Arizona State’s season opener looked a lot like Molly Miller wanted it to look: fast, physical and relentless.
Inside Desert Financial Arena, the Sun Devils rolled past Jackson State 84-41, and the tone was set early by ASU’s willingness to lean into the mess of an opening-night game. The crowd was lively, but the bigger force was the way the Sun Devils kept coming at the Tigers possession after possession.
For Miller, in her second year leading the program, the performance matched the blueprint.
"That's something that-we all know that have been around the block or two-we know it's gonna be a little bit tight there. First time in front of the crowd, the nerves were there. But I think once we settled in, we did a better job."
ASU’s response to Jackson State’s quick start came through effort plays and pressure, with F McKenna Brackens helping steady the group early. When the shooting went cold for both teams - the two sides combined to go 2-for-13 from three in the first half - the Sun Devils didn’t wait around for the jumper to show up. They attacked the glass, battled for loose balls and turned the game into a grind Jackson State couldn’t match.
"We wanted to be the aggressor," Miller said. "I think that's where we had some lapses here in the preseason, where we were hoping the rebound would come to us.
I want them to be aggressive rebounding. I want them to rebound out of their area.
I want to scrap and fight and claw. I always say every 50-50 ball is 100% ours.
So if there's a ball bouncing on the ground, we're gonna go get it.We're gonna come up with it. So I think that aggressiveness showed up tonight."
That edge showed up most clearly in the paint. Brackens and Heloisa Carrera did the heavy lifting inside, with Carrera finishing with 15 points and scoring 10 of ASU’s 15 first-quarter points. Jackson State did a solid job limiting the guards, including transfer Ruby Whitehorn, but the Sun Devils kept pounding the interior anyway.
The numbers told the story: ASU outrebounded Jackson State 51-29 and scored 38 points in the paint to the Tigers’ 12. In a game where both teams combined to shoot 16-for-51 from deep, that inside advantage became the difference.
Once the Sun Devils had worn down the interior battle, the perimeter game started to open up in the second half. Whitehorn finished with eight points and six assists as the primary ballhandler, while freshman guard Averie Lower found her rhythm and knocked down five threes after a cold start from distance.
For Miller, that mix of energy and talent is the point. She said the program is in a different place than it was a year ago, when the team had to grind for everything it got.
"I think there was kind of the antithesis of last year was we had to work really, really, really, really hard. And I'm not sure we were the most talented team.
This year, we're pretty talented, but we can't let our edge suffer because of that. So I want to see hard work day in and day out, a competitive edge, a relentlessness to this team.
We can't always rely on our talent. So that's kind of a tale of two teams, a little bit.
You can win both ways."
ASU gets back on the floor Thursday against Northern Arizona.
In Other News...
Arizona State Just Lost A Defensive Anchor At The Worst Time
The season opener was supposed to be a first look at how Arizona State would defend under Randy Bennett, but it quickly turned into a test of depth instead. Starter Emmanuel Innocenti, one of the Sun Devils key defenders and a team captain, went down with a sprained ankle late in the first half, leaving the floor limping and heading back to the bench with crutches and a boot on his left foot.
For ASU, the timing could hardly be worse. Innocentis role is central to the way the Sun Devils want to play on that end, and his absence leaves Bennett searching for answers before the season has even settled in. One option is freshman guard JRob Croy, who may be asked to shoulder a bigger defensive load sooner than expected while Arizona State waits to see how long it will be without its anchor. [Read more 🡒]
Reed Harris Has Become An ASU Leader Faster Than Anyone Expected
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ASU coach Kenny Dillingham recently rewarded that blend of performance and presence by naming Harris to the Pat Tillman Leadership Council. It is the kind of recognition that says as much about how teammates respond to him as it does about what he does on Saturdays, and it underscores how fast Harris has become part of the programs core. For Arizona State, having a senior newcomer step into that role this quickly is a useful sign of where the program is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Dillinghams Colorado Comments Just Added To A Deion Debate
Colorados overtime win over Kansas State did more than snap a five-game losing streak and keep the Buffaloes bowl hopes alive. It also drew a little extra attention from Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham, who praised the way Colorado competed and pointed to the talent on the roster, a compliment that didnt go unnoticed in Boulder.
Deion Sanders brought up Dillinghams remarks during his press conference and used the moment to address a few other football matters as well, including running back Richard Youngs performance and the state of his backfield depth. For Arizona State fans, it is another reminder that Dillinghams perspective on Colorado carries some weight, especially when the Buffaloes are trying to steady themselves in a season that has been anything but smooth. [Read more 🡒]