Senior guard Olivia Major put ASU’s recent offensive struggles in perspective when she said, “It’s going to come, it’s going to come, it’s going to come.”
The ASU women’s basketball team’s offense came Thursday night against Oregon State.
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, Oregon State’s offense showed up as well.
ASU seemed to be the stronger team in the first half, but OSU battled back in the second to take the game in the closing seconds.
At halftime, the ASU Sun Devils were shooting 56 percent from the field.
Early in the first half, OSU, led by senior forward Patricia Bright, got out to a 9-2 lead.
ASU starting senior forwards Kali Bennett and Kimberly Brandon got into early foul trouble guarding Bright.
Luckily for the Sun Devils, the ASU bench forwards stepped up to the challenge when Bennett and Brandon were forced to sit.
Redshirt junior forward Janae Fulcher picked it up for the Sun Devils with eight points in the game. Freshman forward Jada Blackwell scored all of her 11 points in the first half.
Fulcher and Blackwell allowed the Sun Devils’ starters to stay on the bench, stay fresh and conserve their fouls.
Major got the start for the Sun Devils and she delivered by sparking the ASU offense with her 3-point shooting. Major ended the night with eight points, including two makes from behind the arc.
Major’s 3-point shooting helped the Sun Devils finish the game shooting 40 percent from downtown.
OSU battled late in the first half and after three straight field goals, cut the ASU lead to 35-30.
The Beavers’ momentum carried over into the second half.
After a 3-point shot by freshman guard Ali Gibson, OSU took the lead 47-44 with just over eight minutes left in the game.
ASU continued to battle back, but the Beavers never lost the lead.
Bennett came into the second half fresh after sitting out most of the first half with foul trouble. She stepped up and finished the night with 11 points.
After a Bennett jumper, the Sun Devils cut the Beavers’ lead to one point, but a 3-point shot by OSU junior guard Sage Indendi put the Beavers up 54-51.
With 18 seconds left, the Sun Devils, down three, had a chance to tie the game. Junior guard Deja Mann was charged with an offensive foul and OSU had control of the game.
OSU went on to make two free throws to win the game 56-51.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
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