ASU women's basketball trailed by as much as 21 points in the second quarter to USC, eventually losing 71-65 on Wednesday in Las Vegas, bowing out of the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament in the first round for the second straight year.
The Sun Devils shot just 3 of 11 in the first quarter and allowed the Trojans to start the second quarter on a 10-0 run, a hole dug too deep to climb out of.
"I did think we were ready and focused," head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "But, we started super, super slow. Just didn't throw the first punch; didn't start punching really until into the second quarter."
ASU's poor shot-making ability plagued the team throughout, finishing the game with shooting 34.9%, just a tick higher than the Pac-12-worst 33.4% it sported through the regular season. The team shot 28.6% and committed 10 turnovers in the first half.
USC took advantage of ASU inside, scoring 36 points in the paint. USC finished the game shooting 65.2% from the floor and 50% from three.
Turner Thorne said USC's hot shooting was not a result of the team hitting difficult shots, but rather her defense failing to apply pressure to its opponent's offense.
"We wanted to guard better, and we tried to mix up our defenses, and we just weren't as locked in and connected as we have been," Turner Thorne said. "We just had way too many breakdowns."
USC seemed to outmuscle ASU as well, with Turner Thorne saying they played "soft."
The Sun Devils fought back in the fourth quarter, with the defense applying full-court pressure and forcing five turnovers in the period. Despite outscoring the Trojans 24-15 in the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils' comeback effort fell short.
"We worked hard as a team towards the end, it needed to come a lot more soon," freshman forward Maggie Besselink said.
Besselink stood out for ASU, recording a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Taya Hanson led the team in scoring with 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting.
The Sun Devils' rebounding was an area of strength in the game. ASU grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and scored 15 second-chance points. Besselink recorded seven offensive rebounds.
The loss does not necessarily mean ASU's season is over. Turner Thorne expressed interest in playing in the Women's National Invitational Tournament, which starts on March 19.
"For this team, you know, with no experienced players, that'll be a great opportunity for us," Turner Thorne said. "It aligns with the calendar of the NCAA Tournament, and we just have to get them to understand what March is about."
Teams will be selected for the WNIT on March 15.
Reach the reporter at alexjweiner@gmail.com and follow @alexjweiner on Twitter.
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