Devils Cook the Ducks in Sun Devil Stadium

Mike Stockman

Tempe, AZ - The Arizona State University Sun Devils hosted and roasted the #6 Oregon Ducks at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday, November 23, 2019, by a score of 31-28.

Some may think it wasn't a roasting, but statistically, the Devils had 535 yards total offense to the Ducks' 458, had two interceptions, and controlled the clock with 36:25.

The fourth quarter had a total of 39 points, 21 going to the Devils.

Devils defeat the Ducks in an upset 31-28.

The Ducks were on the board first when Cyrus Habibi-Likio, sophomore RB from Palo Alto, CA, crossed the goal line on a five yard run, which was the last lead for the Ducks. 

The Devils tied it up on a perfect throw and catch of 57 yards from Jayden Daniels, freshman from San Bernardino, CA, to Frank Darby, R-Jr from Jersey City, NJ with less than five minutes left in the opening quarter.

Darby would finish the night with four catches totaling 125 yards and two touchdowns.

With less than a minute left in the first quarter, fourth down and less than a yard to make the first, the Devils defense stopped the Ducks, keeping score tied 7-7 going into the second quarter.

With 3:40 left in the first half, Devils' Christian Zendejas made a 25 yard field goal, putting Devils up 10-7.

At the half, The Devils offense had 256 total yards offense with Daniels connecting on 12-14 passes with 191 yards and one touchdown pass.

The Ducks were held to 195 yards total offense, allowing the Devils to lead at the half 10-7.

Frank Darby scored twice in victory over the Ducks.

In the third quarter, the Devils defense held strong, keeping the Ducks to 73 yards total offense.

The Devils offense gained 128 yards in the third quarter, scoring a field goal to put them up 13-7 going into the fourth quarter.

The first play of the fourth quarter was an interception by Devils' Jack Jones, giving the Devils excellent field position at the Ducks 32. Shortly after, Daniels connected with Darby in the back of the end zone for a 26 yard touchdown, extended lead to 21-7 over the Ducks.

After getting the ball back, the Ducks are picked off again giving Devils another chance to extend the lead when Zendejas kicked his third field goal of the game bumping score to 24-7 with 8:42 left in the game.

The Ducks, after two poorly executed possessions, drove the field, scoring on a 10 yard Habibi-Likio rush, his second rushing touchdown of the game making the score 24-14 with 7:43 left in game.

The Ducks scored again in less than three minutes 24-21, letting the fans know they weren't done until Daniels hit Aiyuk for a 81 yard touchdown on a third and 17 giving buffer to the Devils, 31-21.

Coach Herm Edwards has 12-11 record in two years at ASU.

Shortly after, the Ducks march down the field and score on a pass, 31-28 with 2:04 left on the clock.

When the Ducks tried an onside kick, the Devils held on to close the upset 31-28. 

The Ducks, who lead the Pac-12 North, travel to Eugene on November 30, 2019 to take on the Oregon State Beavers for an inner state rival game.

The Devils host in state rival University of Arizona Wildcats for the Territorial Cup trophy on November 30, 2019 at 6 p.m.

Sun Devils complete sweep of military academies, with win over Army

By Scott Mammoser

TEMPE – Coach Charli Turner Thorne said she wanted her team to play a more up-tempo style of offense this season, and through the No. 18 Arizona State women’s basketball team’s first two games, her game plan has lived up to its billing.

The Sun Devils scored 34 points off turnovers to defeat Army West Point on Sunday, 83-51, and improve to 2-0. Celebrating Veteran’s Day this week, it was the second time in five days that ASU hosted one of the military academies, coming up victorious against Air Force, 87-56, in its season opener on Tuesday.

#18 ASU improves to 2-0 on the season

“We got better from Tuesday to tonight, we rebounded better,” Turner Thorne said. “We’re clearly young and not sustaining tome things. We could have got to triple digits possibly. I thought everybody got more consistent today. Air Force and Army are tough and athletic, and I love their fight and relentlessness. I didn’t think our perimeter shooting showed up as much as I wanted it to (4-of-21), everybody on the team can shoot.”

At halftime, ASU poised a 48-27 advantage, which is a score we might have seen at the end of the third quarter in years past. A balanced attack, three Sun Devils scored at least eight points at the time, while Lindsey Scamman of Army had all 12 of her team-high points in the first half. The ASU bench actually scored 51 points, which equaled Army’s team total.

Ja’Tavia Tapley, the USC transfer, led the Sun Devils with 18 points in the game.

“I’m glad to be able to bring that to this team,” Tapley said, “to make a difference after not being able to do so the past couple years.”

Jayde Van Hyfte and Robbi Ryan each added 12 points, with Van Hyfte including 10 rebounds in her double-double, while it was the season debut for the previously-injured Ryan, who played 15 minutes.

“It was really fun to be back,” Ryan said. “It’s always fun to be with my teammates.”

ASU will be at No. 23 Minnesota and second-year head coach Lindsay Whalen on Nov. 17, then travels to the Florida Gulf Coast Showcase, beginning with a game against Maine on Nov. 29. The next matchup at Desert Financial Arena will be with BYU at 6 p.m. on Dec. 6.

Stewart Friesen Gets Checkered Flag at Lucas Oil 150

November 8, 2019
Mike Stockman
Photos By Keenan Wright

Friesen wins Lucas Oil 150

Phoenix, AZ - Stewart Friesen won his second of 70 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series races when he crossed the finish line at ISM Raceway's 25th Annual Lucas Oil 150 on November 8, 2019.

Friesen, age 36, driver for car No. 52 owned by Halmar Friesen Racing and Crew Chief Trip Bruce, won his second victory and 16th top-10 finish in 2019 after being penalized for jumping the start.

This was Friesen's fourth race at ISM Raceway.  He finished top-10 in three of the four races, including this victory.

Friesen started the race in position 2. At the end of stage one, he slipped to the ninth position. By lap 90, end of stage two, he climbed back up to the fourth position, taking the checkered flag after leading 44 laps, which earned him 49 points putting him in next weekend's Championship 4.

Friesen won his second Truck Series race in 2019

Sun Devils fly away from Air Force in second half to open season

November 5, 2019

By Scott Mammoser

TEMPE – The Arizona State women’s basketball team opened its quest for a seventh-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth with an 87-56 win over Air Force at the newly-named Desert Financial Arena on Tuesday. The Sun Devils are ranked 18^th in the nation and return senior guards Robbi Ryan and Reili Richardson from last season’s 22-11 team that fell to Mississippi State in the Sweet 16, although Ryan is in the latter stages of nursing an injury.

Reili Richardson Starts Senior Year Quest 

“The first half was had the classic first game jitters,” said senior forward Jamie Ruden, who scored 14 points. “At halftime, we said to relax and be disciplined, and that carried over to the second half.”

After opening with a 40-29 lead at halftime, the Sun Devils exhausted the Falcons with an increased tempo of play that head coach Charli Turner Thorne said she would like to incorporate. That is a contradiction to her traditionally defense-focused style of play.

“The way we’re playing this year, in the second half, we want to wear teams down,” Turner Thorne said. “The guards need to rebound this year, and then we will play faster. All of our new kids, even the sophomores, did not play as well as they practiced, they were nervous.”

Sara Bejedi, the freshman guard from Finland, who scored 16 points per game in the World University Games this summer, debuted for ASU with 12 points and three assists. Fellow freshmen Eboni Walker and Sydnei Caldwell donned the maroon and gold for the first time on Tuesday, as well as Ja’Tavia Tapley, a 6-foot-3 graduate transfer from USC. Tapley scored 11 and grabbed eight rebounds, while Jayde Van Hyfte scored 12.

Kamri Heath, a 5-foot-7 freshman from Oklahoma, scored 12 in the first half and finished with 16 points in her first career game at Air Force. Emily Conroe added 12 points and eight rebounds, as well.

ASU will host a second military institution when Army visits Tempe at 5 p.m. MT on Sunday, before a road trip takes the Sun Devils to No. 23 Minnesota on Nov. 17.

The Falcons, who were 8-22 and 10^th of 11 teams in the Mountain West Conference last year, will next face NJIT at home on Friday. The Sun Devils were the only ranked opponent on the Falcons’ schedule this season, but there is a game at Tennessee on Dec. 1. Boise State is heavily-favorited to win the Mountain West this campaign.