(Tempe, AZ) Sun Devil Men’s Basketball opened up the 2022-23 season in exciting fashion, defeating Tarleton 62-59 on Monday night.
Arizona State finished the game on a 10-2 run, securing the victory in front of a lively Desert Financial Arena crowd. Head Coach Bobby Hurley‘s team turned up the defensive pressure and came through with big plays when they needed it while dominating Tarleton on the glass. Frankie Collins led the way with 21 points in his Sun Devil debut, while Marcus Bagley returned with a crucial 13-point effort.
KEY MOMENTS
- The Sun Devils went on 21-6 scoring stretch over the final 7:05 in the first half including runs of 7-0 and 8-0. Marcus Bagley hit back-to-back threes in the final minute to take the Sun Devils into the half with a three point edge, 32-29.
- The Sun Devils stayed in the contest due to a strong defensive game plan, holding the Texans without a field goal for 3:36 from 15:12-11:36 and 5:08 from 8:25-3:17 in the second half.
- Trailing 57-52 with 2:45 to play, the Texans missed two free throws and Frankie Collins drained a pull-up three on the ensuing possession to make it 57-55 with 2:20 left in regulation.
- The 11th and final Sun Devil block came with :56 seconds in regulation by Warren Washington, keeping the contest tied.
- ASU took the lead on the fast break with :22 seconds left as DJ Horne forced a steal and Warren Washington punched in an and-one to put ASU ahead for good.
FIRST HALF
Defensive presence was strong early, with both sides not finding offensive openings. ASU found its groove, with Frankie Collins knocking down the first Sun Devil trey with 6:51 to play in the opening half.
ASU’s offense steadied from there as the Sun Devils went on an 8-0 run and pulled within two with 3:55 to play in the half. Arizona State tied it with 3:32 left on a Duke Brennan put back layup and took the lead back on a Marcus Bagley fade away three, his second in as many possessions, with :30 seconds left in the half.
The Sun Devils ended the frame on a 7-0 run and outscored the Texans 21-6 over the final 7:05. Collins knocked down two triples during the stretch, a new career high for the Sun Devil debutant as totaled 5-9 from the floor including 4-5 from long distance.
SECOND HALF
The Sun Devils picked up right where they left off in the second half as Collins found Alonzo Gaffney for a thunderous alley-oop slam with 17:22 left, gaving ASU the lead back, 34-33, and earned a roar from the Sun Devil faithful.
ASU held the Texans without a field goal for 3:36 and Desmond Cambridge Jr. recorded a loud block off the backboard with 11:11 left in regulation.
Collins’ trey with 8:15 earned him a career high 17 points and brought the Sun Devils back to within two, with the Texans leading 48-46. He finished with 21.
The Sun Devils caught a break late. With the Texans leading by five, 57-52, they missed consecutive free throws and Collins capitalized, draining a trey with 2:20 to go. It cut the ASU deficit to two.
The Sun Devils would tie the game on a Horne floater with 1:44 left. It was the first tie since it was 42-42 with 10:41 left in the second half.
Trailing by one with :22 seconds left, Horne forced a steal in the backcourt and the ball found its way to Marcus Bagley, who punched in the game winning and-one with 18 seconds in regulation.
ASU put the finishing touches on a thunderous slam by Devan Cambridge with seven seconds, putting ASU ahead by four.
QUOTABLES
“Overall, the biggest positive is just our ability late in the game to create some turnovers and be able to find a way to win,” Coach Hurley observed after the game.
“It felt like I was in foreign territory. It was fun out there, I’m happy we got the win. I need to keep being patient with myself and trust the process out there and get ready for Thursday.” Marcus Bagley remarked following his first game back.
Marcus Bagley with a shout out to the Sun Devil faithful. “I think a big part of us pushing through to get the win was the fans, we were just feeding off of their energy, it helps us and I know it will help us in the long run.”
NOTABLES
- The Sun Devils smothered the Texans defensively, holding them without a field over and forcing four turnovers over the final 3:17.
- ASU emphasized their physicality, leading Tarleton 54-39 in rebounds including a 20-9 margin on the offensive end.
- The Texans were never above 53% from the floor and did not make a three the entire first half. They finished with just two makes from long distance.
- In his Sun Devil debut, Collins achieved a new career high 21 points, besting his previous best of 14 on a triple with 8:15 to play in regulation. He is the eighth Sun Devil newcomer to score at least 20 points since the 1980-81 season.
- ASU recorded double-digit blocks (11) for the first time since they had 13 on Dec. 9, 2022 against Grand Canyon. Devan Cambridge led the way with four rejections individually while Washington and Gaffney also had two recorded blocks.
- DJ Horne snatched a new career high eight rebounds. He tied his previous best of five in the first half and had more defensive rebounds (6) than his previous total career high (5).
- The Sun Devils improved to 7-1 in the Bobby Hurley era in season openers, with the only setback coming in Hurley’s first game as a Sun Devil.
- Arizona State improved to 33-7 in non-conference home games under Hurley.
- ASU improved to 8-2 in season openers before November 11. Tonight’s contest was the second earliest opening game in Sun Devil history, one day later than the 102-94 (2OT) victory over Cal State Fullerton on November 6, 2018.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will go for their second consecutive 2-0 start Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Desert Financial Arena against Northern Arizona. The game will be broadcasted on Pac-12 Network.
