Jan 26, 2002
By RICK EYMER
Associated Press Writer
STANFORD, Calif. - Lindsey Yamasaki scored 23 of her season-high 27 points in the first half as No. 3 Stanford won its 12th straight game, 62-48 over Arizona State on Saturday.
Nicole Powell added 13 points as Stanford (20-1, 10-0 Pac-10) beat the Sun Devils at home for the 18th consecutive time.
Betsy Boardman scored 15 points to lead the Sun Devils (16-6, 7-4), who lost for the first time in 16 games when allowing 67 points or less.
Arizona State, held to its season low, began the day leading the Pac-10 in fewest points allowed per game. Stanford leads in scoring offense and largest margin of victory.
Stanford recorded its 13th 20-win season in the last 15 years.
Arizona State, which has been ranked as high as No. 21 this season, gave Stanford one of its toughest conference games in their last meeting. The Sun Devils led by 12 points, Stanford's biggest deficit of the season, before losing by nine on Dec. 21.
Stanford scored 10 straight points to take a 14-6 edge, and led the rest of the way.
The Cardinal scored the first eight points of the second half while holding the Sun Devils scoreless for over seven minutes, opening a 43-23 edge.
The Sun Devils closed to within 54-46 when Amanda Levens made a pair of free throws with 2:56 remaining, but Powell - who left the game momentarily after getting hit in the right eye - hit a 3-pointer from the corner 26 seconds later.
Yamasaki, who didn't score in the final 18 minutes of the game, matched Arizona State's first half total herself as she scored 23 points, including a basket at the buzzer which gave Stanford a 35-23 first half advantage.
Yamasaki, who scored 17 of Stanford's final 18 points in the half, made nine of her first 13 shots. She was briefly forced out of the game because of a cut on her right knee after being fouled, missing a free throw opportunity.
For the Sun Devils, the 23 points were the fewest they've scored in a half this season. Levens, Arizona State's leading scorer at 18.8, scored two points in the half on 1-of-5 shooting. She finished with four.
Stanford's Lauren St. Clair, who sat out Thursday's game against Arizona with sore ribs, made her first start of the season.