Jan. 26, 2012

Box Score

VIDEOS: Highlights | Coach Daugherty Press Conference

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University could not withstand Arizona State University's second half surge and dropped a Pac-12 Conference contest 63-46 at Beasley Coliseum Thursday evening.

The Cougars (9-11, 3-5 Pac-12) we held to 28.6 percent shooting by ASU (14-5, 5-3 Pac-12), the conference's leading defensive team. The Sun Devils shot 54.8 percent and outscored the Cougs 40-26 in the second half and went on to finish the game shooting 45 percent from the floor. Seniors Rosetta Adzasu and Jazmine Perkins each lead WSU with 10 points while fellow senior April Cook chipped in with eight.

Arizona State jumped out to an early lead in a tough and physical first couple minutes. The Sun Devils slowed things down and used its league leading defense to build a 10-2 lead at the 12:35 mark.

The Cougars would turn to one of its seniors to settle things down as Cook caught fire and carried WSU with an 8-0 run of her own. Cook hit a long three from the right wing, a step-back jumper from the left elbow before connecting on a three from the left corner to even things up at 10, midway through the half.

Perkins later gave the Cougs a 16-13 advantage after a driving layup high off the glass then followed with a couple free throws.

The Sun Devils would once again use its defense to regain the lead, using an 8-0 run to take a 21-16 lead at the 1:49 mark. Adzasu followed with a pair of runners in the lane but ASU would hit a jumper in the final seconds to take a 23-20 lead into the break.

Both teams struggled shooting in the first half as the Cougs held ASU to 34.5 percent but were limited to 30.8 percent by the Sun Devils who notched 16 points in the paint.

Adzasu again sparked the Cougs early in the second half, hitting a pair of free throws before again driving into the lane and getting her floater to fall to keep WSU within three, 29-26 with 15:20 remaining.

The Arizona State defense again clamped down before catching break on the offensive end as Kimberly Brandon threw in a three from about 30 feet as the shot clock expired. ASU would follow the three with another from beyond the arc and extend the lead to nine. Sophomore guard Sage Romberg answered with a three for the Cougs but the Sun Devils came back with eight straight points, opening their lead to 46-29.

The Sun Devils would keep their lead in double digits the rest of the way and go on to clinch the conference victory.

Washington State hosts University of Arizona 1 p.m. Saturday.

GAME NOTES Jazmine Perkins grabbed seven rebounds to move into sole possession of eighth place on WSU's career rebounds list, breaking a tie with Yvonne Kunze...Adzasu has scored in double figures four times this season, three have come in conference play.