ASU has started off slowly this season compiling a 6-4 record. All four losses were to good teams: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Auburn and North Carolina. Their victories include UCSB, Gonzaga and Iowa, none of whom are top teams. However an injury in the first game to sharp shooting Danielle Orsillo, has kept her out since. She opened with 21 points in 21 minutes, hard numbers to replace.
In the past ASU has been the team for Stanford to beat. If they get Orsillo back, and I can’t find a timetable, then they’ll be much better as their posts are playing better and better each game. Until then they may struggle a bit with other first division Pac 10 teams. They open with UCLA and USC at home after Christmas.
ASU could be very good in the post, quite a change from being a wing/guard oriented team recently. They start two big post players and three wing/guards. And they have five good and improving post players. Minnesota transfer 6-3 JR Lauren Lacey starts at one post position. She is averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds over 23 minutes. The other starter has been either 6-3 Jr Tennessee transfer Sybil Dosty or 6-6 Jr Kristen Thompson. Dosty is averaging 7 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes and Thompson 7 points and 3 rebounds in 14 minutes. The other two post players are 6-4 frosh Becca Tobin and 6-2 Jr Kayli Murphy. Tobin is averaging 4 points and 2 rebounds in 10 minutes, and Murphy 3 points and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes.
The other starters include 5-10 Sr and 6th year player, Jill Noe, and 5-8 Jr Briann January. Reagan Pariseau, a 5-5 Sr and Dymond Simon a 5-5 Soph have shared the 3rd spot as both have battled injuries. Pariseau just returned after missing 2 ½ games and Simon missed their game yesterday, but is day to day. And then there is the 5-9 JR Danielle Orsillo who has been out since the first game. The productivity of the five is:
Noe: 11 points per game and hitting 41% of her three point attempts
January: 11 points, 4.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Pariseau: 4 points per game
Simon: 9 points per game
Orsillo is a pure scorer; hitting 3 three’s in her only game to go with her 21 points.
Two other guards who see action are Kate Engelbrecht, a 5-10 Jr and 5-22 Soph Gabby Fage.
ASU is ranked # 22, and as always will be a contender for the Pac 10 title and a NCAA bid. They need their post players to continue their development, and for Orsillo and Simon to be healthy. They’ve played some very good teams, but haven’t beaten them. However they’ll be tough in conference play. Charli will see to that.
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