Sun Devils defeat Vanguard in exhibition game

Sophomore guard Kimberly Brandon scored 19 points while fellow sophomore Kali Bennett added 18 points as No. 16 Arizona State defeated Vanguard University 97-64 in exhibition play on Thursday.

Senior guard Danielle Orsillo (14 points), redshirt freshman forward Janae Fulcher (12 points) and senior forward Kayli Murphy (11 points) also scored in double figures for ASU, which shot 45 percent for the game.

As a team, the Sun Devils outrebounded Vanguard 65-28, including a plus-25 advantage (37-12) on the offensive boards. Bennett, who sat out last season after transferring from Washington in 2008, led ASU with 13 rebounds, 11 of which were offensive.

A 28-5 run over a 6:47 span helped the Sun Devils open up a 29-point lead, 48-19, with just over five minutes left in the first half. Vanguard would not get closer than 21 points the rest of the way as the Sun Devils would lead by as many as 36 in the second half.

Thursday's game included six new faces on the floor for the Sun Devils, including Bennett and Fulcher, who both redshirted last season; junior Tenaya Watson (3 points, 2 assists, 1 steal), who transferred to ASU last spring from Central Arizona; and Joy Burke (4 points, 2 rebounds), Deja Mann (4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) and Sabrina McKinney (2 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound) who comprise ASU's freshman class.

The Sun Devils are off until November 15 when they host South Dakota State in the 2009-10 season opener.