PUERTO AVENTURAS, Mexico – The No. 24 Arizona State women's basketball team dropped its second game at the Cancun Challenge on Friday, as Green Bay used a 51-percent shooting effort to come out on top 61-48.
Leading the Sun Devils (4-2) were Robbi Ryan (13 points/6-8 FGs) and Jamie Ruden (career-high-tying 12 points/5-11 FGs), who combined to contribute 25 points. Ryan, Ruden, who also had a career and team-high five rebounds, and Charnea Johnson-Chapman (seven points/3-5 FGs) shot a collective 58 percent (14-24) from the floor. Courtney Ekmark made two of ASU's four 3-pointers in the game and ended with eight points.
Green Bay's duo of Allie LeClaire (18 points/8-11 FGs/six rebounds) and Jessica Lindstrom (17 points/7-14 FGs/eight rebounds) carried the day for the Phoenix, who also got 14 points at the foul line and had a 39-23 advantage on the boards.
Slow starts for ASU in both halves proved to be the difference in the game as Green Bay (5-0) outscored the Sun Devils 36-19 in the first and third quarters. The Phoenix made a combined 63 percent of their shots in the two frames while the Sun Devils made only 30 percent.
Ekmark hit a pair of 3-pointers within the game's first two minutes to give ASU an early 6-4 advantage. The two teams would eventually find themselves knotted at 10-10 before the Phoenix closed out the quarter with a 7-0 run.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Ryan and Ruden helped the Sun Devils close the gap to two points with 6:27 left in the half. Green Bay would respond by scoring 10 of the next 14 points to take a 29-21 lead with under two minutes remaining.
Trailing at the half by six points, the Sun Devils would see their deficit doubled less than four minutes into the third quarter after Jen Wellnitz' jumper gave the Phoenix a 37-25 advantage. Green Bay would go on to outscore ASU 29-19 in the quarter – the first time ASU has been outscored in the third quarter this season – to take a 48-32 advantage into the final period.
The Sun Devils held Green Bay to only two points over the first 5:30 of the fourth period. Unfortunately for ASU it could only trim the deficit to 12 during that stretch and was not able to get any closer the remainder of the game.
The Sun Devils close out play at the Cancun Challenge on Saturday when they face Columbia (1:30 p.m. ET/11:30 am MT). The game can be seen via live stream at http://www.collegesportslive.com (paid subscription required) and heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
Leading the Sun Devils (4-2) were Robbi Ryan (13 points/6-8 FGs) and Jamie Ruden (career-high-tying 12 points/5-11 FGs), who combined to contribute 25 points. Ryan, Ruden, who also had a career and team-high five rebounds, and Charnea Johnson-Chapman (seven points/3-5 FGs) shot a collective 58 percent (14-24) from the floor. Courtney Ekmark made two of ASU's four 3-pointers in the game and ended with eight points.
Green Bay's duo of Allie LeClaire (18 points/8-11 FGs/six rebounds) and Jessica Lindstrom (17 points/7-14 FGs/eight rebounds) carried the day for the Phoenix, who also got 14 points at the foul line and had a 39-23 advantage on the boards.
Slow starts for ASU in both halves proved to be the difference in the game as Green Bay (5-0) outscored the Sun Devils 36-19 in the first and third quarters. The Phoenix made a combined 63 percent of their shots in the two frames while the Sun Devils made only 30 percent.
Ekmark hit a pair of 3-pointers within the game's first two minutes to give ASU an early 6-4 advantage. The two teams would eventually find themselves knotted at 10-10 before the Phoenix closed out the quarter with a 7-0 run.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Ryan and Ruden helped the Sun Devils close the gap to two points with 6:27 left in the half. Green Bay would respond by scoring 10 of the next 14 points to take a 29-21 lead with under two minutes remaining.
Trailing at the half by six points, the Sun Devils would see their deficit doubled less than four minutes into the third quarter after Jen Wellnitz' jumper gave the Phoenix a 37-25 advantage. Green Bay would go on to outscore ASU 29-19 in the quarter – the first time ASU has been outscored in the third quarter this season – to take a 48-32 advantage into the final period.
The Sun Devils held Green Bay to only two points over the first 5:30 of the fourth period. Unfortunately for ASU it could only trim the deficit to 12 during that stretch and was not able to get any closer the remainder of the game.
The Sun Devils close out play at the Cancun Challenge on Saturday when they face Columbia (1:30 p.m. ET/11:30 am MT). The game can be seen via live stream at http://www.collegesportslive.com (paid subscription required) and heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.