Women's basketball defeats Arizona in Pac-12 opener

Kimberly Brandon scored 13 points and keyed a decisive second-half run to lead Arizona State past Arizona 60-45 Saturday in the Pac-12 Conference opener for both teams.

Brandon scored five points during an 11-0 run as the Sun Devils took a 40-30 lead with 11:58 left in the game. The Sun Devils (10-2, 1-0 Pac-12) snapped the Wildcats' six-game winning streak.

Davellyn Whyte scored 19 points to lead the Wildcats (11-2, 0-1). Erica Barnes had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Arizona.

Micaela Pickens added 13 points for Arizona State, which has beaten its in-state rival 14 of their last 16 meetings.

Arizona had been off to its best start since 1999-2000 and was undefeated in its five road games. The Wildcats shot just 14-of-44 (32 percent) from the field, behind held to 28 points under its season average.

Brandon, the Sun Devils' leading scorer and rebounder, picked up two fouls in the first five minutes as Arizona State opened up an 8-2 lead early. Arizona had a 10-2 run of its own to take a 19-15 lead after Whyte's second 3-pointer with 7:47 left before the break. Arizona led 26-25 at halftime.

In the second half, the teams traded points with Whyte making two free throws to give Arizona its last lead, 30-29, with 16:06 left. Brandon then hit a 16-footer to start the crucial stretch. The Wildcats made four turnovers over the next three minutes and the Sun Devils broke open a close game.

Arizona State outrebounded Arizona 46-33 and scored 17 points off 19 Wildcat turnovers.

Saturday's game was the first of two meetings between the two schools as part of the State Farm Territorial Cup Series.