Jan. 6, 2011
BERKELEY, Calif. - Despite a career-high 24 points from senior forward Becca Tobin the Arizona State women's basketball team had its seven-game winning streak snapped on Thursday as the Sun Devils fell to California 67-55.
Layshia Clarendon (24 points, 8-13 FGs) and DeNesha Stallworth (16 points, 8-14 FGs) combined for nearly two-thirds of California's (9-4, 1-1 Pac-10) point total as the Golden Bears shot 50 percent from the field. Stallworth's production underscored Cal's advantage in the paint where the Bears outscored Arizona State 36-22 while also outrebounding the Sun Devils 39-25.
Arizona State (10-3, 2-1 Pac-10) entered Thursday's game not knowing if it would have the services of its leading scorer Dymond Simon (15.1 ppg), who was nursing an injured right foot. The senior guard started and dished out six assists, which was one short of her career high, but scored a season-low six points.
Tobin was Arizona State's lone bright spot on the offensive end as she scored 16 of Arizona State's 27 points in the second half to help keep the Sun Devils within striking distance.
While Tobin connected on 61 percent of her shots (11-18) the rest of the Sun Devils were a combined 27 percent from the field, (11-41) including a meager eight percent (1-13) from 3-point range.
Trailing by 10 at the half the Sun Devils came out and scored eight of the first 10 points of the second half to get within four, 40-36. The Bears would score the next four points to extend back out to an eight-point lead, however, and the Sun Devils would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
ASU matched its season low with 13 turnovers. The Sun Devils also had 13 turnovers against Florida State in a contest which they also lost.