After going on a 15 game winning streak and seeing it end with a 23-point loss to Oregon State, No. 8 ASU women's basketball has little time for recovery with two home games on the docket against No. 14 UCLA and USC.
Displeased with her team's offensive output and rebounding after being pummeled 67-44 by the Beavers, ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne acknowledged that the turnaround from Monday's game leaves no room for error heading into a matchup with the fast-paced Bruins (16-5, 8-2 Pac-12).
"It's a pretty short week for us because we got back Tuesday afternoon," Turner Thorne said. "That's a nice thing when you have a veteran team — you hope they can make those adjustments, and do things better even without a lot of practice reps."
Limited practice makes it all the more imperative for the Sun Devils (18-4, 9-1 Pac-12) to improve the areas which Turner Thorne emphasized. One area in particular that became a glaring weakness against Oregon State was the defensive side of the ball, where an inside-out game by the Beavers gave ASU fits and allowed for a three-point barrage.
Matching the pace of both teams this weekend, primarily UCLA, will be a major key. In order to do that during such a tough part of their schedule, Turner Thorne said her team will need to make focus its primary objective.
Turner Thorne also said that the Sun Devils just have to slog through February in order to reach a month of March filled with rest and NCAA tournament games.
"This is by far the hardest month," she said. "February is just the grind time. We're just regrouping and getting re-energized — we've been able to find ways to win in different games, and we need to keep doing that."
Balanced scoring has been no issue for ASU, especially during its winning streak in which a multitude of players stepped up and led the team in scoring on any given night — and that ranges from bench players like senior guard Arnecia Hawkins all the way to the starting center, junior Quinn Dornstauder. Nobody on this Sun Devil team, other than junior forward Sophie Brunner at 10.8, averages more than 10 points per game.
Balance is present with the Bruins (16-6, 8-2 Pac-12) and Trojans (16-6, 4-6 Pac-12) as well, but both of these teams score at a higher clip than ASU — and UCLA is the best scoring team in the conference. The Bruins have three players who average double figures and score 77 points per game as a team, while USC has four players with double-digit averages and scores just under 70 points per game.
Defensive intensity will be vital to the Sun Devils' success against these two high-scoring squads, so look for senior point guard Elisha Davis to be leading the charge on that front — clapping her hands and using every ounce of energy she has to lock down the opponent.
Tip-off for ASU vs. UCLA is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. in Tempe, while the Sun Devils and Trojans will clash at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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