The Arizona State women’s basketball team had its 2011-12 season come to an end on Friday night with a 77-62 loss to Pacific in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
The Sun Devils (20-12) were unable to overcome a 36 percent shooting effort and 19 turnovers in addition to a Pacific squad that connected on 44 percent of its field goals while going 6 for 9 from 3-point range. Also helping Pacific’s cause was a 27-of-32 performance from the free-throw line, the most made free throws by an ASU opponent this season.
The Tigers (18-13) had four players -- Gena Johnson (16 points), Kendall Rodriguez (15), Ashley Wakefield (14) and Erica McKenzie (11) – score in double figures as they also tallied the most points by an ASU opponent this season.
ASU was led by Alex Earl and Deja Mann, who scored 14 points each, and Kimberly Brandon, who closed out her ASU career with her ninth career double-double (11 points, 13 rebounds).
The Sun Devils trailed by nine at the half and would face their first double-digit deficit of the game (35-24) just 12 seconds into the second half. ASU would get as close as six before the Tigers used a 15-5 run to take a 55-38 lead with 10:30 left.
With their season on the line, the Sun Devils made one last run, using a 17-6 burst to once again cut Pacific’s lead to six at 61-55 with five minutes left. Earl, who tied her career high in points, accounted for 10 points during the run.
ASU had a chance to cut further into Pacific’s lead, but a turnover gave the momentum back to the Tigers, who increased their lead to nine points on a 3-pointer by Rodriguez.
The Sun Devils would get no closer the rest of the way, as they were outscored by the Tigers 16-7 over the last five minutes of the game.
There weren't many offensive fireworks early, as the two teams had combined for only 21 points in the first 11-plus minutes.
Neither squad would lead by more than three points until a layup by Wakefield put Pacific up 29-24 with 1:28 left. Wakefield’s basket was part of a 13-2 run the Tigers used at the end of the first half to take a 33-24 halftime lead.
The Sun Devils shot 30 percent from the floor in the first half but were able to supplement their offensive output with a 10-of-13 effort from the free-throw line.
ASU played without its top bench scorer, Janae Fulcher, who missed the game due to a concussion suffered last week.
