Down by 10 points with 11:38 remaining in the second half, a perturbed Jill Bell tugged on her jersey and gasped for air.
The Washington sophomore forward's reaction summed up the Huskies' frustration after being worn down by the Sun Devils for the opening 28 minutes.
Bell was just one of many Washington players who appeared out of gas and not prepared for the Sun Devils' gritty style of play.
With second place in the Pac-10 in its sights, ASU stepped up its usual aggressiveness to knock the Huskies out of rhythm.
"We're not glitz and glamour, we're a hard-nosed team," ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "We're disciplined and hard-working, so if there's no reason to stay on the floor, our players are going to get right up and get back on defense."
Husky sophomore forward Maggie O'Hara saw this firsthand -- O'Hara caught an elbow in the second half and needed to be helped off the floor.
The Sun Devils held Washington to just 10-of-32 shooting in the first half. ASU's defense frustrated the Huskies into bad shots and ugly offensive possessions.
Washington's frustration boiled into anger in the second half as the Sun Devils pulled away. Players from both teams constantly hit the floor, and 25 fouls were called in the second half.
The difference for ASU in the second half was its energy after being knocked to the ground.
Following a collision under the basket midway through the second half, junior forward Amy Denson jumped up with a smile on her face as she made her way toward the free-throw line.
"We needed to have fun in the second half, and sometimes you just need to laugh things off," Denson said. "We came out tense in the second half and we needed to release that tension to get the win."
The majority of the credit for the Sun Devils' success on defense lied in their aggressiveness.
"We're a defensive team and shutting down their transition game was our primary goal," ASU sophomore forward Aubree Johnson said. "When we got in their faces they got frustrated and had a hard time getting their shots."
Boardman honored
Senior guard Betsy Boardman was honored with a commemorative ball Thursday in a pregame ceremony.
Boardman, who is in her fifth year with the program, has compiled 1,045 career points, making her the 14th Sun Devil to join the 1,000-point club.
"Betsy has been a leader since her freshman year," Turner Thorne said. "When I think of this team and of toughness, I think of Betsy."
Boardman fought back through two ACL tears -- one in each knee -- to finish strong for ASU.
"I think that Betsy is a role model in terms of toughness," Turner Thorne said. "Her commitment speaks volumes."
Boardman added a three-point bucket and an assist just before halftime Thursday to put the Sun Devils up by double digits. Boardman has been known for her key contributions throughout her time in the program.
"If every player could be like her, that would be a coach's dream," Turner Thorne said.
Reach the reporters at brian.knapp@asu.edu and michael.fowler@asu.edu.
