TEMPE – The Sun Devil women's basketball team came up short in what would have been the biggest comeback in program history in a 90-83 loss to Iowa State on Wednesday.
Down by as many as 20, the Sun Devils (8-8, 2-2 Big 12) kept pushing forward, eventually getting the Cyclones' lead down to as few as three points with 13 seconds remaining in the game.
That's as wide of an opening the Cyclones (11-6, 2-2 Big 12) would allow the Sun Devils. After shooting 57 percent (12-21) from the line in the first three quarters, Iowa State connected on 82 percent (14-17) of its attempts in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 4-4 in the final 12 seconds to clinch the win.
An ASU win would have eclipsed the record for the biggest comeback in program history: 18 points vs. Utah on Feb. 17, 2019, a game in which the Sun Devils scored the last 20 points of the game to edge the Utes 60-58
After shooting 34 percent in the first half, the Sun Devils hit 48 percent of their field goals in the final 20 minutes. Jalyn Brown scored 14 of her game high-tying 20 points in the second half to help ASU climb its way back into the game. Also totaling more than half of their points in the second half were Tyi Skinner (9 of 12), Jyah LoVett (8 of 13) and Jazion Jackson (6 of 8).
For the game, Nevaeh Parkinson (game high-tying nine rebounds), Jackson (eight rebounds) and Kennedy Basham (six rebounds) collectively pulled down 23 of ASU's 39 rebounds. ASU made the most of its offensive rebounds outscoring the Cyclones 17-8 in second chance points.
The first and second quarters could not have been more contrasting. The first half of the first quarter was a track meet as both teams showed the explosive potential of their offenses.
The Sun Devils led 8-4 after Basham hit a pair of free throws a little more than two minutes into the game. After Iowa State tied the game at 8-8, the two teams went back and forth exchanging baskets.
Kennedy Fauntleroy's second triple, ASU's third of the game, gave ASU a 15-14 lead.
The Sun Devils had difficulty manufacturing points after Fauntleroy's 3-pointer and would go on to shoot 43 percent for the quarter.
On the flip side, the Cyclones shot 54 percent in the frame. Making the Cyclones' shooting efficiency even more damaging to ASU was they made twice as many 3-pointers (8-10) as they made from inside the arc. The Cyclones' 20-8 run over the last 5:21 of the quarter gave them a 34-23 lead.
The second quarter was a much different story. The good news for ASU is it was able to force the Cyclones into shooting 36 percent from the floor. The bad news is the Sun Devils were unable to cut into the 11-point lead Iowa State had after the first quarter.
Basham and LoVett scored five points each to account for 10 of ASU's 12 points. Iowa State's slight 13-12 edge in scoring pushed their lead to 47-35 at the half. Fauntleroy (10 of 15 points) and Basham (nine of 11 points) were ASU's top scorers in the first half with 19 of ASU's 35 points.
The Cyclones went for the knockout in the early stages of the third quarter. An 8-0 run in the space of 2:11 swelled their halftime lead from 12 to 20, 55-35.
The Sun Devils refused to fold, answering Iowa State's surge of scoring by accounting for the game's next 12 points. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Jackson fueled the the flurry of points that pulled the Sun Devils within eight, 55-47, with 5:04 left in the third quarter.
The next 12 minutes of game time was a back-and-forth repeat that consisted of the Cyclones trying to pull away (led by 11 points a number of times) and the Sun Devils threatening to overcome the deficit (got within six points on a pair of occasions).
ASU moved even closer after Skinner's jumper cut the lead to four with 3:09 remaining in the game.
Iowa State scored seven of the game's next eight points to reclaim a 10-point lead twice, the second time with 45 seconds remaining.
The Sun Devils had one more run left in them as Skinner (3-pointer), Brown (jumper) and Parkinson (rebound and score) quickly amassed seven points in 25 seconds to get ASU within one possession, 86-83.
The Sun Devils will remain at home on Saturday (3:30 p.m. MST) when they host Baylor at Desert Financial Arena. Sun Devil Women's Basketball's contest will be the first game of a Sun Devil Basketball doubleheader as the Sun Devil men will take the floor at 7:30 p.m. MST to face Baylor. Click here for information on how fans can be in attendance for both games.
Down by as many as 20, the Sun Devils (8-8, 2-2 Big 12) kept pushing forward, eventually getting the Cyclones' lead down to as few as three points with 13 seconds remaining in the game.
That's as wide of an opening the Cyclones (11-6, 2-2 Big 12) would allow the Sun Devils. After shooting 57 percent (12-21) from the line in the first three quarters, Iowa State connected on 82 percent (14-17) of its attempts in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 4-4 in the final 12 seconds to clinch the win.
An ASU win would have eclipsed the record for the biggest comeback in program history: 18 points vs. Utah on Feb. 17, 2019, a game in which the Sun Devils scored the last 20 points of the game to edge the Utes 60-58
After shooting 34 percent in the first half, the Sun Devils hit 48 percent of their field goals in the final 20 minutes. Jalyn Brown scored 14 of her game high-tying 20 points in the second half to help ASU climb its way back into the game. Also totaling more than half of their points in the second half were Tyi Skinner (9 of 12), Jyah LoVett (8 of 13) and Jazion Jackson (6 of 8).
For the game, Nevaeh Parkinson (game high-tying nine rebounds), Jackson (eight rebounds) and Kennedy Basham (six rebounds) collectively pulled down 23 of ASU's 39 rebounds. ASU made the most of its offensive rebounds outscoring the Cyclones 17-8 in second chance points.
The first and second quarters could not have been more contrasting. The first half of the first quarter was a track meet as both teams showed the explosive potential of their offenses.
The Sun Devils led 8-4 after Basham hit a pair of free throws a little more than two minutes into the game. After Iowa State tied the game at 8-8, the two teams went back and forth exchanging baskets.
Kennedy Fauntleroy's second triple, ASU's third of the game, gave ASU a 15-14 lead.
The Sun Devils had difficulty manufacturing points after Fauntleroy's 3-pointer and would go on to shoot 43 percent for the quarter.
On the flip side, the Cyclones shot 54 percent in the frame. Making the Cyclones' shooting efficiency even more damaging to ASU was they made twice as many 3-pointers (8-10) as they made from inside the arc. The Cyclones' 20-8 run over the last 5:21 of the quarter gave them a 34-23 lead.
The second quarter was a much different story. The good news for ASU is it was able to force the Cyclones into shooting 36 percent from the floor. The bad news is the Sun Devils were unable to cut into the 11-point lead Iowa State had after the first quarter.
Basham and LoVett scored five points each to account for 10 of ASU's 12 points. Iowa State's slight 13-12 edge in scoring pushed their lead to 47-35 at the half. Fauntleroy (10 of 15 points) and Basham (nine of 11 points) were ASU's top scorers in the first half with 19 of ASU's 35 points.
The Cyclones went for the knockout in the early stages of the third quarter. An 8-0 run in the space of 2:11 swelled their halftime lead from 12 to 20, 55-35.
The Sun Devils refused to fold, answering Iowa State's surge of scoring by accounting for the game's next 12 points. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Jackson fueled the the flurry of points that pulled the Sun Devils within eight, 55-47, with 5:04 left in the third quarter.
The next 12 minutes of game time was a back-and-forth repeat that consisted of the Cyclones trying to pull away (led by 11 points a number of times) and the Sun Devils threatening to overcome the deficit (got within six points on a pair of occasions).
ASU moved even closer after Skinner's jumper cut the lead to four with 3:09 remaining in the game.
Iowa State scored seven of the game's next eight points to reclaim a 10-point lead twice, the second time with 45 seconds remaining.
The Sun Devils had one more run left in them as Skinner (3-pointer), Brown (jumper) and Parkinson (rebound and score) quickly amassed seven points in 25 seconds to get ASU within one possession, 86-83.
The Sun Devils will remain at home on Saturday (3:30 p.m. MST) when they host Baylor at Desert Financial Arena. Sun Devil Women's Basketball's contest will be the first game of a Sun Devil Basketball doubleheader as the Sun Devil men will take the floor at 7:30 p.m. MST to face Baylor. Click here for information on how fans can be in attendance for both games.