WBB, Fresno State Meet in Jerry Colangelo’s HOF Series at High Noon on Wednesday

THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (7-4, 0-1 Pac-12) vs. Fresno State (7-5, 0-0 Mountain West)
WHEN: Wednesday at 12 p.m. MST
WHERE: Footprint Center • Phoenix, Ariz.
WATCH: Arizona's Family Sports / ESPN+
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (Pregame coverage starts at 11:30 a.m. MST)
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here

UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-4, 0-1 Pac-12) plays it last game before the holiday break when it makes the short 10-mile drive from ASU's Tempe campus to the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix where it will face Fresno State (7-5) on Wednesday (12 p.m. MST) as part of the 2023 Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series.
 
Wednesday's game vs. Fresno State will be just the fourth contest ASU has played this month: vs. Pacific (Dec. 1), vs. Grand Canyon (Dec. 8), vs. Arizona (Dec. 17). The game will also represent the first time ASU has played a contest that was not separated by six or more days for the first time since it played three games in three days at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 23-25). Six days later, ASU played Pacific in the first game of the Briann January Classic on Dec. 1. After ASU's contest vs. Xavier on Dec. 2 (its second game of the Briann January Classic) was canceled due to Xavier not having enough healthy players, seven days passed before ASU faced Grand Canyon on Dec. 8. The Sun Devils then had their biggest gap in between games up to this point in the season (nine days) before it played its conference opener vs. Arizona this past Sunday. 
 
This month started a stretch of seven contests in which ASU is playing all its contests in either Tempe (six games) or downtown Phoenix (Wednesday's game vs. Fresno State in the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series). The current sequence includes ASU's first three conference games: vs. Arizona (Dec. 17), vs. Utah (Jan. 5) and vs. Colorado (Jan. 7). After taking on Fresno State, ASU will close out non-conference play following its longest stretch in between games of the season (10 days) when it faces Santa Clara on Sat., Dec. 30.
   
WATCH/LISTEN
Wednesday's game vs. Fresno State can be seen locally on Arizona's Family Sports or via live stream on ESPN+ (Cindy Brunson/Joan Bonvicini ). The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 11:30 a.m.). Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year and currently a finalist for the 2023 award, Jeff Munn is in his 20th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball.
 
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 19, 2023)
• As a team, ASU leads the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (21.73/33rd in the nation) and is 2nd in FTs made per game (14.55/53rd in the nation). ASU is also ranked among the top half of the league in turnover margin (6th/+2.09).
• Jaddan Simmons leads the Pac-12 and is 7th in the nation in free throws attempted (74) and is 2nd (7th in the nation) in FTs made (59). Simmons is also among the league leaders in minutes per game (2nd/34.9), steals per game (6th/2.27), FT pct. (14th/79.7) and scoring (20th/13.36 ppg).
• Jalyn Brown is 13th in minutes per game (30.64) and 17th in scoring (13.78 ppg).
• Trayanna Crisp is 7th in minutes per game (32.59) and 25th 3-point FG pct. (36.4).
 
SERIES NOTES VERSUS FRESNO STATE
• ASU has won all four of the prior meetings by double-digit margins with the most recent of those contests coming in 2018 when the Sun Devils came out on top 68-52 in Tempe. This will be the first time the two schools will meet in a neutral floor as each team hosted two of the prior four games.
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• In its first 10 games, ASU has had five players lead/tie for team lead in scoring: Jaddan Simmons (5x), Kadidia Toure (3x), Trayanna Crisp (3x), Jalyn Brown (2x) and Treasure Hunt (1x). Simmons' career-high 26 points in ASU's win over Pacific (Dec. 1) represents the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil this season.
• In the rebounding department, seven Sun Devils have led/tied for the team lead: Maggie Besselink (4x), Journey Thompson (3x), Toure (2x), Mallory Miller (1x), Sandra Magolico (1x), Hunt (1x), Brown (1x). Toure's 14-rebound game vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13) represents the best rebounding game by a Sun Devil this season.
• Simmons (992 points) is eight points away from reaching 1000 for her career. In ASU's last three games, she has averaged 19.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.7 spg, 8.0 FT att per game and connected on 54.5 percent (18-33) of her FGs.
•In ASU's last four games, Jalyn Brown (currently ASU's leading scorer/13.8 ppg) is averaging 18.8 ppg and is shooting 50 pct (30-60) from the floor. She has scored in double figures in all seven games she's started (earlier this season came off the bench 2x after missing two games due to injury).
• Crisp scored a then-career high 17 points 2x in ASU's first seven games. She surpassed that total with 18 points vs. Grand Canyon (Dec. 8). Crisp has scored in double figures in all but two games this season.
• In ASU's most recent contest vs. Arizona, Isadora Sousa played for the first time this season after missing the first 10 games of the season due to injury.
• During its last 3-game winning streak – vs. South Florida (Nov. 24), vs. High Point (Nov. 25), vs. Pacific (Dec. 1) – ASU had a pair of dominating 3rd quarters to help give it a big lead heading to the final quarter: 24-6 vs. South Florida (ASU led 24-21 at the half) and 27-13 vs. Pacific (28-28 at the half). ASU also averaged only 10.3 turnovers per game in the 3 games (+6.5 fewer TOs than in its first 6 games).
• ASU is averaging 16.8 ppg off opponent turnovers this season. It scored a season-high 31 points off TOs at Grambling State (Nov. 16).
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in a quarter 18x, including 5x in single digits.
• ASU has held the opposition under 25 pct from long distance six times with only two opponents shooting higher than 50 pct.
• ASU scored a double-digit point total in each of the first 20 quarters of the season. Overall, it has scored in double figures in 40 of 44 quarters.
• In ASU's 3 games at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, Hunt averaged 14.7 ppg (+6.7 above season average) and shot 55.6 pct/19-34 FGs (+8.8 pct above pct for the season), including 50 pct from long range (5-10 3FGs).
• During earlier three-game stretch (game Nos. 2-4), Toure averaged 19.0 ppg and 9.3 rebs per game. She posted her first career double-double with career highs in points (22) and rebounds (14) to go with 3 steals vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13).
 
ASU WITHOUT ALL-PAC-12 STANDOUT TYI SKINNER IN 2023-24
Although the Sun Devil women's basketball team's overall health is a 180-degree difference from last season, the squad was dealt a tremendous blow when Natasha Adair announced Oct. 4, 2023 that senior guard Tyi Skinner would miss the 2023-24 season due to a knee injury.
 
Skinner, who last season earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors from the league's coaches and All-Pac-12 recognition from media who cover the league, quickly established herself as one of top scorers in the Pac-12 and one of the most exciting players in the nation to watch in her first season in Tempe.
 
In 2022-23, Skinner scored 20 or more points 15 times, including a career-high 29 points on two occasions. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner went on to average 19.3 points per game, the most by a Sun Devil since the 1988-89 season. She concluded her first campaign in the Maroon and Gold among the leaders in the Pac-12 in points per game (19.3/2nd/27th in the nation), 3-pointers per game (2.43 per game/2nd), minutes per game (36.59/3rd/29th in the nation), free throws made (79/3rd)  and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG percentage (34.7/6th) and free throw percentage (78.1/8th).
 
IN CASE YOU ARE JUST JOINING US
• ASU has had a pair of season-best three-game winning streaks this season. It started 3-0 after home wins over UTSA (70-55/Nov. 6), Montana State (75-62/Nov. 10) & San Francisco (77-69/Nov. 13). In the first half of its first three wins, ASU averaged 45.3 points & hit 49.5 pct of its shots. In the win vs. UTSA, ASU tied last season's highest point total in a half on its way to a 49-23 halftime lead. Against Montana State (Nov. 30), ASU scored 30 points in the first quarter, representing the third time it has scored 30 or more points in a quarter under head coach Natasha Adair.
• In its first loss at Grambling State (Nov. 16), ASU scored 32 points and shot 38 pct. in the first half while allowing the Tigers to score 45 points. Down by as many as 17, ASU came back to tie the game at 67-67 before the Tigers hit game-winning 3-pointer in final seconds.
• After allowing 70 points in the loss to Grambling State, ASU responded with a 72-40 win over Idaho State. The Bengals' final point total represented the fewest given up by ASU since a 49-40 win over VCU on November 27, 2020.
• After dropping an 84-42 decision to Texas in its first game at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 23), ASU once again rebounded with a 3-game winning streak. Less than 24 hours after the setback to Texas, ASU had to face a South Florida squad (Nov. 24) that entered the game among the Top 50 teams in the nation in rebounding margin (+10.8). ASU rose to the challenge and outrebounded the Bulls 38-32 in its 66-49 win. In its 77-69 win over High Point (Nov. 25), ASU shot 50 percent for the game, the first time it shot 50 percent or higher since a win at San Diego on Dec. 18, 2021. Brown's 20 points represented a new career high, while Hunt just missed a double-double with season highs in points (19) and rebounds (game-high 8 boards).
• ASU made it three straight wins after a 76-66 triumph over Pacific (Dec. 1). Simmons scored 17 of her career-high 26 points in the 2nd half, including 8 points in the final 94 seconds while Brown contributed a career high-tying 20 points for the second straight game.
• The Sun Devils nearly came back from 14 down in the 4th quarter (got within 4 points 2x) before falling to Grand Canyon, 66-59 on Dec. 8. Simmons (20 points), Crisp (18 points) and Brown (16 points) scored all but five of ASU's points. ASU was without Hunt (illness) in the loss.
• ASU dropped consecutive games for the first time this season after falling to Arizona 91-52 in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. The Wildcats got off to a fast start that eventually enabled them to take a 52-24 lead at the half.
 
WELCOME BACK
Maggie Besselink and Morasha Wiggins have both provided ASU with significant contributions this season. What distinguishes them from the other returning players? Both missed all of last season due to injury.
 
Besselink, who had not played in a game since Feb. 6, 2022, was not only in the starting lineup in the season opener, but ignited ASU's offense after hitting back-to-back triples in the first quarter vs. UTSA. She scored 11 points and grabbed a game- and season-high 10 rebounds to post her second career double-double at Grambling State (Nov. 16). She also scored 10 points in wins vs. UTSA and Idaho State and has grabbed six or more rebounds five times.
 
Wiggins made her Sun Devil debut in ASU's win over San Francisco (Nov. 13), scoring 8 points and hitting all 4 of her free throws. She is averaging 12.6 minutes per game in the 6 games she has played and has made 50 percent of her shots (6-12). Wiggins has missed ASU's last three games. She last played in ASU's contests vs. High Point (Nov. 25) at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam.