Arizona staves off ASU for first win in Tempe since 1999

TEMPE — Adia Barnes got exactly what she expected—a low-scoring defensive battle between two bitter rivals.

And it was her defense that continues to prevail.

No. 18 Arizona staved off Arizona State 58-53 on Sunday to open the Pac-12 season. The Wildcats held the Sun Devils to 30 percent shooting, including a 22-percent mark in the second half, as they captured their first win in Tempe since the 1998-99 campaign.

Arizona improves to 12-0, continuing the best start in program history, and has won 18 straight games. ASU drops to 10-3.

UA star guard Aari McDonald sat for a large portion of the first half due to foul trouble, but finished still managed to finish with a game-high 20 points. In the latest evidence that Arizona is no longer a one-woman show, Cate Reese and Helena Pueyo shouldered the scoring duties when McDonald was riding the pine.

Reese had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Pueyo, playing in her first Pac-12 game, chipped in with six points and five assists. They scored nine straight points at one point to give UA a 15-12 lead in the second quarter after it got off to a slow start.

Arizona led the entire second half and by nine midway through the fourth before the Sun Devils rattled off a 6-0 run to make it 53-50 with 2:14 to play. ASU forward Iris Mbulito scored underneath to make it a one-point game with a minute left.

Sam Thomas drove into the lane to draw a foul and coolly sank two free throws to push the lead back to three with 36.6 seconds left. Thomas then deflected a potential game-tying 3, Reese corralled the rebound, and Thomas split a pair of free throws to put UA up by four with 22 seconds left.

Mbulito clanked two free throws at the other end and Thomas split another pair to ice the game.

Arizona returns to action Friday when it faces USC in Los Angeles.

This story will be updated.

Notes

• Dominique McBryde (ankle), Tee Tee Starks (shoulder), and Birna Benonysdottir (concussion) all sat out for the Wildcats

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2ZBRyv7
via IFTTT