TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Sophie Brunner had 15 points and 11 rebounds and No. 9 Arizona State shook off a slow start to beat Washington State 61-39 on Friday night for its 20th victory in 21 games.
Arnecia Hawkins added 11 points for the Sun Devils (23-4, 14-1 Pac-12). They again rode Brunner after her buzzer-beater knocked off Stanford in overtime Sunday.
Alexys Swedlund scored nine points for the Cougars (12-14, 3-12) in their ninth straight loss. Hobbled top scorer Borislava Hristova was held to two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
The Sun Devils committed eight first-quarter turnovers, but started the second on a 10-0 run. Brunner's layup at the halftime buzzer made it 36-23, and Arizona State led by as many as 23 points in the second half in their fifth straight win.
Arizona completed a regular-season sweep of the Cougars, who are 18-42 against the Sun Devils.
Brunner came in as Arizona State's only player averaging double-digit scoring at 10.8 points. That's down a point from a year ago, and coach Charli Turner Thorne has mentioned wanting to get Brunner more shots after she returned from an early-season ankle injury.
The 6-foot-1 junior has showed why lately. Her fadeaway at the overtime buzzer Sunday kept the Sun Devils tied atop the Pac-12. And she didn't let up against the overmatched Cougars.
The post player dominated inside, hitting 6 of 11 shots and 3 of 4 free throws for her second straight double-double and third of the season.
TIP-INS
Washington State: The Cougars shot 29.6 percent from the field and were outrebounded 40-20. ... The Cougars have players from five states and seven countries. ... Washington State is 1-5 in games decided by five points or fewer. ... The Cougars made the WNIT the past two seasons after a postseason drought that dated to 1991.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils hit their first four 3-pointers, then missed nine of their last 10 attempts. ... The Sun Devils' lone loss in 21 games was 67-44 at now-No. 7 Oregon State on Feb. 1. ... It was Canada Night, and Quinn Dorntauder, a native of Saskatchewan, sang along with her country's national anthem before the game.
INJURY SCARE
Hristova, a freshman who entered as the Pac-12 fifth-best scorer at 16.7 points a game, came down awkwardly on her left leg early in the second quarter.
Hristova was attended to for a couple minutes before walking off the floor. She returned before halftime, but had trouble getting into the offense.
Hristova, who has a school freshman record eight 20-point games, shot 5 for 21 in two games against Arizona State.
UP NEXT:
Washington State visits Arizona on Sunday.
Arizona State hosts Washington on Sunday in the final home game for five seniors, including Hawkins, Katie Hempen and Elisha Davis.
