Taya Hanson has been waiting for her breakout moment this season for ASU.

The Sun Devil guard was used more as a defensive option last season and this year had been struggling offensively before Friday’s game against Maine.

Hanson led ASU with 13 points on 5-8 from the field and 3-5 from the three-point line as the Sun Devils defeated the Black Bears 57-31 in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Showcase tournament in Estero, FL.

Hanson was the only player on both sides in the defensive slugfest to score in double-figures. Both sides played tenacious defense all afternoon limiting each other to less than 40 percent from the field.

ASU was especially dominant defensively. The Sun Devils held the Black Bears to 30.8 percent from the field including 27.3 percent from three. ASU forced 23 Maine turnovers, 13 of which came from steals. The 23 turnovers were nearly 10 more than Maine’s average per game of 13.2.

The Sun Devils did not allow the Black Bears to score in double-figures in a single quarter on Friday. ASU held Maine to nine points in the first, five in the second, eight in the third and nine in the fourth.

“Pretty tough first half in terms of scoring,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “I definitely liked our defensive mindset. We were trying to get in the mode where hey if we’re not scoring, they can’t score.”

ASU also dominated on the glass with a 37-22 advantage with forward Jayde Van Hyfte leading all players in the game with seven boards.

The Sun Devils won big without the help of forward Ja’Tavia Tapley. The USC transfer had her first off night as a Sun Devil, going 3-10 with just seven points. The Sun Devils also were without forward Jamie Ruden who continues to be out nursing a foot injury.

The game started out in poor fashion for ASU as the Sun Devils opened up going just 1-10 from the field. However, ASU finished the quarter by making its last three shots of the period and moved onto the second leading 12-9.

In the second period of play, the Sun Devils allowed just two made field goals and stretched the lead to 23-14 at the half.

ASU did not look back in the second half shooting 42.1 percent including 2-4 from three in quarter No. 3. It was the team’s best quarter of the afternoon offensively and the Sun Devils outscored Maine 19-8 in the period. ASU led 42-22 heading into the final 10 minutes.

It was more of the same in the fourth and ASU eventually came away with the 57-31 win after outscoring the Black Bears 15-9 in the quarter.

The Black Bears were led by nine points from junior forward Maeve Carroll. However, the biggest storyline coming out of the game for Maine was a serious seeming injury to star Bianca Millan, the team’s leading scorer, late in the first half. She returned to the bench but was in a wheelchair.

ASU’s next matchup is on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MST against either Purdue or Drake.