TEMPE, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Arizona State women’s basketball team used a dominant first half to cruise past Houston 81-56 in a Big 12 conference game Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils built a 49-27 halftime lead and never looked back, outscoring the Cougars 52-20 in the paint. Heloisa Carrera led Arizona State with 23 points and eight rebounds. Marley Washenitz added 14 points and eight rebounds, while McKinna Brackens scored 17. TK Pitts, Shun’teria Anumele and Briana Peguero each scored 13 points for Houston. The Cougars fell to 7-20 overall, while Arizona State improved to 22-7 before an announced crowd of 4,740.

TEMPE, Ariz. (Interstat) — Heloisa Carrera scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Arizona State overwhelmed Houston from the opening tip, cruising to an 81-56 victory in a Big 12 women’s basketball game Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils (22-7, 12-5 Big 12) never trailed, erupting for 27 points in the first quarter while holding the Cougars to just 13, effectively deciding the contest in the opening ten minutes before a crowd of 4,740. Arizona State’s dominant start, fueled by efficient offense and stifling interior defense, built a lead that Houston (7-20, 2-15) could not threaten for the remainder of the afternoon. The most critical phase of the game was undoubtedly the first quarter, where Arizona State established a commanding 27-13 lead. The Sun Devils set the tone immediately with a 10-0 run, capitalizing on early Houston misses and turnovers. Houston’s offense struggled profoundly against Arizona State’s defensive pressure, managing just two made field goals in the quarter on 14 attempts. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils attacked the paint relentlessly, scoring 20 of their 27 first-quarter points near the basket. Carrera, the 6-foot-2 forward from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was instrumental in the early blitz, scoring six points and controlling the glass. The period ended emphatically when McKinna Brackens connected on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, assisted by Amaya Williams, to extend the lead to 14 and sap any early momentum from the visiting Cougars. Arizona State maintained its firm grip throughout, leading 49-27 at halftime and 64-45 after three quarters. The Sun Devils’ offensive execution was a model of efficiency, shooting 54.8% from the field (34 of 62) and scoring 52 points in the paint. They also converted 14 Houston turnovers into 19 points. Defensively, they limited Houston to a frigid 28% shooting performance (14 of 50) and just four made 3-pointers. Carrera led all scorers, hitting 10 of her 14 field goal attempts in just 27 minutes of action. Brackens, a forward from Fairfield, Texas, added 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Guard Marley Washenitz contributed 14 points and eight rebounds, while Jyah LoVett chipped in 12 points off the bench. Houston, which has now lost five consecutive games, was led by 13 points apiece from guards TK Pitts, Shun’teria Anumele and Briana Peguero. The Cougars stayed within relative reach primarily through free throws, making 24 of 27 attempts, but their inability to generate consistent offense from the field proved insurmountable. They were outrebounded 40-24 and gathered only four offensive rebounds all game. The victory solidifies Arizona State’s position in the upper tier of the Big 12 conference as the regular season winds down. The Sun Devils, who were projected by analytics to have a 94.9% chance of winning, executed their game plan flawlessly from the outset. Houston, mired in a difficult season, continues to search for answers on both ends of the floor as it prepares for the final stretch of conference play. Arizona State next hosts BYU on Wednesday. Houston travels to face Arizona on Tuesday.

Preview: Struggling Houston Faces Arizona State in Big 12 Women’s Basketball TEMPE, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Arizona State Sun Devils look to rebound from a rare blowout loss when they host the struggling Houston Cougars in a Big 12 women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. Arizona State (21-7), which entered the week as a potential ranked team, is coming off a 90-64 road defeat to Iowa State on Wednesday. The Sun Devils had won three of their previous four, including a key 75-69 overtime victory at rival Arizona on Feb. 14. Houston (7-19) seeks to halt a five-game losing streak, most recently a 72-50 home loss to TCU on Wednesday. The Cougars’ last win was a 72-70 victory over Cincinnati on Feb. 1. The game features a contrast in standout guards. Arizona State is led by McKinna Brackens, who averages 18.5 points per game. She scored 21 in the loss to Iowa State and had 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win at Arizona. Houston’s offensive catalyst is Kyndall Hunter, who erupted for 20 points against TCU. She also scored 23 in the win over Cincinnati. Her production will be critical for a Cougars team that has been held under 70 points in 10 consecutive games. Arizona State’s defense, which allows an average of 65.2 points, will aim to contain Hunter and force Houston into a half-court game. The Sun Devils have been strong at home this season, boasting a 12-2 record in Tempe. Houston, in its first season of Big 12 play, has found conference competition difficult, going 2-13 against league opponents. The Cougars rank near the bottom of the conference in both scoring offense and defense. The Sun Devils won the first meeting this season, 77-46, in Houston on Jan. 4. Brackens scored 15 points in that contest. Saturday’s game tips off at 2 p.m. local time. Arizona State visits Texas Tech on March 1, while Houston travels to face Arizona on Tuesday.