The ASU women’s basketball team still has plenty of room to grow during the young season.

In the No. 14 Sun Devils’ first big roadblock of the 2009-2010 campaign, a big second-half offensive drought ultimately cost ASU in its 59-46 loss to No. 9 Xavier on Saturday in Cincinnati.

ASU converted just one field goal during a second-half dry spell that lasted more than 11 minutes, which allowed the Musketeers’ slim 36-34 lead at the 13:55 mark to balloon to 55-37 with 2:56 to play.

“This is life with seven new players,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said, according to The Associated Press.

The Sun Devils (2-1) turned the ball over nine times and missed 14 of 15 shots during the 19-3 Xavier run.

“It gets frustrating when you throw the ball away on 10 of 13 possessions,” Turner Thorne said. “It’s not like we made the same mistake. We were very creative. We made different ones every time down.

We took turns not getting things done throughout the game.”

A 3-pointer by senior guard Danielle Orsillo at the 2:38 mark finally broke the ASU drought, but the Sun Devils never got closer than 13 points after that.

The second-half struggle came after a first period that was closely contested.

After a tip-in by ASU sophomore wing Kimberly Brandon gave the Sun Devils an 8-7 lead at the 11:41 mark, a layup by Xavier junior forward Amber Harris sparked a 15-2 run to allow the Musketeers (2-0) to build a 22-10 advantage. But the Sun Devils closed the half on a 13-6 spurt, capped by a 3-pointer by senior guard Gabby Fage, and ASU went into the locker room down just 28-23.

Orsillo was the only Sun Devil to score in double figures with 11 points, but she made just four out of her 15 field goal attempts.

Sophomore center Kali Bennett finished with nine points and seven rebounds.

The Xavier frontcourt tandem of Harris and junior Ta’Shia Phillips each notched a double-double, with Harris finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Phillips adding 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Reach the reporter at gina.mizell@asu.edu.