 17 points and the ninth-ranked Arizona State women’s basketball team rallied from 16 points down in the second half to defeat UALR 57-54 and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time since 2005.
After shooting 21 percent in the first half, the Sun Devils (29-5) turned things around in the second half as they shot 54 percent from the floor. Also aiding their comeback was an 87-percent performance (13-15) from the free throw line.
“I’m just really happy for this team,“ ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “They've worked so hard all year long, and I’m just very excited to keep playing and to keep coaching them.
“Arkansas-Little Rock is good. They're legit, and I thought they played an amazing game.”
Brunner added 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season and the 10th of her career. Also posting double figures in rebounds was Kelsey Moos, who had 10 to go along with six points.
UALR had four starters in double-figures, led by Kaitlyn Pratt with 12 points. The Trojans led for nearly the entire game, but eventually came up short as the Sun Devils closed the game on a 24-8 run.
Down by nine points at the half, ASU scored the first four points of the second half to get within five. The change in momentum would not last long as the Trojans (29-5) answered with an 11-0 run in the span of only 2:53 to go up 37-21 with 15:27 remaining.
A jumper by Brunner with 12 minutes to play got the deficit down to single digits, 39-31, but UALR would come back with a basket, followed by an and-one to go extend its lead back up to 13 points, 46-33, with 9:09 left.
A 3-pointer by Amukamara on ASU’s next possession started a 9-0 run for the Sun Devils that would see them get within four points after the second of consecutive baskets by Katie Hempen pulled ASU to 46-42 with five minutes to play.
UALR would get the better of a back-and-forth exchange that would ensue and with 2:14 left ASU was down by six and in need of something special after taking a timeout to set up a play with only four seconds left on the shot clock. The Trojans knocked the ball out after ASU’s first attempt to inbound the ball and also burned two seconds off the shot clock leaving ASU with only two seconds left to get off a shot. Hempen found Elisha Davis on her second attempt to inbound the ball and the junior guard launched a shot from long range that would end up backing off the glass and through the hoop, cutting UALR’s lead to 50-47.
Davis’ improbable 3-pointer was the start of an 11-2 ASU run, the final eight points of which came after Ka’Nesheia Cobbins’ bucket put UALR back up 52-47 with 1:48 left. ASU would answer with alternating layups by Brunner and Moos, who combined to score the game’s next eight points, which gave ASU a 55-52 advantage with 28 seconds remaining.
UALR would get back within a point and then was forced to foul. Davis missed the front end of a one and one, but the rebound went out of bounds off the Trojans. Hempen was fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass and sank both free throws to put ASU back up by three points with eight seconds left.
Alexius Dawn’s last-second attempt to tie the game was blocked by Davis, giving the Sun Devils the win and, with it, a spot in the Sweet 16.
Up next for the Sun Devils is a trip to Greensboro, N.C., where it will take on the No. 2 seed Florida State on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.sundeviltickets.com, by phone 480.727.0000 or in person at the Sun Devil Ticket Office (9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday). All tickets must be picked up on game day at the Greensboro Coliseum. Tickets for session 1, which includes both regional semifinal games on Friday, are $30 each and will be located in ASU's section.