Arizona State Has Too Much for UCLA

It took Arizona State’s 24th-ranked women’s basketball team almost a half to learn what every other team has done to beat UCLA this season.

Get used to the smothering array of defenses the Bruins employ, then take advantage of UCLA’s inevitable scoring lull to take over the game.

The Sun Devils followed the formula perfectly Thursday in a 70-57 victory before 725 at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA hung around for almost 14 minutes in the first half, trailing, 19-18, and keeping Arizona State out of a shooting rhythm.

But the Bruins did not make another field goal in the final 6:17 of the half and went to the locker room trailing, 30-21.

In the second half Arizona State made 16 of 20 shots to turn back every rally attempt by UCLA.

With a fourth consecutive victory, Arizona State (15-4, 6-2) took sole possession of second place in the Pacific 10 Conference as USC lost to Arizona.

The Bruins (5-11, 2-6) lost for the third time in four games.

“We certainly didn’t take UCLA lightly,” Arizona State Coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “We got away from a few things tonight, and weren’t as aggressive as we should have been in the first half. And UCLA does some things well defensively. They have the ability to make you rush your shots.”

The Sun Devils’ Amanda Levens, the conference’s leading scorer, was feeling the effects of the ankle sprain suffered last week and had a quiet night with 11 points. But Arizona State had five players in double figures, led by Cian Carvalho with 13.

Bruin guard Whitney Jones, who had 15 points, said the team has not quit on the season. “We’re still determined we can do things because we have ability,” she said. “We just have to perform.”

Mike Terry

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Arizona 78, USC 74--The Trojans lost to the Wildcats in a Pac-10 game before 561 at the Sports Arena.

Carmen Krause and Rachel Woodard each had a career-high 21 points for USC (9-8, 5-3). Krause had 11 rebounds and Woodard 10.

The Trojans were without starting forward Ebony Hoffman and starting guards Tiffany Elmore and Aisha Hollans. Elmore is recovering from a sprained ankle, while Hoffman was serving a suspension for a fight in the UCLA game on Sunday. Hollans was suspended for the game for violating team rules.

LaKeisha Taylor and Aimee Grzyb had 15 points for Arizona (8-9, 4-4), which led, 36-29, at halftime.