ASU WBB: Arizona State vs Florida Preview
After a convincing win versus Boston University Saturday, Arizona State hosts 19th-ranked Florida in the ASU Classic Championship Game Sunday.
After a 1-2 road-trip, the Sun Devils came back to Wells Fargo Arena Saturday with a dominant 71-42 win versus the Terriers. Arizona State never trailed in the game. After struggling to begin the season, forward Sophie Brunner and center Quinn Dornstauder finished for a combined 21 points and 5 rebounds. Sabrina Haines had her best game of the season, finishing with a team-high 12 points and 5 assists. In total, ASU shot 58 percent from the field compared to BU’s 43 percent. The Sun Devils went back to their bread-and-butter of forcing turnovers and creating offense from those takeaways. Arizona State finished with 30 points off 22 Terriers turnovers.
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Their opponent Sunday are the Florida Gators. Florida also won their ASU Classic opening game, defeating Long Beach State 83-53. After a slow first quarter, which Florida trailed 14-13, forward Ronni Williams carried the Gators on her shoulders with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Florida finished with four players scoring in double digits and the team shot 54 percent from the field. Florida struggled in the beginning breaking through Long Beach State’s full-court and zone defense, but found seams to expose and finished with 14 fastbreak points.
The key battle will be the players in the paint. Both teams loved to go through their big players. Florida had 62 points in the paint vs LBSU, while Arizona State had 38 points in the paint. Brunner will likely get paired with Williams, and that will be a crucial matchup. Both are physical players in the paint, and can spot up and shoot facing the basket. Williams drove a lot to the basket versus LBSU, and it will be important for ASU to have help-side defense if Williams drives into the paint.
The play of the guards will also be a key matchup. Haines is coming off her best game of the season, while Reili Richardson, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan each contributed solid minutes. They will have to deal with Florida guards Eleanna Christinaki and Delicia Washington. Christinaki got into foul trouble versus the 49ers, but she is their best guard known for his distribution of the basketball. It’s important for the Sun Devils to keep Gators’ guards honest, and not leave them open.
Tip off of Florida-Arizona State is at 2 p.m. and can been seen on the ASU Live Stream.