KANSAS CITY, Mo — Despite the odds stacked against them, the No. 10 seed Arizona State Sun Devils upset No. 7 seed Iowa State in the Second Round of the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship on Thursday, defeating the Cyclones 77-68 at T-Mobile Center.
In the second meeting of the year between the two teams, Molly Miller’s side sought to avenge its 90-65 loss in Ames on Feb. 18 – a game which saw ASU give up its most points in a single game this season.
“Every single person was so locked in,” Miller said after the game. “It’s a testament to them and how much they want it.”
After narrowing defeating rivals No. 15 seed Arizona on Wednesday, the Maroon and Gold quickly turned the page to face the Cyclones roughly 24 hours later.
During the first half, ASU showed grit and intense defense on the court. Sophomore forward Heloisa Carrera scored 12 points in the first two quarters while fifth-year guard Gabby Elliott and junior forward McKinna Brackens both tallied seven points each.
Carrera posted all her first half points in the first quarter during a 14-0 run. The Sun Devils limited ISU’s offense to just two points for the first seven minutes of the quarter.
But the Cyclones slowly found their dynamic rhythm near the end of the half. ISU scored nearly double the amount of points it scored in the first quarter, led by junior forward Addy Brown who registered eight points in the quarter. ASU, however, entered the break leading 33-25 after matching ISU’s 16 second quarter points.
A physical game continued in the second half as both teams combined for 30 fouls after halftime.
Led by Elliott in the offense, ASU maintained and extended its lead in the third quarter. The fifth-year recorded 13 points in the third as the Sun Devils stretched their lead to 14 points entering into the final 10 minutes.
However, the Cyclones didn’t go down without a fight. After trailing by as many as 16 points early in the fourth quarter, Bill Fennelly’s team cut the deficit to two possessions with 1:41 remaining. And as Sparky’s offense production dried up — scoring just two field goals in the entire quarter — ISU sensed a late rally in Kansas City.
But despite the late scare, Miller’s side held on after drilling nine free throws in the last minute and a half. Fifth-year guard Last-Tear Poa tallied seven points in the quarter, going 7-8 from the free throw line to help ASU punch its ticket to the quarterfinals.
“We are fun to watch, and we are just playing really good basketball,” Miller said.
It’s another quick turnaround for the Sun Devils as they face No. 2 seed West Virginia at 5:30 p.m. CST on Friday, with a place in the semifinals at stake.
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