Tobin scores 18 to lift No. 16 Arizona State

TEMPE, Ariz. – Becca Tobin scored 12 of her game-high 18 points in the second half, leading nationally ranked Arizona State to a 73-64 victory over visiting South Dakota State in women’s basketball action Sunday afternoon.

Arizona State, ranked 11th in the ESPN/USA Today preseason coaches’ poll and 16th by the Associated Press, was playing its season opener. SDSU evened its record at 1-1.

The Jackrabbits battled early foul trouble throughout a tightly contested first half that featured seven ties and 12 lead changes. SDSU’s largest lead was three points – one it held four times – the last at 27-24 on a layup by Alison Anderson with 7 minutes and 47 seconds remaining in the opening half.

ASU responded with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes and 21 seconds to grab the lead for good. Ketty Cornemann scored seven Jackrabbit points as part of a 9-3 run late in the half that pulled SDSU back to within a basket at 38-36. SDSU could have tied the game in the final seconds of the half, but Anderson missed a pair of free throws to keep it a two-point game in favor of the Sun Devils heading into intermission.

SDSU’s cold shooting and second-chance points by Arizona State doomed the Jackrabbits in the second half. The Jackrabbits made only 9-of-26 field goal attempts, 34.6 percent, in the final stanza. Meanwhile, ASU shot 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from the field in the second half and held a 12-2 edge in second-chance points.

Kristin Rotert led SDSU with 14 points, including making 3-of-5 three-point tries. Jennie Sunnarborg, who sat most of the first half after picking up three early fouls, scored all 11 of her points in the second half. Maria Boever contributed eight points and nine rebounds.

The Jackrabbits ended the game 21-of-52 from the field, 40.4 percent, including 7-of-14 on three-point attempts. At the line, SDSU converted 15-of-20 free throws, 75 percent.

Tobin finished 7-of-11 from the field en route to her game-high 18 points. Danielle Orsillo and Kayli Murphy each scored a dozen, with Murphy finishing off a double-double with 13 rebounds to lead ASU’s 43-35 advantage on the boards.

The Sun Devils were 28-of-67 from the field, 41.8 percent, including 3-for-10 from long distance. ASU made 14-of-19 free throws, 73.7 percent.

SDSU returns to action Thursday at Illinois State. Tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill.

NOTES: Sunday’s game marked the first meeting between SDSU and Arizona State in women’s basketball … the Jackrabbits fell to 3-3 against Pac-10 Conference opponents since making the move to Division I at the start of the 2004-05 season and had their three-game winning streak against the Pac-10 snapped … three of SDSU’s four losses over the last two seasons have been to ranked opponents … the Jackrabbits committed 22 turnovers, compared to 16 by ASU … the Sun Devils blocked eight Jackrabbit shots … attendance was listed at 2,891
*Courtesy: SDSU Sports Information