March 1, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State women's basketball team once again came up short in its bid to upset a ranked opponent on Friday night as No. 17 UCLA was able to outlast the Sun Devils, 58-50.
Micaela Pickens and Haley Videckis added 10 points each for the Sun Devils, who dropped their eighth game by eight or fewer points. It was the fourth such loss to a ranked opponent, which prior to tonight included a 54-50 setback to the Bruins in Los Angeles on Jan. 27.
Kari Korver (17 points) and Alyssia Brewer (12 points) both scored in double figures for the Bruins (22-6, 13-4 Pac-12), while Markel Walker added nine points and nine assists.
UCLA led by as many as 11 in the second half and was able to weather a 14-4 rally by the Sun Devils, who cut UCLA's lead to a single point, 45-44 with 6:14 remaining.
Fulcher's basket with 4:03 left had the Sun Devils within two points, 50-48 with 4:03 left. It would be ASU's last basket of the game as UCLA closed the game with an 8-2 run.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday (1 p.m. MT) when they host USC in the regular-season finale. It will be the final home game for Sun Devil seniors Fulcher and Pickens, who will be honored in a ceremony following the game. Sunday’s game vs. USC can be seen live via web stream at http://pac-12.com/live/thesundevils.aspx and can be heard live on The Fan AM 1060.
Notes
• Half of ASU’s 16 losses this season have been by eight or fewer points, including decisions to the following ranked opponents: current No. 12 Dayton (65-59 on Dec. 2 in Tempe), twice against current No. 17 UCLA (54-50 on Jan. 27 in Los Angeles and 58-50 on Mar. 1 in Tempe) and current No. 19 Colorado (71-63 on Feb. 17 in Tempe).
• After holding UCLA 17.4 points below its scoring average in a 54-50 loss to the Bruins on Jan. 27 in Los Angeles, the Sun Devils were once again successful in thwarting UCLA’s attack on Friday as the Bruins’ 58 points were 10.8 points below their scoring average coming into Friday’s game. Current fourth-ranked Stanford (twice - 49/57) and current sixth-ranked Cal (51) are the only other Pac-12 schools to hold UCLA to 58 or fewer points. ASU, Cal and Stanford all played UCLA twice. Stanford allowed an average of 53.0 points in its two meetings with the Bruins, ASU allowed 54.0 points and Cal allowed 58.0 points.
• Four Sun Devils are averaging double figures in ASU’s last four games: Promise Amukamara (11.8 ppg), Videckis (11.8 ppg), Fulcher (10.5 ppg) and Pickens (10.0 ppg).