SANTA CLARA, Calif. – As senior guard Marley Washenitz received the inbound pass with nine seconds on the shot clock and the Sun Devils clinging to a one-point lead with 18 seconds to go in the game, she stayed calm. Driving through the lane, she lofted a floater over three defenders to accelerate her squad’s lead late in the game.
The shot ignited the ASU bench, which poured onto the court in celebration as the opposition called a timeout.
Arizona State held on for a gritty 82-77 road win over Santa Clara Sunday afternoon at the Leavy Center, keeping its undefeated run alive.
The Sun Devils started the game scorching, tallying over 50 points in a half for the first time since the 2021-2022 season.
However, the momentum swung quickly after halftime. Santa Clara ripped off a 14–4 run from the 7:23 mark to the 1:48 mark of the third quarter, cutting what had once been an 18-point ASU lead down to two.
For the first time since the opening matchup against Coppin State, the Sun Devils found themselves back on their heels.
Still, Arizona State dominated the interior, outrebounding the Broncos 59-29, while creating more second-chance opportunities. The strong interior play led to 20 offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points, both doubling the amount the Broncos had.
The Miller defense got broken through in a way it hasn't been all season. While holding Santa Clara to under 40% from the field, Miller and Arizona State managed to give up the most points in a game this season. The Sun Devils also allowed 42 points from beyond the arc.
Santa Clara attempted 44 three-point shots to the Sun Devils' nine. The maroon and gold were able to stay ahead thanks to the charity stripe, garnering 14 more free throws than the Broncos.
The biggest turning point of the game was big-time players making big-time plays. Multiple key pieces throughout the early season stepped up once again.
Graduate guard Gabby Elliott kept her hot streak rolling, registering a career high 16 rebounds and tacking on 20 points with five assists. Junior forward McKinna Brackens registered her first double-double of the year, leading the Sun Devils in points with 23 and collecting 11 rebounds.
Graduate guard Last-Tear Poa came back from a two-game injury absence and picked back up where she left off. Poa was commanding the defense late down the stretch of the game and showcased her calm leadership to help the Sun Devils leave Leavy Center with a win.
When needed most, the Miller-led Sun Devils’ defense stepped up, forcing Broncos senior guard Ashley Hawkins to shoot a semi-contested three-pointer with time expiring. Then, Elliott forced a steal with under six seconds to play to see the game out.
Arizona State heads back home to Desert Financial Arena to square off against Bracken’s former school, the UNLV Rebels, Saturday, Nov. 26, at 2:00 p.m.