Feb. 18, 2012
TEMPE, Ariz. - Alex Earl and Janae Fulchereach scored 11 points as the Arizona State women's basketball team staved off a furious Washington State rally in the closing minutes to defeat the Cougars, 47-42.
The Sun Devils (18-8, 9-6 Pac-12) limited the Cougars (10-17, 4-11) to a 27-percent shooting effort while forcing 20 turnovers.
ASU's effectiveness on the defensive end helped to offset a minus-11 rebounding deficit (51-40) as the Cougars were able to score 10 second-chance points.
Earl, who came into Saturday's game shooting 50 percent from the floor in ASU's last seven games, was one of five Sun Devil seniors - Kali Bennett, Kimberly Brandon, Olivia Major and Haley Parsons- who were honored following Saturday's win.
It seemed all but certain it would be a happy celebration after Bennett's jumper gave the Sun Devils a 43-25 lead with 6:50 remaining in the game.
However the next several minutes would provide many anxious moments after the Cougars went on a 17-1 run to get within two points, 44-42, after Sage Romberg, who led the Cougars with 11 points, connected on a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left.
The Sun Devils would turn the ball over on their ensuing possession, giving the Cougars a chance to tie or win, but Bennett, who had a school record nine blocks on Thursday, was there to save the day as she swatted Brandi Thomas' attempt to tie the game out of bounds. The block was one of five Bennett had in the game.
The Cougars' second attempt to tie or win was denied after a pass from Rosetta Adzasu bounced off teammate Carly Noyes, giving the ball back to the Sun Devils.
Bennett and Earl would combine to hit three free throws in the final 11 seconds to secure the win for ASU, its third consecutive to move it into sole possession of third place in the Pac-12.
The Cougars scored the first basket 46 seconds into the game, but the Sun Devils would dominate the over the next 12-plus minutes, limiting Washington State to a single basket during an 18-4 run. Earl scored seven consecutive points during a 57-second stretch in the middle of the scoring run while Fulcher accounted for four points.
The Cougars would outscore the Sun Devils 10-4 over the last 6:18 of the first half to trim ASU's lead to 22-14 at the break.
The teams would go back and forth to start the second half before the Sun Devils reeled off an 11-0 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 39-20.
Fulcher scored seven points during the run, which Earl finished off after a steal and layup with 9:05 left in the game.
The Sun Devils will be on the road for their final three regular season games, starting next week when they travel to Los Angeles to take on UCLA on Thursday (7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT) and USC on Saturday (2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT).