ASU women's basketball started off cold but battled its way through a difficult road victory over Washington State, downing the Cougars in Pullman, Washington, by a final of 61-58 Friday night.
"I am not at all disappointed in our toughness," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said through Sun Devil athletics. "We just kept working, we kept playing through things. I thought it was a great team win."
In the final quarter of play, a few key layups by senior forward Sophie Brunner and a jumper by sophomore guard Sabrina Haines helped the Sun Devils (16-8, 7-6 Pac-12) gain the lead and close out the Cougars (10-14, 5-8 Pac-12).
After a stretch of several cold games, Haines had another strong performance. She broke her season-best – which was set in Sunday's win over Oregon – with a game-high 17 points, including two free throws with 14 seconds left to seal the game for the Sun Devils.
Sabrina Haines scores a season-high 17 points and the Devils win it 61-58! #GoDevils #RoadWarriors pic.twitter.com/j6t5cgUVEL
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) February 11, 2017
Haines also dropped 19 on the Cougars when her team visited Pullman last season.
"Sabrina Haines, wow," Turner Thorne said. "She likes this gym, she stepped up huge."
The Sun Devils struggled early and in the second quarter, in particular. Washington State opened the period on a 9-2 run to open up a 26-17 lead thanks to ASU's unappealing 10 turnovers and 10-of-28 shooting from the field in the first half.
As a whole, the Sun Devils shot 22 percent from the field. The Cougars shot an equally ice cold 20 percent.
In the remaining minutes of the first half, ASU fought back to within three points thanks to a few key baskets by freshman forward Robbi Ryan – who finished with 10 points, all of which came in the first half – and entered the break down 30-27.
The Sun Devils took their first lead early in the third on a layup through contact by senior forward Quinn Dornstauder, who had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
"(Dornstauder) had some brilliant moments defensively," Turner Thorne said. "I was really proud of her."
With this win, the Sun Devils picked up their second straight victory in advance of Sunday night's key matchup with No. 10 Washington. Last time ASU faced the Huskies, they fell just short down the stretch, losing by a final of 65-54.
"We're very excited for this rematch," Turner Thorne said. "There were huge things that I thought we didn't do against Washington. It'll be fun, that's going to be a great atmosphere, they're playing so well right now. This win has alluded us this year, this win over the upper-ranked team, we've been right there and we haven't be able to finish games, so that's our challenge Sunday."
That crucial matchup is set for a 6 p.m. tip-off, and will be aired as the Pac-12 Networks game of the week Sunday night in Seattle.
Reach the reporter at jeff.griffith21@asu.edu or follow @Jeff_Griffith21 on Twitter.
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