No. 24 Sun Devils shut down Cal to open final weekend of season

February 28, 2020

By Scott Mammoser

TEMPE, Ariz. – Jamie Ruden waited until her penultimate game at Desert Financial Arena to record one of her finest outings with 18 points, and the 24^th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils demolished California, 77-54, on Friday night.

The Sun Devils (20-9, 10-7 Pac-12) have now won four of their last five games, after a stretch that saw them lose four of five, and they will close the regular season at noon on Sunday against No. 4 Stanford. The Golden Bears (10-18, 2-15 Pac-12) lost their third consecutively, and finish the season at No. 13 Arizona on Sunday in their first campaign under rookie head coach Charmin Smith.

“I thought we had a great team win,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “Our defense was more consistent, and it was great to get everybody out there and play team basketball. In the first quarter (a 14-12 lead), the turnovers were giving them points.”

Ruden was one point off her career-high of 19 points, set against Idaho in December 2017, and her three at the buzzer put the Sun Devils ahead at the half, 35-23.

#24 ASU demolish California, 77-54

“When our energy is good, we are more relaxed on our shots,” Ruden said. “We just had to be relaxed a bit and stay connected, and that helped. I am really proud of our younger players and to see their fresh energy, that hypes us. I want us to leave a legacy for this program.”

Eboni Walker had a big night for ASU, as well, with a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. Taya Hanson scored all nine of her points in the first half, and Ja’Tavia Tapley scored 11 for the game.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Reili Richardson dished out her 553^rd career assist to break the school record for both men and women. She already overtook Briann January two weeks ago in a win over Washington.

“I didn’t even know the records when I came to this school,” said Richardson, who scored nine with six assists on Friday. “It’s just awesome, and I give the credit to my teammates. 

They hit the shots. Time has just flown by. We looked up the seniors our freshman year, and now we are leaving the program in good hands.”

Cailyn Crocker led the Golden Bears with 11 points, while Evelien Lutje Schipholt scored 10 with a team-best seven rebounds.

Following the Stanford game, five seniors will be honored for their 84 wins and soon-to-be four NCAA Tournament appearances: Ruden, Richardson, Robbi Ryan, Tapley, and Kiara Russell. From there, the team heads to Las Vegas for the Pac-12 Tournament.

“The seniors have met everything to us,” the sophomore Hanson added. “We want to bring that energy and do it for them.”

Arizona State ties Washington, but records its highest marks in 14 years

February 23, 2020

By Scott Mammoser

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State gymnastics team was back in action on Sunday, tying No. 13 Washington at 196.875, the program’s highest team total since 2006.

“It’s been coming for a while,” ASU coach Jay Santos said. “I am thrilled they put it together the way they did, and they are building off each other’s energy. This was the best meet of the year.”

ASU ties Washington, records highest team total since '06

The Gym Devils posted above a 9.8 on all 12 vault and bars routines, with Cairo Leonard-Baker recording a leading 9.9 and 9.95 on each. Leonard-Baker also performed the team’s best floor exercise with a 9.9.

“Our energy is so good,” Leonard-Baker said. “We are helping each other, and it shows what we are capable of this season.”

Gracie Reeves and Hannah Scharf equaled for the best ASU performance on beam at 9.85, while Hannah Vandenkolk of the GymDawgs scored a meet-high 9.9. Kristyn Hoffa of Washington won the floor with a 9.925, and Geneva Thompson notched the team high on bars with a 9.9 and tied Madison Copiak with a 9.85 on vault. Reeves, Scharf and Evanni Roberson of Washington comprised a three-way tie for the all-around high with a 39.35.

The Gym Devils have meets at Stanford on March 2 and at Arizona on March 6, before returning home for the final meet at Desert Financial Arena on March 8 against Pittsburgh. 

Washington, which is coached by 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Elise Ray-Statz, will host Utah on March 1 in its next meet.

“We want to just keep getting better,” Santos added. “We need to keep working on the things we do in the gym and show it in competition.”

GCU’s slow start leads to the end of winning streak

February 22, 2020

By Scott Mammoser

PHOENIX - The Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team saw its eight-game winning streak come to an end after a 64-54 home loss to Utah Valley on Saturday. Jordan Holland led the Wolverines (11-14, 8-5 WAC) with 20 points and nine rebounds. The Lopes (15-9, 10-3) still hold first place in the conference and have won 10 of 12.

GCU ends 8 game winning streak with loss to Utah Valley

The Wolverines pounced onto a 13-0 start, keeping the Lopes off the scoreboard until Venla Varis knocked down two free throws with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. GCU was held without a field goal until Tianna Brown scored 1:30 later. Utah Valley held a 13-4 lead after one, with Eve Braslis already scoring eight points with five rebounds. GCU outscored the Wolverines, 22-20, in the second, to decrease the lead to 33-26 at the half, with the bench outscoring Utah Valley’s 16-0. GCU freshman guard Tavia Rowell scored with the clock expiring to end the third, with her team down 51-45.

Holland’s three pointer gave Utah Valley a 10-point lead with three minutes remaining, and that was the dagger. Braslis ended with 17 points and eight boards, while Marie Carvalho scored 10 and dished six assists. Varis led GCU with 13 points, Brown scored 11, and senior Da’jah Daniel recorded 10 points and nine rebounds in her final game at GCU Arena.

“The first quarter, we were just not ready to go,” Varis said. “The opponent came in here, they were ready to play, we were not ready to play. We got in foul trouble with our bigs and had to play four guards.”

In total, the GCU bench outscored the Wolverines’ 30-7, and UVU owned the second chance points, 18-4.

The Lopes have three more road games remaining before the WAC Tournament begins on March 11 in Las Vegas. The first is at New Mexico State on Feb. 27, followed with games at UTRGV and CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 29 and March 7. Utah Valley will conclude its home schedule against California Baptist on Feb. 26.

Devils Sweep the Eagles in Weekend Series

Mike Stockman

Phoenix, AZ - The Arizona State University Sun Devils baseball team defeated the Boston College Eagles three games this weekend, winning game one 10-4, game two 8-4, and the final game on Sunday, February 23, 2020 by a score of 8-4 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

In game one and two, the Devils accumulated 19 hits, and were walked a total of 16 times.

ASU sweeps series over BC

In game three, Eagles' sophomore pitcher Emmet Sheehan, after having a tough start in previous outing, had another rough start, walking a total of five batters in the bottom of the first, allowing a free run for the Devils.  Drew Swift helped the Devils when he hit a 2-RBI single to right field. Sheehan was replaced after his fifth walk which loaded the bases for the Devils for the second time in the opening inning. After the pitching change, the Eagles got out of the inning, holding the Devils to a 3-0 lead.

In the third inning, both teams add one run each.

In the top of the 5th, the Eagles added three runs to tie it up 4-4 when a sacrifice grounder scored the tying run. 

The Devils retake the lead when a grounder hit to third base was overthrown to first base, scoring the runner at third, 5-4.

Torkelson hits 4th home run of the season in win.

In the bottom of the sixth, Spencer Torkelson was intentionally walked for the third time in this series. However, Trevor Hauver stepped up to the plate next and knocked a home run over the center field fence, which extended the lead to 7-4.

In the bottom of the 8th, the Eagles decide to pitch to Torkelson who hits a screamer over the score board in center field extending the score to 8-4. This home run added to his overall home run count on the season, now at four.

The Devils are able to hold off a comeback attempt in the top of the ninth to win the game 8-4 and sweep the series 3-0.

The Eagles travel back to the east coast for a single game on Tuesday, February 28, 2020 at North Carolina A&T.

The Devils host New Mexico State Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. AZ time.

Bats Lead Devils to Victory Over the Eagles in Game One

Mike Stockman

Phoenix, AZ - The Arizona State Sun Devils baseball hosted the Boston College Eagles for a three game series that started Friday night, February 21, 2020 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. In game one, the Devils got 11 hits, winning 10-4.

ASU scored 10 runs on 11 hits in 10-4 win

Scoring started early. After the Eagles scored one run in the top of the first, ASU's Spencer Torkelson hit a double to the wall between left and center field. Gage Workman hit a three run home run scoring Torkelson and Trevor Hauver, giving the Devils a 3-1 lead over the Eagles. The Devils start the game with four hits in the bottom of the first inning.

In the second inning, the Eagles loaded the bases with two outs, but stopped from scoring when a popup to jr second baseman Drew Swift ended the threat. 

In the third inning, after walking a total of five batters and hitting another which scored a run, the Devils change pitchers to Boyd Vander Kooi (jr) with the bases load. The Devils turned a double play, but the Eagles brought a runner across to tie the game 3-3.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Devils added another four runs, two of which were home runs - a two run homer by jr Alika Williams, and a one run home run by Hauver that bounced off the top of the right field wall, giving the Devils a 7-3 lead.

In the sixth inning, the Eagles' Cody Morissette grounded out allowing Sal Frelick to score from third base making the score 7-4.

Nick Cheema had 1 RBI in win over the Eagles

In the seventh inning, the Devils loaded the bases, scored on a walk, then Brian Kalmer hit a two RBI single up the middle bumping the score to 10-4 over the Eagles.

The Devils finished the game with 10 runs, 11 hits, and one error.  The Eagles scored four runs with 11 hits, and an error.

After this three game series, Boston College travels to North Carolina A&T for a single game on February 28, 2020 at 4 p.m. EST.

The Devils host New Mexico State Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. AZ time.

Gym Devils upset No. 10 Cal by less than a point

February 1, 2020

By Scott Mammoser

TEMPE – The Arizona State gymnastics team pulled off its first top 10 win since 2014, stunning No. 10 California, 196.300 to 196.250, on Saturday afternoon.

“I would hope this is a huge confidence builder for us,” ASU coach Jay Santos said. “We had been struggling, and this is what we’ve been doing in practice. To see that preparation come together meant a lot. They’ve been working hard in the gym, and building that confidence in the last couple of weeks helped.”

ASU upsets #10 Cal

ASU had scored 194.3 points in a loss at No. 5 Utah last week and also fell to Oklahoma earlier in the season. It defeated UC Davis in another prior home meet.

Cal junior Kyana George produced a 39.475 all-around and posted highs for the day on both beam and floor at 9.875 points to lead the Golden Bears, while Nevaeh DeSouza led the uneven bars with a 9.9 and placed second in the all-around.

Freshman Gracie Reeves also recorded a 9.85 on bars and a 9.825 on both vault and beam for ASU.

“We just came out and did what we wanted to do,” Reeves said. “It’s awesome to get high scores. I knew I could get this, and I just went.”

With a 9.875, Hannah Scharf of ASU, another freshman, equaled George with the meet’s highest vault score. Most impressive, seeing as George is ranked fourth in the nation on the vault.

“The whole freshman group is talented, but once they start settling in, they’re going to be good,” Santos added.

The Sun Devils continue their season on Feb. 8 at Corvallis, Ore., meeting both the Oregon State Beavers and the LSU Tigers. ASU returns home at 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 to host UCLA, which will be the final time Olympic veterans Kyla Ross and Madison Kocian will compete in Tempe as collegians. Cal will host Utah on Feb. 8 for its next opponent.