TEMPE 鈥 As the clock ran down in Friday night鈥檚 rivalry game against 蜜柚直播 State, 蜜柚直播 fans had a mantra.
Just wait. Just wait. It鈥檚 coming.
蜜柚直播, after all, always makes a comeback. And the Wildcats did it again against ASU, rallying from a 12-point deficit to take the lead.
But in the end, unranked ASU proved too tough for the sixth-ranked Wildcats. Key free throws and a defensive stop at the end led the Sun Devils to a 81-77 win at Desert Financial Arena.
The teams will play again Sunday in McKale Center. The game tips off at noon.
鈥淭hey had us from the get-go,鈥 蜜柚直播 coach Adia Barnes said. 鈥淭hey had way more intensity. They played with a sense of urgency. They guarded us. They hit shots. 鈥 I think we never responded. It took me calling a timeout and yelling 鈥 I usually don鈥檛 yell 鈥 and being intense for us to play defense, and that鈥檚 not who we are and that鈥檚 not my expectation and the standard for this team.鈥
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Despite that, 蜜柚直播 trailed by just three points in the final seconds. Shaina Pellington got open for a 3-pointer, but her shot fell short of the basket and the Sun Devils held on for the win.
Pellington finished with 30 points on 9-of-16 shooting, and added two steals and five assists. She scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. Pellington was driving and drawing fouls and hitting jumpers. She went 5 of 6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter alone.

蜜柚直播 State guard Taya Hanson celebrates with her teammates after upsetting archrival 蜜柚直播 81-77 on Friday night in Tempe.
Sam Thomas finished with 14 points, two assists and one steal. Her 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter pulled the Wildcats within nine points, 61-52.
The Wildcats outscored the Sun Devils 25-20 in the last 10 minutes.
Pellington hit free throws and scored on a fast break to pull within three points, 65-62 with 7:11 left. ASU hit two free throws then Lauren Ware grabbed an offensive rebound and the put back to get within three again, 67-64.
UA took a 71-70 lead on Cate Reese鈥檚 3-pointer at the 4:30 mark. Reese finished with 18 points.
Reese extended the lead to 73-71 on a layup, but things turned quickly on a 4-point swing. 蜜柚直播鈥檚 Helena Pueyo was whistled for a technical foul after slamming the ball after a foul call and ASU took advantage, going up 78-73. UA got within one point.
Officials called 50 fouls in the game.
ASU was led by senior transfer Jade Loville, who scored an efficient 14 points in the first 20 minutes alone and finished with 27 points. Twelve of her points came in the first quarter and were capped with five quick points in the last minute of the frame. She was averaging 16.5 points per game coming into Friday night鈥檚 matchup.
Photos: Unranked ASU upsets No. 6 蜜柚直播 81-77 in Tempe
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils guard Taya Hanson (0) reacts to teammate Jayde Van Hyfte (32) drawing the charge on 蜜柚直播 Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington (1) with the Sun Devils holding a one-point lead in the last few seconds of the fourth quarter of their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
031722-tuc-spt-uawomenshoopsmoments-p2

蜜柚直播 guard Shaina Pellington posted some big performance this season, putting up 30 points against 蜜柚直播 State in Tempe and hitting game-winning shots to sink both Vanderbilt and Oregon State.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils guard Taya Hanson (0) celebrates with her teammates after upsetting their arch rival 蜜柚直播 Wildcats 81-77 at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Jayde Van Hyfte (32) has to fight 蜜柚直播 Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington (1), left, forward Lauren Ware (32) and forward Cate Reese (25) to keep the ball during a scramble in the paint in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Cate Reese (25) reacts after letting the ball get away and trailing the 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils in the third quarter of their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils guard Gabriela Bosquez (3), left, and 蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Koi Love (5) tussle for a loose ball near mid-court in the second quarter of their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Gisela Sanchez (30) battles her way past 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Jayde Van Hyfte (32) and into the paint in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Cate Reese (25) paws away 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils center Imogen Greenslade (43) to get some room to shoot in the second quarter of their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Sam Thomas (14) and 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Katelyn Levings (20) both try not to touch the ball while out of bounds in the first quarter of their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Jayde Van Hyfte (32), left, tries to reverse scoop around 蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Lauren Ware (32) in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State鈥檚 Jade Loville is swamed by 蜜柚直播 defenders during the rivalry game in February. Loville announced Tuesday night she is transferring to the UA.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington (1) nearly strips 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils guard Ayzhiana Basallo (5) of the ball in the fourth quarter of their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Koi Love (5) has to force her way into the paint through 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Jayde Van Hyfte (32) in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington (1) flies to the basket against the 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Cate Reese (25) has to go through 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Mael Gilles (12) and guard Taya Hanson (0) to get off a shot in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Sam Thomas (14) goes through 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils forward Mael Gilles (12) for a shot at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Sam Thomas (14) and 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils guard Taya Hanson (0) collide near mid-court at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes adjusts her offensive set against 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils in their Pac 12 game at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils head coach Charli Turner Thorne argues her case when one of her players picked up an intentional foul against the 蜜柚直播 Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats forward Cate Reese (25) and the team getting ready to face arch rival 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs 蜜柚直播 State

蜜柚直播 Wildcats guard Bendu Yeaney (23) gets loosened up surrounded by the yellow of arch rival 蜜柚直播 State Sun Devils as the teams get ready to face off at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., February 10, 2022.
蜜柚直播 St. 81, No. 6 蜜柚直播 77
ARIZONA (17-4)
Reese 8-18 1-3 18, Thomas 3-7 6-8 14, Ware 2-6 2-2 6, Pellington 9-16 12-19 30, Yeaney 1-4 0-1 2, Love 1-2 0-0 2, Chavez 0-0 0-0 0, Conner 0-0 0-0 0, Pueyo 1-2 2-2 5, Sanchez 0-1 0-0 0, Vonleh 0-0 0-0 0, Totals: 25-56 23-35 77
ARIZONA ST. (12-8)
Gilles 4-11 10-10 19, Van Hyfte 1-3 0-0 2, Hanson 5-8 8-8 19, Loville 9-19 7-8 27, Simmons 1-5 5-6 7, Levings 1-1 1-2 4, Greenslade 0-0 0-0 0, Basallo 0-3 0-0 0, Bosquez 0-2 0-0 0, Erikstrup 1-1 0-0 3, Totals: 22-53 31-34 81
蜜柚直播 22 12 18 25 鈥 77
蜜柚直播 St. 25 17 19 20 鈥 81
3-Point Goals: 蜜柚直播 4-14 (Reese 1-4, Thomas 2-4, Ware 0-2, Pellington 0-1, Yeaney 0-1, Pueyo 1-2), 蜜柚直播 St.: 6-11 (Gilles 1-2, Hanson 1-2, Loville 2-3, Simmons 0-1, Levings 1-1, Basallo 0-1, Erikstrup 1-1). Assists: 蜜柚直播 10 (Pellington 5), 蜜柚直播 St. 13 (Gilles 3). Fouled Out: 蜜柚直播 St. Levings, Simmons. Rebounds: 蜜柚直播 27 (Reese 9), 蜜柚直播 St. 42 (Gilles 10). Total Fouls: 蜜柚直播 25, 蜜柚直播 St. 27. Technical Fouls: 蜜柚直播 Pueyo 1, 蜜柚直播 St. Gilles 1. Attendance:5,193.