For the first time in the last 20 years, an unranked team has beaten two top five ranked schools in consecutive games.
ASU’s 55-47 win over No. 3 Oregon State on Sunday vaulted the Sun Devils into rarified air and placed all eyes from the women’s college basketball world on Tempe.
“I hope that the whole country looks at these games this weekend,” ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “We (the Pac-12) have a lot of great teams, including us.”
Like the victory they had less than 48 hours earlier over No.2 Oregon, the Sun Devils were in a slugfest from start to finish. After jumping out to a nine point lead in the first quarter, ASU left OSU to play catch-up throughout the rest of the game.
Once the Sun Devils got out to a hot start, it was just a matter of holding on until the finish.
“You always love that as a coach,” Turner Thorne said. “You love to win the close games and just build that confidence and that toughness.”
The Beavers tied the game with 2:40 left to play. It was the first time the game had been tied since the 5:31 mark of the first quarter.
But as they had throughout the entire game, the Sun Devils punched back.
Turner Thorne’s team finished the final 2:40 on an 8-2 run. A quick reverse layup from senior guard Robbi Ryan followed by a stop and another layup from senior forward Ja’Tavia Tapley handed ASU a four point lead.
Six made free throws from senior guard Reili Richardson sealed the deal for ASU.
“With this team, we have really great potential,” ASU senior forward Jamie Ruden said. “I don’t even think about limits. I don’t think about what we can’t do. The Oregon game showed that we have great fight in us.”
Their offense may have put the game away, but it was the Sun Devils defense that won it.
ASU limited OSU to two made three-pointers on 20 attempts, 31% shooting from the floor and just four points in the first quarter. OSU missed their fair share of open looks, but the Sun Devils made the Beavers work for everything.
“I’m just really excited for Coach Charli because she’s a great coach and she deserves wins like this,” Ryan said. “It’s just great to get this win together.”
Reach the reporter at kbriley@asu.edu and on Twitter @KokiRiley.
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