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 24th-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.
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| #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 553rd 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.”
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