Sun Devils throttle Sioux

December 09, 2009

<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/murphy_kayli01.html">K… Murphy</a> scored 15 points and No. 14 Arizona State used smothering defense and dominance on the boards to cruise to a 67-43 victory over North Dakota on Wednesday.<separator></separator>Arizona State (7-1) limited North Dakota to 28.6 shooting (14 of 49) from the field and outrebounded the Fighting Sioux, 53-31.<separator></separator> <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/orsillo_danielle00.htm… Orsillo</a> added 12 points and Kalli Bennett had 11 points in helping Arizona State win its fifth straight game following a loss to No. 9 Xavier.<separator></separator> Kayla Bagaason led North Dakota (2-7) with 15 points, going 3-for-7 from 3-point range, and added seven rebounds.<separator></separator> <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/tobin_becca00.html">Be… Tobin</a> had 10 rebounds for Arizona State, and Murphy and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/brandon_kimberly00.htm… Brandon</a> added seven apiece.<separator></separator>Arizona State took control of the game with a 45-17 run that began five minutes into the game and extended almost halfway through the second half. Arizona State led by as many as 32 points.<separator></separator>Arizona State used its height advantage to control the boards. Murphy, Brandon and Tobin are all 6-foot-2 or taller, and the Sun Devils regularly rotated in three more players who are at least 6-3. Arizona State entered the game averaging 10.5 rebounds more than its opponents.<separator></separator> North Dakota's tallest starter, 6-1 Whitney Ledger, led the Sioux with nine rebounds.<separator></separator> Orsillo tied a season high with five assists.<separator></separator>North Dakota is in its second season in NCAA Division I. The Fighting Sioux went 15 possessions without a field goal in the first half and 14 possessions without a point in the second after Jossy Bergan made a layup to open the second-half scoring.<separator></separator>Arizona State finished the first half on a 29-11 run for a 37-18 lead. North Dakota made two field goals in a 12-minute, 55-second span against Arizona State's pressing defense. The Sun Devils had scoring runs of 10-0 and 23-6.