Sun Devil WBB hits 13 triples in 82-53 win over Marist

TEMPE, Ariz. – Outside Desert Financial Arena on Sunday, it was another picturesque day in Tempe – sunny skies and ideal temperatures for just about any activity one desired. Inside DFA, it was a different story as the Sun Devil women's basketball team rained a barrage of 3-pointers on visiting Marist in ASU's 82-53 win on Sunday.
 
Ten of ASU's 13 triples – one shy of tying the single-game school record – came during a first half in which the Sun Devils (2-2) shot a blistering 59 percent from beyond the arc on their way to a 48-27 halftime advantage. 
 
Four different Sun Devils – Jade Loville (5-6), Katelyn Levings (2-4), Sydney Erikstrup (2-4) and Mael Gilles (2-4) – connected multiple times from downtown. The quartet combined to knock down (11-18) 61 of its 3-pointers in helping the Sun Devils accumulate their highest point total since an 83-51 win over Army on November 10, 2019.
 
"I thought that was a great team win," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "It was fun for us to be able to shoot the ball the way we know we can shoot the ball and score more points (in the first half) than we did the entire last game. We're getting better. We're figuring things out. Very new team. I'm excited to add some of our players back to the roster, that's why the nine players had to play the last two games. Jade Loville and Katelyn Levings were sick for the BYU game, so I thought for our depleted roster that it was a great team win. 
 
"Marist is kind of like us – they're a perennial NCAA team that has a lot of newness and they're missing a key player too, so I still think they'll be right up there to win their conference and have a great season. (Marist head coach) Brian Giorgis does a great job."
 
Loville (21 points), Gilles (16 points) and Jaddan Simmons (10 points) all posted double-digit scoring efforts in the win. Gilles had game highs of eight rebounds and four steals, while Taya Hanson dished out a career-high seven assists as part of ASU's season-high 20 assists.
 
The Sun Devils once again received significant production from their bench as Erikstrup (career-high eight points), Levings (season-high eight points) and Imogen Greenslade (career high-tying seven points) combined for 23 points.
 
ASU had overwhelming advantages in points off turnovers (32-8) and fast break points (12-0). Its offense accounted for 21 or more points in each of the first three quarters in helping the Sun Devils take a 69-42 lead after 30 minutes.
 
Next up for the Sun Devils is a trip to Mexico where they will play three games in three days at the Cancun Challenge. ASU will commence play with a Thanksgiving Day game vs. Houston (11:30 am MST/1:30 pm EST). The Sun Devils will then play current No. 6 Baylor on Friday (9 am MST/11 am EST) and Fordham on Saturday (9 am MST/11 am EST). Live streaming of the tournament is available for a fee via FloHoops. Click here for more info on how to purchase. Thursday's and Friday's games can be heard on KDUS 1060 AM. Radio for Saturday is TBD.