CANCUN, Mexico (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay women's basketball team moved to 5-0 on the season with a 61-48 win over No. 24/RV Arizona State in the Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. Senior
Allie LeClaire contributed a season-high 18 points and fellow senior
Jessica Lindstrom added 17 points and eight rebounds to help secure the victory.
The win marks Green Bay's first victory over a ranked opponent since November 19, 2014 when the Phoenix upset No. 24 Purdue, 81-78, in double overtime. It is also the second largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history, second only to when the Phoenix upset No. 4 Georgia, 81-57, on November 25, 1991.
The game opened up with a lot of back-and-forth action, eventually working towards a 10-10 tie with 4:33 remaining in the opening frame. From there, the Phoenix would use a 7-0 run kick started by a Lindstrom jumper to close out the quarter and head into the second period with a 17-10 advantage.
The Sun Devils (4-1) came out firing in the second quarter and pulled within a single possession, 19-17, before the Phoenix responded with an 8-3 run over the next 3:30 to lead things 27-20.
Green Bay (5-0) took full advantage of the Sun Devils aggressive play with a 14-for-19 performance at the free throw line, while ASU finished only 8-of-16 from the charity stripe.
At the half, Green Bay headed to the locker room with a six-point lead, 29-23, having received 10 points and four rebounds from Lindstrom in 17 minutes. LeClaire had already added nine of her 18 total points by halftime on a 4-for-6 shooting performance.
The largest deficit Green Bay faced in the opening half was four points, its largest of the season. The Phoenix did not trail in the second half.
Green Bay offered no opportunity to Arizona State to get back in the game in the third quarter, as the Phoenix shot 69% (9-13) and held the Sun Devils to 33% (4-12). Green Bay headed to the final quarter of play with a 48-32 advantage and never looked back, eventually working to a 61-48 win to move to 5-0 on the season.
Green Bay finished the game shooting 51% (23-45) from the field despite struggling from long range (11%, 1-9). Arizona State shot just 35% (18-51) and was held to a season low in points, nine below their previous mark of 57 against No. 7/3 Mississippi State.
The Phoenix will take the court tomorrow against No. 7/3 Mississippi State at 10 a.m. CT in its final matchup of the Cancun Challenge. Both teams enter the matchup 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Cancun Challenge.
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