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No. 14 Arizona State defeats North Dakota 67-43

Dec 9, 2009 - 8:48 PM TEMPE, Ariz.(AP) -- Kayli Murphy scored 15 points and No. 14 Arizona State used smothering defense and dominance on the boards to cruise to a 67-43 victory over North Dakota on Wednesday.

Arizona State (7-1) limited North Dakota to 28.6 shooting (14 of 49) from the field and outrebounded the Fighting Sioux, 53-31.

Danielle Orsillo added 12 points and Kalli Bennett had 11 points in helping Arizona State win its fifth straight game following a loss to No. 9 Xavier.

Kayla Bagaason led North Dakota (2-7) with 15 points, going 3-for-7 from 3-point range, and added seven rebounds.

Becca Tobin had 10 rebounds for Arizona State, and Murphy and Kimberly Brandon added seven apiece.

Arizona State took control of the game with a 45-17 run that began five minutes into the game and extended almost halfway through the second half. Arizona State led by as many as 32 points.

Arizona State used its height advantage to control the boards. Murphy, Brandon and Tobin are all 6-foot-2 or taller, and the Sun Devils regularly rotated in three more players who are at least 6-3. Arizona State entered the game averaging 10.5 rebounds more than its opponents.

North Dakota's tallest starter, 6-1 Whitney Ledger, led the Sioux with nine rebounds.

Orsillo tied a season high with five assists.

North Dakota is in its second season in NCAA Division I. The Fighting Sioux went 15 possessions without a field goal in the first half and 14 possessions without a point in the second after Jossy Bergan made a layup to open the second-half scoring.

Arizona State finished the first half on a 29-11 run for a 37-18 lead. North Dakota made two field goals in a 12-minute, 55-second span against Arizona State's pressing defense. The Sun Devils had scoring runs of 10-0 and 23-6.