Dec 2, 2002
By MEL REISNER
AP Sports Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. - The last thing Arizona State wanted to do was get into a running game with Georgia.
So the Sun Devils controlled the tempo, got 20 points from freshman Jill Noe and beat the 14th-ranked Lady Bulldogs 74-70 Monday night.
"I don't think we took one quick shot," coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "Maybe once. We made them play defense. We didn't let them get into their transition game, and I think that was huge."
The Lady Bulldogs, who were No. 8 last week, were beaten for the second time in three nights. Arizona upset Georgia 70-49 on Saturday.
Kylan Loney had 13 points and Amy Denson added 10 as the Sun Devils (5-0) won a school-record 13th consecutive home game. Arizona State won 12 straight in 1981-82 and tied that the next season.
Christi Thomas had 21 points and 15 rebounds for Georgia (2-2). Kara Braxton had 19 points and Alexis Kendrick added 11, but both fouled out playing catch-up.
"She's like their go-to girl, and we took her out," said Noe, who shot 12-for-13 from the line. "We did everything we were supposed to - drove it in, drew the foul, got her out, got in her head."
Braxton, who had two fouls in the first 1:19, picked up her fifth with 5:14 to play, and Kristen Kovesdy made a free throw that gave the Sun Devils a 58-47 lead.
The Lady Bulldogs rallied behind Kendrick, who made a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left that cut the deficit to 69-67. But Noe tipped a Georgia pass to Loney with 30 seconds left, and Loney made two free throws.
Kendrick buried another 3-pointer with 21 seconds to go, but fouled out on the next play, and Loney opened a 74-70 lead with two more free throws.
"Our kids scrapped and got back in it," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. "If we'd got one more possession, it might have really been fun."
Braxton had 15 points in the first half despite picking up two fouls in the first 1:19.
No more than four points separated the teams until Denson made a 16-footer with 10:13 remaining that made it 53-47. It was part of a 19-4 run that lasted 13:16 and was capped by Kovesdy's free throw that gave Arizona State the 11-point lead.
"I think we were a little anxious," Thomas said. "We were wanting to get the score close, to starting pulling within a few points. I think we were just overanxious and trying too hard."