TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Robbi Ryan scored 13 of her 17 points in the second half, Jamie Ruden hit two big baskets late and Arizona State stormed back to upset No. 2 Oregon 72-66 on Friday night.
Arizona State (12-4, 2-1 Pac-12) struggled shooting most of the night before going on a 16-2 run to turn a 13-point deficit into a 58-56 lead.
Ryan hit six 3-pointers in the second half after starting 0 for 2 and Ruden scored twice inside in the final 1:13.
Ruden also grabbed a late offensive rebound and Reili Richardson hit four free throws in the final 15 seconds. Arizona State’s students stormed the court after the Sun Devils beat their highest-ranked opponent since knocking off No. 2 Stanford in the 2002 Pac-10 tournament title game.
The Ducks (12-2, 2-1) dominated through three quarters before falling apart in the fourth, spoiling their chance to move to No. 1 next week following top-ranked Connecticut’s loss to Baylor on Wednesday night.
Sabrina Ionescu kept Oregon in it by scoring eight of her 24 points after Arizona State made its run, and Ruthy Hebard added 13 points. The Ducks had 17 turnovers, leading to 17 points for Arizona State, and had no answer when the Sun Devils made their push.
The Ducks had been on a roll since their lone loss, to then-No. 8 Louisville on Nov. 30, reeling off seven straight wins, none closer than 36 points.
The Ducks were sharp at both ends to start their two-game trip through the desert.
Oregon hit its first four shots, all in the paint, which forced Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne to call a timeout and switch to zone.
The Ducks kept making shots even after the switch, finishing 10 for 15 in the first quarter. Jaz Shelley capped it with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Oregon a 23-15 lead.
The Ducks continued to shoot well in the second quarter, but struggled with turnovers — 10 in the first half — to allow the cold-shooting Sun Devils to hang around.
Arizona State used a short run to pull within 35-28 at halftime despite going 3 for 17 from the 3-point arc.
The trend continued in the third quarter. Oregon shot well, Arizona State didn’t, yet the Sun Devils still had a shot, down 52-42.
Then came the comeback and the students storming the court.
BIG PICTURE
Oregon had a rare night of struggling to take care of the ball and keeping its poise down the stretch to ruin a shot at moving to No. 1.
Arizona State pulled off one of the program’s biggest wins with a stunning fourth-quarter comeback.
UP NEXT
Oregon: At No. 18 Arizona on Sunday.
Arizona State: Hosts No. 3 Oregon State on Sunday.
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