Ladyjacks Edged by Sun Devils in Season Opener, 56-47

Wednesday, November 25

Tempe, AZ

5:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

0-1,0-0Southland

Arizona State

1-0,0-0Pac-12

SFA

Arizona St.

Ladyjacks Edged by Sun Devils in Season Opener, 56-47

11/25/2020 7:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

TEMPE, AZ -- The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team gave host Arizona State all it could handle for 45 minutes inside Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Wednesday, but came up just short of the upset bid in the final minutes of play in the season opener, 56-47. The Sun Devils closed out the game on a 10-4 run after SFA closed the margin to 44-43 with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter of play.

Stephanie Visscher has 16 points, five rebounds and three steals to pace the Ladyjacks, while Marissa Banfield totaled 14 points as well. The Ladyjacks converted on 40 percent of their attempts from the floor in the second half (10-25) to close the gap and make up the six-point halftime deficit they faced heading into the half, but were outscored 30-27 in the stanza by the hosts.

After a back and forth opening quarter of play, Visscher's layup with just under a minute left in the stanza cut the lead to 13-10, but ASU responded with a trey in quick fashion to lead 16-10 heading into the second frame. The 'Jacks went blow for blow with the hosts in the second quarter, as both sides totaled 10 points in the second quarter.

Trailing by six points at the halftime break, the Ladyjacks trimmed two points off the hosts' lead in the third quarter. Banfield chipped in five of her points in the quarter, and Aiyana Johnson's layup with 1:36 left in the frame briefly pulled the Ladyjacks within two, 38-36, before ASU scored once more to go ahead by four.

The final quarter of play saw the Ladyjack pull even closer to the upset, as a Visscher layup with 3:43 remaining off an ASU turnover brought the score to 44-43. SFA was unable to capitalize from there, however, as the hosts went on a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach in the game's waning minutes.

Aiyana Johnson and Zya Nugent each chipped in five points for the Ladyjacks, while Avery Brittingham hauled down a game-high 12 rebounds in her SFA debut.