ASU women's basketball came back from an 18-point deficit against No. 5 UCLA but were unable to complete the comeback, losing 60-57 on Friday in Los Angeles.
ASU junior guard Taya Hanson hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to cut the team's deficit to two points. After UCLA freshman forward Emily Bessoir missed one of two free throws after the shot, Hanson had a chance to tie the game with another 3-pointer as time expired, but her shot ricocheted off of the backboard.
After the game, ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne was frustrated with her team's inconsistent play, saying its slow starts have become a trend for the team since Pac-12 play began. ASU committed 11 turnovers in the opening period while taking just six shots.
"We just have to have a greater level of consistency on offense and the defensive end in terms of just getting good possessions, controlling our effort and (having) our team connectedness better," Turner Thorne said.
ASU also struggled to defend the perimeter in the fourth quarter as UCLA sophomore guard Charisma Osborne made three of four shots from deep in the period. Osborne finished with a game-high 27 points despite Turner Thorne saying she strategized to have the team keep the guard away from the 3-point line.
Junior guard Gabriela Bosquez caught fire while ASU trailed in the second quarter, scoring eight straight points for the team. She averaged 1.1 points per game entering Friday's game but provided a much-needed jolt for the team's offense against the Bruins.
Bosquez's stretch helped ASU to cut its deficit to 12 at halftime, setting up the team's run in the third period.
"(Bosquez) was a reason we got back in the game," freshman guard Jaddan Simmons said. "Everyone was hyped on the bench."
Hanson led all ASU scorers with 12 points, and 10 Sun Devils scored points on Friday.
ASU plays USC next on Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. MST in Los Angeles.
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