No. 9 Georgia Falls to Arizona State

Monday, December 2, 2002
 
MEL REISNER
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Freshman Jill Noe scored 20 points and created a key turnover in the final seconds as Arizona State beat No. 14 Georgia 74-70 Monday night, the Lady Bulldogs' second loss in three nights.

Arizona upset Georgia 70-49 on Saturday.

Kylan Loney had 13 points and Amy Denson added 10 as the Sun Devils (5-0) won a school-record 13th consecutive home game. Arizona State won 12 straight in 1981-82 and tied that the next season.

Christi Thomas had 21 points and 15 rebounds for Georgia (2-2). Kara Braxton had 19 points and Alexis Kendrick added 11, but both fouled out playing catch-up.

Braxton got her fifth foul with 5:14 to play, and Kristen Kovesdy made a free throw that gave the Sun Devils a 58-47 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs rallied behind Kendrick, who made a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left that cut the deficit to 69-67.

But Noe tipped a Georgia pass to Loney with 30 seconds left, and Loney made two free throws. Kendrick buried another 3-pointer with 21 seconds to go, but fouled out on the next play, and Loney opened a 74-70 lead with two more free throws.

Braxton had 15 points in the first half despite picking up two fouls in the first 1:19.

No more than four points separated the teams until Denson made a 16-footer with 10:13 remaining that made it 53-47. It was part of a 19-4 run that lasted 13:16 and was capped by Kovesdy's free throw that gave Arizona State an 11-point lead.