Cincinnati (8-13 overall, 3-6 Big 12) overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Arizona State (17-4 overall, 4-4 Big 12) 66-64 on Saturday afternoon, handing the Sun Devils their fourth straight loss on the road.
Bearcats freshman guard Joya Crawford scored the game-winning layup with 2.4 seconds remaining after stealing the ball from graduate guard Gabby Elliott. The play completed a remarkable turnaround for Cincinnati, which trailed 26-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Elliott finished the game as ASU’s highest scorer with 19 points, followed by junior forward McKinna Brackens’ 18 points. The loss is the Sun Devils’ second defeat when leading at halftime. The defeat also means Molly Miller’s squad drops to .500 in Big 12 action for the first time this season.
Sparky started the game fast, scoring 23 points in less than eight minutes. Elliott and sophomore forward Heloisa Carrera both tallied eight points each to give ASU a 16-point lead by the end of the first quarter.
But Cincinnati responded and finished the half by scoring 11 straight points and holding Miller’s side to its fewest points scored in a quarter this season (5).
The Sun Devils continued to hold their lead in the third quarter. Elliott logged nine points in the third, going 3-for-3 from the field as ASU entered the final ten minutes with a five-point advantage.
Cincinnati took its first lead of the game with seven minutes remaining after a 6-0 run. Brackens and redshirt junior guard Deborah Davenport combined for 12 points in the final ten minutes as both sides never led by more than five points.
A turnover by the hosts gave the Sun Devils an opportunity to hold the final possession with the score tied 64-64. But a steal by Crawford allowed the freshman to score an open layup with virtually no time remaining.
The Maroon and Gold will begin a three-game home-stand on Wednesday as Miller’s team hosts state rivals Arizona at 6:30 p.m. MST at Desert Financial Arena.
Leave a Reply