Stanford controls game from the start, cruises to victory over Arizona State

(Photo Credit: Steve Rodriguez/Sun Devil Athletics)

No. 15 Arizona State (20-5, 9-4) dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season after losing 61-35 to No. 6 Stanford (23-2, 12-1) Friday night in Palo Alto.

Coming off their first loss in three months Sunday to Washington, Stanford faced ASU with just one goal in mind: rebounding from that tough loss. The Cardinal attacked the Sun Devils from the start, and allowed ASU to score just three points in the first 13 minutes of action.

Stanford’s standout senior forward Chiney Ogwumike and junior guard Amber Orrange both dominated the first 20 minutes. Ogwumike finished with 20 points, 18 of which came in the first half, along with 13 rebounds. Orrange scored 12 in the first half, and finished with 14.

The Sun Devils struggled offensively all night, and shot a dim 24 percent from the field, and 1-of-12 from three-point range.

“We haven’t scored the basketball well in three games,” ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “These last three games, we’ve been anemic.”

The 26-point loss is also ASU’s largest defeat of the season.

“It’s fine,” Turner Thorne said. “We need to get better. We need to take everything to heart. We need to learn. We need to grow. We’re young. So, it’s all good.”

The Sun Devils will have a chance to end their losing streak Sunday when they face No. 22 California in Berkeley.

You can reach Katy Burge on Twitter @KatyBurge or via email at katy.burge@asu.edu

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