ASU Women’s Basketball: Sun Devils’ defense shines in win against South Florida

Arizona State (5-2) stood out in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam with a 66-49 win against the South Florida Bulls (5-2) in the Sun Devils’ second game of the event.

ASU’s defense made a statement, allowing less than 15 points in three straight quarters. The Bulls also struggled with offensive recoveries, giving the Sun Devils the chance for 38 rebounds.

The defense didn’t stop there, as it totaled eight steals. Six of these were split between senior guard Jaddan Simmons and junior forward Sandra Magolico.

Through this, the Sun Devils held off the Bulls’ offense and outshined their defensive tactics, as they only managed two steals and were forced to 20 turnovers.

The Sun Devil defense really prevailed when it came to holding the Bulls from shooting, and when they did, they struggled with accurate shots. The Bulls’ field goal percentage reached a game-low in the third quarter at 12.5%.

Despite this, they improved in the fourth quarter to 9 and 11 for almost 82%. These 22 points were just not enough to bring South Florida above ASU.

The Sun Devils offense played just as aggressively as their defense throughout the game. Especially in the third quarter, as the Sun Devils scored 24 points.

When it came to putting up points for ASU, sophomore guard Trayanna Crisp outscored all single players for USF with 17 points in the game.

Senior guard Treasure Hunt and sophomore guard Jalyn Brown shined alongside Crisp, tying at 14. This is the most points Hunt has put up in one game so far this season.

However, there were still aspects of the Sun Devils offense that will need improvement as the season progresses. They were 6-12 for three-pointers and 4-12 on free throw attempts, two areas that could have set the Sun Devils above the Bulls even more.

The Sun Devils completed the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam with another win 77-69 against High Point. They will return to Tempe for the Briann January Classic, starting with a game against the Pacific Tigers Dec. 1. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Desert Financial Arena.