'Unstoppable' Arizona women blow through Sun Devils

Dan Hoffman Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior Arizona forward Adia Barnes (30) shoots the ball over Arizona State junior center Rachel Holt (54) at McKale Center Saturday night. Barnes led the Wildcats in scoring with 25 points in the 92-57 blowout.

And it doesn't get much more basic than layups.

So that's what Arizona (16-5, 9-3 Pacific 10 Conference) did as they crushed Arizona State 92-57, in front of 2,978 fans at McKale Center Saturday night.

They ran through the left, right and center of the Sun Devil (9-12, 5-7) defense, and when all was said and done, they had hit 31 layups on their way to shooting 58 percent from the floor.

But before the layups came the defense, as the Wildcats used 24 steals to force ASU into a conference season-high 41 turnovers.

ASU point guard Michelle Tom committed 12 of those turnovers in the first half as the Wildcats cruised to a 50-19 lead at the break.

"We were really unstoppable tonight," senior forward Adia Barnes said. "We need to play like this more."

Barnes pulled down eight rebounds and had five steals as well as leading all scorers with 25 points, while guards Felecity Willis and DeAngela Minter led the Wildcat defense.

"Felecity definitely had the best game she's had at Arizona," UA head coach Joan Bonvicini said. "She's an outstanding floor leader."

Willis eclipsed her career high in scoring of 14 with 15 first half points and finished the game with 21. She also contributed five assists and three steals.

"I just wanted to go out and show the crowd I can play," Willis said about her first start on the McKale hardwood.

With Willis, Lisa Griffith and Minter, who started ahead of Monika Crank, on the floor, the Wildcats were playing with three point guards, none of whom ASU could defend.

"We knew, the way they play defense, we were going to get layups," Willis said. "We just went out and hit them."

In addition to the transition game, the Wildcats were effective in the halfcourt game, consistently lobbing the ball to Barnes and center Marte Alexander.

"The key was we got a lot of dribble penetration," Bonvicini said. "We played hard and read what they gave us."

Prior to the game, Barnes was presented the ball that she scored her 2,000th point with against Washington, Feb.5.

With 2,050 points after Saturday, she needs only 27 more to move into fifth place on the Pac-10 all-time women's basketball scoring chart.

"That was kind of embarrassing, actually," Barnes said of the presentation. "I was just thinking about winning."