Nov. 26, 2005
CANCUN, Mexico - Led by redshirt junior G Jill Noe, who had a game-high 15 points, the No. 14 (USA Today/ESPN coaches poll) Arizona State women's basketball team defeated Mississippi State 70-48 in its second and final game at the Caribbean Classic in Cancun, Mexico.
For the second time in as many games, Noe led the Sun Devils (4-1) after scoring 20 points in the Sun Devils' 79-72 loss to No. 8 North Carolina on Friday.
"Jill really picked up where she left off in terms of her aggressive scoring and I think that is really exciting," said ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne following the game. "She kind of epitomized the extra effort that we had in this game."
Turner Thorne singled out sophomore G Reagan Pariseau's performance as one of the important keys in the team's win. For the game, Pariseau tallied eight points to go along with four assists, four steals and two rebounds.
"I thought she was the best player for us on the floor tonight and that is saying a lot because I thought we had a great team effort," said Turner Thorne. "Bottom line is when we had a few lulls and needed a little pick-me-up, Reagan Pariseau was there for us tonight."
Also scoring in double figures for the Sun Devils were junior F Emily Westerberg (13 points) and senior F Amy Denson (13 points). Leading the team in rebounds was junior F Aubree Johnson, who had eight. As a team, the Sun Devils out-rebounded the Lady Bulldogs 34-21.
Leading Mississippi State (1-3) in scoring were F Mamie McKinney and G Heather Hollis, who each had eight points.
In the first half the two teams were even through the first nine minutes of the game. With just under 11 minutes remaining in the half, Noe hit her second three-pointer of the game to put ASU up 14-11. Noe's triple ignited a 17-3 run, which helped put ASU up 28-14 with 6:32 remaining in the first half.
The Lady Bulldogs would get within 10 points (31-21) before ASU went on a 5-0 run to once again extend out to a 15-point lead (36-21). ASU would expand its lead to 16 points, 39-23, following Noe's fourth and final three-pointer of the half. Noe led all scorers in the first half with 14 points, tying her career-high with four three-pointers.
Mississippi State would get no closer than 14 points in the final 20 minutes as the Sun Devils would lead by as many as 24 points in the second half. Westerberg had nine of her 13 points in the second half while Denson added eight and Pariseau six.
The Sun Devils return home to host the Wells Fargo Holiday Classic, which will feature Holy Cross, Western Kentucky and Memphis. Arizona State will face Memphis on Fri., Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. Holy Cross and Western Kentucky will follow at 8:30 p.m. The following day (Sat., Dec. 3), the losing teams from the first two games will square off at 4 p.m. with the championship game of the Wells Fargo Holiday Classic to follow at approximately 6:30 p.m.