A look at what happened with ASU women's basketball this season

Jenna Ortiz, Arizona Republic

March 8, 2023 at 12:20 PM·3 min read

It’s no secret that the Arizona State women’s basketball team went through its growing pains in its first season under head coach Natasha Adair.

Adair had the unenviable task of ushering in a new era and rebuilding the program after Charli Turner Thorne retired after 25 seasons.

Adair’s team went 8-20 and finished the season in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. ASU had just one win in the Pac-12, but had several close calls against ranked opponents, including Utah.

Here is what went wrong for ASU this season.

Injuries overtaking the lineup

Arguably the biggest issue for ASU was staying healthy and having a deep bench.

Of the 14 players on the roster, two did not play this season. Jaylah Robinson only logged one minute of action this season and did not return. The growing list of injuries even went as far as being the main cause for the two forfeits at Utah and Colorado this season. At that time, the program hit a low with just four available scholarship players.

Those who did start were maximized out on the court. Tyi Skinner was the standout this season and was the only player to start in all 28 games this season. Jaddan Simmons (36.91 mpg) and Skinner (36.59 mpg) logged a lot of miles on the floor together and were ranked within the top 30 in the nation.

Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Natasha Adair huddles with her players during a time out against the UMass Minutewomen in the first half at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Dec. 2, 2022.

The strength of schedule

The injuries coupled with the unrelenting nature of the Pac-12 exacerbated the Sun Devils.

In a conference where seven teams are projected to make the NCAA Tournament, any weak spot is exposed.

For ASU, its shooting struggles were a big factor in losses. The Sun Devils were last in shooting percentage with 35.7% of shots going through. Top teams like Utah and Stanford shot above 45% this season.

Problems with shooting and a streaky nature contributed to losses. The Sun Devils had a hard time making a consistent effort in all four quarters.

For subscribers:ASU ready for Pac-12 basketball tournament. Will it be last hurrah for Bobby Hurley?

Losing last year’s core

Coaching changes can often bring a mass exodus and the Sun Devils weren’t spared last season. Not only did the Sun Devils lose leading scorer Jade Loville to Arizona, but role players Taya Hanson and Katelyn Levings also left for other schools as well.

Arizona State guards Trayanna Crisp (4), Tyi Skinner (3) and Jaddan Simmons (2) react after a play against UCLA during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Pac-12 women's tournament on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Las Vegas.

Simmons was the only starter remaining from last season’s starting lineup and Adair had to find the right players from the portal.

A new team learning a new system provided slow stretches throughout the season. Skinner, who transferred from Delaware with Adair, exceeded what was asked of her in her first season at ASU and was second in the conference in scoring (19.3 ppg).

Next season will provide Adair with a full year of recruiting and will show a clearer picture of her vision for the program. So far, Adair has landed commitments from forwards Marina Radocaj and Mallory Miller, and junior college transfer Hanna Miller for next season. Center Kayla Mokwuah is the only current player to not have any eligibility remaining.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 takeaways from Arizona State women's basketball's down year

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Injuries overtaking the lineup

The strength of schedule

Losing last year’s core

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