Jacks hang around, but fall to Sun Devils

Thursday, December 16

Frost Arena

7 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Arizona State

12/16/2010 11:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

Arizona State limited South Dakota State to a season-low 33 percent shooting from the field as the Sun Devils posted a 63-52 victory in non-conference women's basketball action Thursday night at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits, who lost their second consecutive home game for the first time in the Division I era, dropped to 4-6 overall. Arizona State improved to 7-2.

Trailing early, SDSU took its first lead of the game at 13-11 on a three-pointer by Jill Young with 12 minutes and 30 seconds to play in the front half. The Jackrabbits took their largest lead of the game, 22-17, on a trey by Macie Michelson three minutes later.

The Sun Devils then heated up from the outside as Dymond Simon, Tenaya Watson and Markisha Patterson each drained three-pointers during an 11-0 run to go up 28-22 with 4:56 to play in the half. SDSU used the free throw line to pull to within a basket late in the half before Arizona State took a 36-32 lead into intermission.

The game turned into a defensive struggle in the second half, with each team shooting 26.7 percent over the final 20 minutes. Alex Earl's three-pointer from the right wing at the 17:52 mark gave the Sun Devils their largest lead to that point at 41-34.

Despite their offensive woes, the Jackrabbits still had the game within their reach heading down the stretch. Three times SDSU trimmed the deficit to two points in the final 11 minutes of the game, the last at 53-51 on a three-pointer by Young with 5:48 to play. Young was the lone player in double figures for SDSU with 10 points.

The Jackrabbits would go cold from there, scoring only one more point on a Michelson free throw. SDSU misfired on its last five shots from the field, missed two free throws and committed five of their 22 turnovers in the final five minutes.

Simon scored a game-high 15 points to lead a balanced Arizona State squad. Janae Fulcher added 10 points off the bench.

The Sun Devils ended the game 23-of-59 from the field, 39 percent, including 6-of-12 on three-point tries. At the line, Arizona State made 11-of-14 attempts, 78.6 percent.

SDSU finished the night 14-of-42 from the floor, with a 3-for-13 effort from long range. The Jackrabbits stayed in the game by winning the free throw battle, converting 21-of-30 attempts for 70 percent. SDSU was 10-of-11 at the line in the first half.

ASU edged out a 37-34 rebounding advantage with Watson and Markisha Patterson each recording eight boards. Jennie Sunnarborg led SDSU with six rebounds and added three blocked shots and six points.

The Jackrabbits return to action Saturday, hosting nationally ranked Iowa in a 5 p.m. contest at Frost Arena.

NOTES: Arizona State has won both meetings between the two squads ... the Jackrabbits dropped to 6-5, including 1-1 this season, against Pacific-10 Conference opponents since moving to Division I at the start of the 2004-05 season ... SDSU's last two-game home losing streak came in head coach Aaron Johnston's first full season (2000-01), when the Jackrabbits were swept in a weekend series by North Dakota State (L, 90-92) and North Dakota (L, 70-85) ... the Jackrabbits are 131-16 (.891 winning percentage) at home under Johnston ... SDSU's 52 points were the fewest the Jackrabbits have scored at Frost Arena since a 53-50 loss to Nebraska-Omaha during the 1986-87 campaign ... with a 4-for-4 effort at the free throw line, Young improved to 17-of-18 on the season (94.4 percent) ... SDSU held a 26-19 advantage in bench scoring as Pierre natives Steph Paluch and Katie Lingle each scored six points ... the Jackrabbits committed 22 turnovers and were credited with only four assists ... attendance was 1,603