Feb. 15, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. - Despite holding the opposition to fewer than 55 points for the third time in six games, the Arizona State women's basketball team was not able to come away with a win on Friday. Michelle Plouffe scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds and Taryn Wicijowski added 19 points to lead Utah to a 54-46 win over the Sun Devils.
Utah improved to 14-10 (5-8 Pac-12) while the Sun Devils fell to 11-14 (3-10 Pac-12).
Joy Burke and Arnecia Hawkins each scored eight points to lead ASU, which was not able to overcome a 27-percent shooting performance.
Slow starts by ASU in both the first and second half proved to be a contributing factor in the game's outcome as the Utes outscored the Sun Devils a combined 11-0 in the first five minutes of both halves.
The Sun Devils outrebounded the Utes 41-38, including a 15-5 advantage on the offensive glass, which helped ASU double the Utes in second-chance points (14-7). Burke led the way with a team-high 11 rebounds.
Like in the first meeting between the two schools in Salt Lake City last month, Utah benefitted from several trips to the foul line as the Utes once again scored 20 of their points from the line.
After falling behind 8-0, the Sun Devils used a 14-5 run to take their first lead of the game, 14-13, with 8:51 left in the first half. Neither team would lead by more than three until Plouffe's jumper gave the Utes a 26-21 lead with 1:07 left in the half.
Utah would score the first five points of the second half to take a 31-21 lead. ASU got within six on two occasions before another Utah run, this one 7-1, gave the Utes what proved to be an insurmountable 43-31 lead with 3:21 left in the game.
ASU returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Colorado at 2 p.m. Sunday's game will be ASU's annual Play 4Kay Game. The mission of the initiative is to raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. Fans wearing pink to Sunday's game will be admitted for only $5.
Notes
Burke had a team-high 11 rebounds (one rebound short of tying her career high). Burke now has five of ASU's six highest single-game rebounding efforts this season.
For the second time in as many games, ASU had a season-low 10 turnovers. ASU has now had 14 or fewer turnovers six times in its last 11 games.
Junior guard Adrianne Thomas went 2-3 from the free throw line and is now shooting 90 percent (18-20) from the line in her last seven games.
Redshirt freshman G/F Eliza Normen had a career-high six rebounds.