Nov. 4, 2001
TEMPE, Ariz. - Four Sun Devils scored in double figures as the Arizona State women's basketball team opened the exhibition season with a 67-53 victory over Team Concept Sunday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.
Seniors Melody Johnson and Amanda Levens led the way with 14 points each, while senior Cian Carvalho and sophomore Betsy Boardman each contributed 13 points.
Arizona State jumped ahead in the first half, shooting 38.2 percent to just 17.2 percent for Team Concept, an AAU club team made up of former college players. The Sun Devils held their opponents scoreless for four minutes midway through the first half, building a 29-10 lead. Johnson and fellow senior Leah Combs each finished the period off with layups to give the Sun Devils a 37-15 halftime lead.
Carvalho had 11 of her 13 points in the first half, hitting 3-of-5 shots from the field, including a three-pointer, and knocking down all four of her free throw attempts.
Team Concept made a game of it in the second half, out-shooting the Sun Devils 59.1 percent to 25 percent and getting within 12 points on three occasions. ASU hit all four of its free throws down the stretch, however, to come away with the 67-53 victory. Levens and Johnson each had 10 points in the second half to lead the Sun Devils.
In addition to her 13 points, Boardman led the Sun Devils with eight rebounds and six steals, while Levens and freshman Kylan Loney each had four assists in the contest. For Team Concept, Nicole Greathouse, a former UC Santa Barbara Gaucho, led the team with 10 points, while former Notre Dame standout Katryna Gaither had eight points and 10 rebounds.
Arizona State wraps up the exhibition season Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena against Delta Kosice (Slovakia) at 7 p.m. The Sun Devils tips off the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 17 against St. Peter's at 2:30 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. That Nov. 17 game is part of an ASU sports tripleheader with the men's basketball team taking on Stephen F. Austin at 11:30 a.m. and the volleyball team taking on California at 7:30 p.m.
- www.thesundevils.com -