LOS ANGELES – The No. 16 Arizona State women's basketball team dropped its second straight contest, falling at No. 13 UCLA 69-60 on Friday night.
Down by as many as 18 in the second half, the Sun Devils (14-6, 5-4 Pac-12) made a furious comeback to get within five points on two occasions in the final 2:25 of the game, but were never able to pull even with the Bruins (16-4, 7-2), who won their fifth game in a row.
Three players – Sophie Brunner (16 points), Robbi Ryan (13 points) and Quinn Dornstauder (10 points) – scored in double figures for the Sun Devils, who shot 37 percent from the field. What ASU could not get in the run of play it made up for at the foul line where it hit 91 percent of its free throw attempts (19-21).
UCLA's Jordin Canada led all players with 26 points to go with six assists while Monique Billings added 16 points for the Bruins, who shot 45 percent. UCLA nearly matched ASU's output at the foul line, but lacked the Sun Devils' efficiency, as they were 71 percent at the charity stripe (20-28).
Each team grabbed 32 rebounds. Brunner led the way for ASU with eight boards while Kianna Ibis, who scored nine points, matched her career high with seven rebounds.
ASU took its largest lead 1:14 into the game as Ryan scored the game's first four points to give the Sun Devils the early advantage.
Billings' layup with 5:44 remaining gave the Bruins a lead they would never relinquish. In addition to putting UCLA up 12-11, it also started a 20-3 run that carried over into the first four minutes of the second quarter. Kari Korver's jumper put the Bruins up 30-14 with 6:01 remaining in the half.
Brunner would score ASU's last six points of the second quarter to cut UCLA's lead to 10, but a layup by Canada at the buzzer put the Bruins up 36-24 at the half.
The Bruins would lead by as many as 18 on two occasions in the third quarter, the latter occurrence following a layup by Kelli Hayes that put UCLA up 50-32 with 4:09 remaining.
The Sun Devils would follow with a 6-0 run coming courtesy of three free throws by Ibis and a triple from Sydney Goodson that got ASU within 12. ASU would get the lead into single digits by the end of the quarter as Brunner made four free throws in the final 43 seconds to cut the Bruins' advantage to 55-46 entering the final quarter.
ASU was not able to trim the deficit any further until Ibis' jumper made it a seven-point game with 4:31 remaining. A little more than two minutes later Ryan connected from long rage to get ASU within five.
Canada would come back with a 3-point play at the opposite end, but no sooner was it that ASU once again got within five after a 3-pointer by Kiara Russell with 1:14 remaining.
After the Bruins missed two free throws the Sun Devils had a chance to make it a one-possession game but were unable to take advantage on their ensuing possession. Canada would cinch the win for the Bruins by making all four of her free throws in the final 32 seconds.
The Sun Devils conclude their road trip to Los Angeles on Sunday (3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT) when they play at USC. The game can be seen on Pac-12 Network/Arizona/Los Angeles and heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
Down by as many as 18 in the second half, the Sun Devils (14-6, 5-4 Pac-12) made a furious comeback to get within five points on two occasions in the final 2:25 of the game, but were never able to pull even with the Bruins (16-4, 7-2), who won their fifth game in a row.
Three players – Sophie Brunner (16 points), Robbi Ryan (13 points) and Quinn Dornstauder (10 points) – scored in double figures for the Sun Devils, who shot 37 percent from the field. What ASU could not get in the run of play it made up for at the foul line where it hit 91 percent of its free throw attempts (19-21).
UCLA's Jordin Canada led all players with 26 points to go with six assists while Monique Billings added 16 points for the Bruins, who shot 45 percent. UCLA nearly matched ASU's output at the foul line, but lacked the Sun Devils' efficiency, as they were 71 percent at the charity stripe (20-28).
Each team grabbed 32 rebounds. Brunner led the way for ASU with eight boards while Kianna Ibis, who scored nine points, matched her career high with seven rebounds.
ASU took its largest lead 1:14 into the game as Ryan scored the game's first four points to give the Sun Devils the early advantage.
Billings' layup with 5:44 remaining gave the Bruins a lead they would never relinquish. In addition to putting UCLA up 12-11, it also started a 20-3 run that carried over into the first four minutes of the second quarter. Kari Korver's jumper put the Bruins up 30-14 with 6:01 remaining in the half.
Brunner would score ASU's last six points of the second quarter to cut UCLA's lead to 10, but a layup by Canada at the buzzer put the Bruins up 36-24 at the half.
The Bruins would lead by as many as 18 on two occasions in the third quarter, the latter occurrence following a layup by Kelli Hayes that put UCLA up 50-32 with 4:09 remaining.
The Sun Devils would follow with a 6-0 run coming courtesy of three free throws by Ibis and a triple from Sydney Goodson that got ASU within 12. ASU would get the lead into single digits by the end of the quarter as Brunner made four free throws in the final 43 seconds to cut the Bruins' advantage to 55-46 entering the final quarter.
ASU was not able to trim the deficit any further until Ibis' jumper made it a seven-point game with 4:31 remaining. A little more than two minutes later Ryan connected from long rage to get ASU within five.
Canada would come back with a 3-point play at the opposite end, but no sooner was it that ASU once again got within five after a 3-pointer by Kiara Russell with 1:14 remaining.
After the Bruins missed two free throws the Sun Devils had a chance to make it a one-possession game but were unable to take advantage on their ensuing possession. Canada would cinch the win for the Bruins by making all four of her free throws in the final 32 seconds.
The Sun Devils conclude their road trip to Los Angeles on Sunday (3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT) when they play at USC. The game can be seen on Pac-12 Network/Arizona/Los Angeles and heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.