March 5, 2011
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Kimberly Brandon scored 15 points and Tenaya Watson added 14 as the Arizona State women's basketball closed out the regular season with a 59-54 win over Oregon State on Saturday.
With the win the Sun Devils (19-9, 11-7 Pac-10) clinched the No. 3 seed in next week's Pac-10 Tournament in Los Angeles. In a bit of a scheduling oddity, the Sun Devils will face the 10th-seeded Beavers (9-20, 2-16) in the first round of the tournament on Wednesday (noon PT/1 p.m. MT).
Watson (11 points, 2-3 FGs, 5-6 FTs) and Brandon (10 points, 5-7 FGs) combined for 21 of ASU's 28 points in the second half. The duo also combined to shoot 70 percent (7-10 FGs) in the final 20 minutes while the rest of the team was a collective 21 percent (3-14 FGs) from the floor.
Oregon State, which lost at Arizona State 49-46 the opening weekend of Pac-10 play, was led by the trio of El Sara Greer (13 points), Alyssa Martin (13 points) and Sage Indendi (12 points), who combined for 38 points.
The Sun Devils opened their largest lead of the game when Brandon scored on a jumper to give ASU a 35-27 lead with 18:32 remaining.
For the remainder of the game ASU would find itself having to fend off several Oregon State rallies as the Beavers got within three points or less numerous times in the second half.
After back-to-back 3-pointers by Watson gave ASU a 53-47 lead the Beavers battled back by scoring the next five points to get within a single point, 53-52 with 1:50 left.
Deja Mann hit a running jumper in the lane to extend ASU's lead to 55-52.
The Beavers, who made 15-of-23 free throws in the second half, hit 1-of-2 free throws on each of their next two possessions to once again get with one point, 55-54, with 53 seconds left.
Indendi then fouled Watson, who hit both free throws to once again give ASU a three-point advantage, 57-54, with 33 seconds left.
The Beavers had a chance to tie, but both of Indendi's 3-point attempts missed their mark, the second of which came with nine seconds left. Watson then hit two more free throws on the opposite end to clinch the win.
Janae Fuclher made all four of her field goal attempts in the first half and led ASU with eight points in the first 20 minutes to help give ASU a 31-27 halftime lead.
The Sun Devils shot 50 percent (12-24 FGs) in the first half.
With the win, Sun Devil head coach Charli Turner Thorne moved into third place on the Pac-10's all-time wins list with 288. Turner Thorne was tied with former Arizona head coach Joan Bonvicini.