Dec. 1, 2001
TEMPE, Ariz. - Senior Amanda Levens scored 15 points to lead the Sun Devils to a 64-40 victory over Fordham in the first round of the ASU Holiday Classic Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena. In the second game of the night, Rutgers (3-1) squeaked out a 68-67 overtime victory over Northwestern State (1-2) to advance to Sunday's championship game vs. the host Arizona State Sun Devils.
Arizona State, now 5-2 on the year, took the lead for good late in the first half, despite going 13-of-26 from the free throw line and shooting just 36.8 percent with seven field goals. ASU led 27-19 at the half in a first period that was marred by 29 turnovers between the two teams (19 for Fordham, 10 for ASU). Levens was the leading scorer at the half with nine points, knocking down 2-of-3 shots and 5-of-8 free throw attempts.
In the second half, ASU quickly stretched their lead to double digits and went ahead by as many as 14 points early in the period. Fordham narrowed the lead to 35-27 with 13:26 to play, but ASU went on a 25-7 run to take a 60-36 lead with 3:33 to play. Senior Rainy Crisp scored six of her career-high-tying nine points in that stretch, while senior Melody Johnson had nine points in that run.
Levens led the Sun Devils with 15 points, while Johnson had 13 points and a team-best seven rebounds. Levens also grabbed a season-high six rebounds and was the game-leader with four assists. For Fordham, which falls to 1-4 on the year, sophomore guard Annie DeRoy led the team with eight points.
In the second game, Rutgers pulled out a 68-67 overtime victory over Northwestern State despite trailing by as many as seven points with 1:47 to play in regulation. The Scarlet Knights tied the game at 57 with 24 seconds to play in the second half when junior guard Mauri Horton hit a shot to send the game to overtime.
Rutgers won the game with a pair of free throws by freshman guard Saona Chapman with 41 seconds to play in overtime, her first points of the night.
Rutgers sophomore guard Dawn McCullouch led the game with 26 points, while senior Davalyn Cunningham paced the squad with 10 rebounds. Three Northwestern State players were in double figures for scoring, led by junior forward Angela Davidson who had 25 points.
Arizona State and Rutgers will meet Sunday at 3 p.m. in the championship game of the ASU Holiday Classic, while Northwestern State and Fordham will play in the consolation game at 1 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena.