Arizona State Unable to Complete Comeback Against Kansas State
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TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (18-5, 5-5 Big 12) fell in part two of the three-game homestand against the Kansas State Wildcats (12-11, 5-5) by a score of 74-67 on Sunday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena - in what also proved to be head coach Molly Miller's first home loss.
The Sun Devils went into the game coming off of a narrow 68-61 win over Arizona last Wednesday, while Kansas State went into Sunday with a two-game losing streak attached to their names.
This was also the game in which Arizona State's James Harden-inspired alternate uniforms in conjunction with Adidas.
Follow a brief recap of the game, who contributed to the highest degree for the Sun Devils, and what's ahead for the team below.
First Half
Kansas State ended the first quarter leading by a score of 17-15 behind a 58% shooting clip from the floor. The Sun Devils' struggles defensively in the first frame were countered by a strong display of 50% on field goals in their own right.
Nastja Claessens and Izela Arenas of Kansas State catalyzed the offense to the tune of a 20-point quarter. The Wildcats shot 7-9 from three-point range in the first 20 minutes of action, as they took a 37-24 advantage into halftime.
Second Half
Kansas State started the third quarter off with another offensive flurry, as the lead extended to as many as 24 points - this was before Arizona State went on a massive run in the final minutes of the period to cut the deficit to 58-44 going into the final quarter of action.
Arizona State continued their best efforts to make a late surge, as they remained down by a score of 64-55 with 3:27 to go in the game after a three-point knockdown by Gabby Elliott. A pair of free throws by McKinna Brackens narrowed the deficit back down to nine with just 1:40 left in the contest.
Unfortunately, the Sun Devils' lack of three-point shooting and lack of possessions to make up for the deficit that had been built up rendered them unable to bridge the gap that was formed earlier in the game.
Key Performances
- Gabby Elliott - 18 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST
- McKinna Brackens - 20 PTS, 6 REB, 6 STL
- Heloisa Carrera - 11 PTS, 3 REB
What's Next
Arizona State closes out the stretch at home against Oklahoma State on Wednesday before taking to the road for a contest against ranked Baylor on Saturday.
Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.