Arizona State (4-1) bounced back after a tough road loss by convincingly defeating the Idaho State Bengals (2-2) at home by a final score of 72-40.
ASU got out to a blazing start and jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first quarter and never looked back.
The Sun Devils showcased some stifling defense early, as they held Idaho State to just five points in the first quarter with the Bengals shooting just 1-15 from the field.
Idaho State’s leading scorer coming into the game, junior guard Tasia Jordan, was held scoreless until the last minute of the first half. ASU maintained a full-court press that would give the Bengal guards issues throughout the game.
Sophomore forward Journey Thompson stepped up to the challenge of guarding Jordan and clamped down on the Bengals’ most potent offensive weapon, holding her to only two points on the night.
Sun Devil coach Natasha Adair had especially high praise for the sophomore and was proud of how she stepped up for the team on the defensive end of the floor.
“Journey can defend and that’s the versatility of our team,” said Adair. “Journey can guard one through five, she was ready for the assignment and she took pride in it.”
Offensively, sophomore guard Trayanna Crisp led the way for the Sun Devils in the first half scoring 11 points on 60% shooting to give ASU a 32-15 lead at the half.
The Sun Devils continued their dominance in the second half through consistent offensive play from Thompson and senior forward Maddie Besselink. The tandem combined for 22 points and shot an efficient 58% from the field together.
“Maddie has worked for this,” Adair said. “She doesn’t take any day, any opportunity for granted, and I couldn’t be prouder of her and her effort.”
ASU continued to pressure Idaho State with a full-court press and held the Bengals to just 25 points in the second half allowing the Sun Devils to cruise in the fourth quarter to a comfortable 72-40 win.
Crisp would finish as the team’s leading scorer with 17 points and added six assists to contribute to an impressive overall offense performance from the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils’ bench also made a strong contribution to the winning effort, adding 21 points to the ASU total.
However, the night was defined by strong play on the defensive end, which coach Adair believes will be the key to continued success as the season progresses toward Pac-12 play.
“When we play together and we put together a strong defensive effort nine times out of ten we are going to be on the side of victory that we want,” Adair said. “It builds confidence and I’m proud of how we played.”
Arizona State will look to build on this win in its toughest test of the season so far. The Sun Devils will travel to face the No. 11 Texas Longhorns in the St. Thomas Virgin Islands Paradise Jam on Thanksgiving day.
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