Jan. 24, 2008
SEATTLE - Lauren Lacey came off the bench to score 20 points and Kayli Murphy had a career-best 11 points as the Arizona State women's basketball team defeated Washington 68-62 on Thursday night.
Coming off their first back-to-back losses in two years, the Sun Devils (12-7, 6-2 Pac-10) responded with a strong effort to secure their 11th consecutive conference road win. ASU shot 46 percent and outrebounded the Huskies 37-26, including a 17-10 advantage in offensive rebounds which led to 16 second-chance points.
After seeing their six-point halftime lead reduced to two in the opening minutes of the second half, the Sun Devils used a 9-2 run to extend to a 37-28 lead with 14:36 remaining. Murphy, who made the first start of her career, scored seven of ASU's first 11 points in the half to help the Sun Devils thwart the Washington run.
A jumper by Sarah Morton that brought the Huskies to within four, 48-44, with 6:26 left was answered by a three-pointer by Briann January which gave the Sun Devils a seven-point lead. Another jumper by Morton got Washington within five before back-to-back baskets by Murphy helped the Sun Devils take a nine-point lead, 55-46, with under five minutes remaining. Washington would score the next four points to once again get within five points however would get no closer as a three-point field goal by senior Reagan Pariseau followed by a pair of free throws by Lacey gave ASU its largest lead of the game, 60-50.
Murphy, who had a career-best 12 rebounds in ASU's loss to Stanford on Sunday, scored all 11 of her points in the second half, making four of her five field goal attempts. Also providing the Sun Devils with an offensive spark in the second half Pariseau, who scored all eight of her points in the final 20 minutes, including a pair of three-point field goals.
Andrea Plouffe led Washington (7-13, 2-6 Pac-10) with 19 points.
The Sun Devils led by six, 26-20, at the half, despite committing 14 first half turnovers. Helping ASU overcome its offensive miscues was a stingy defensive effort which let the Huskies connect on only 27 percent (8-30) of their field goal attempts. Also contributing to ASU's success was a 22-15 rebounding advantage, including an 8-6 edge in offensive boards which helped the Sun Devils score 10 second-chance points. Lacey (11 points, 5-9 FGs) and junior Sybil Dosty (six points, 3-3 FGs) combined to score 17 of ASU's 26 first half points and had eight of ASU's 10 field goals.