The Sun Devil defense was again sensational, holding Wildcat big Oumar Ballo, the national leader in field goal percentage (.742) to just 3-8 from the floor. Arizona’s 37.7% shooting from the field was also just the second time in their 14 games that they shot less than 40%. In addition, Courtney Ramey was held to a season low five points for Arizona.
KEY MOMENTS
Arizona opened up a 13-4 run, already leading by nine, in the first half to extend their edge well into double digits.
The Sun Devils came out of the locker room after halftime on an 8-0 run over the first 75 seconds.
ASU opened the second half on a 18-4 scoring stretch in the first 5:50.
Desmond Cambridge Jr. cut the deficit to three, 53-50 with 11:08 left in regulation.
From that point, Arizona outscored ASU 16-7 to close out the contest.
NOTABLES
Wildcat big Oumar Ballo entered the contest leading the nation in field goal percentage, but was held to just 3-8 from the floor against the ASU defense.
Ballo was also held to his second lowest scoring total (worst, 11) with 12 today.
Frankie Collins paced ASU by tossing six dimes. He has led or tied ASU for the assists lead in all 13 games he’s played this season.
Collins also led Arizona State in points with 12, the fourth time in the 2022-23 campaign he’s led ASU in points and the first time since vs. VCU on November 16.
The ASU defense held Arizona to under 40% shooting in a game for just the second time in the Wildcats 14 games this season.
Arizona State held the Wildcats to their second lowest point total of the season with 69.
Through 14 games this season, opposing guards are shooting 180-533 (33%) from the field against the ASU defense. Opposing guards are also averaging 7.6 turnovers per game.
Wildcat guards made just eight shots from the floor.
Despite Ballo’s Arizona State outscored Arizona 36-24 in the paint. It is the 12th time in 14 games this season that ASU has led the category.
The Sun Devils have scored 414 of their 1005 points this season inside the painted area. That’s exactly 41% of ASU’s points coming from inside.
Courtney Ramey was held to a season low five points.
After tonight, Arizona State has scored more fast-break points than opponents in 10 out of 14 games, and the last six. The Sun Devils are outscoring opponents by a +38 margin on the fast break this season.
With today’s setback, the Sun Devils are 4-1 against teams coming off a win this season.
ASU’s three league games have been separated by a combined 14 points.
Warren Washington is 6-1 in the opening tip at Desert Financial Arena this season.
Desmond Cambridge Jr. is +35 in three league play games this season after being -1 against the Wildcats.
The Sun Devils have led in bench points in 12 of 14 games this season including a 19-12 edge against Arizona.
Duke Brennan notched a career best six rebounds and equaled his preview best six boards with :42 left in the opening half.
The Sun Devils made nine of their first 10 shots in the second half.
No Arizona field goals over the final 4:59
Arizona shot 7-26 (27%) from the field and 0-10 from three point range in the second half.
FIRST HALF
On the opening possession, Warren Washington got into Oumar Ballo and forced a turnover. Frankie Collins proceeded to snatch a board and race down the floor for a layup, Arizona States (11-3, 2-1) first points with 18:35 left in the half.
A pull-up off glass on the ensuing possession by Collins tied the contest at four. Collins continued to be involved, finding Devan Cambridge on a spinning layup at 16:14, cutting the Arizona (13-1, 2-1) lead to three, 9-6.
Arizona State proceeded to swarm the paint as Washington smacked a shot away from Azuolas Tubelis, his first rejection of the game.
Washington grabbed offensive glass and fed DJ Horne on the baseline with 14:35 left in the half, cutting the Arizona lead to six, 14-8.
Arizona went up by 10 before Alonzo Gaffney cut it to single digits with a layup at 12:23. Gaffney cut the lead to single digits again on a jumper at 10:06, 21-12.
Arizona proceeded to go on a 13-4 scoring stretch before Gaffney drained ASU’s first triple of the contest at 4:04, making the score 34-19.
The Sun Devils entered the locker room trailing 45-28.
SECOND HALF
Washington slammed a dunk to open the second half on a dish from Collins at 19:49. Collins then grabbed the rebound and threw it up to Devan Cambridge for a tap-in basket, cutting the Wildcat lead to 45-32.
Another stop and Collins layup made it a 6-0 Sun Devil run over :56 seconds into the half. U of A committed a turnover and DJ Horne demolished the rim of the fast break, 8-0 run over 1:15. The Wildcat lead was cut to nine, 45-36.
After an Arizona bucket, Horne found Washington for a violent alley-oop with 17:20 to go. Following a loud Desmond Cambridge Jr. dunk, Frankie Collins proceeded to do the same. The Wildcat lead was just seven, 49-42 at the under-16 media timeout. Arizona State opened the half on a 14-4 scoring stretch.
Devan Cambridge rudely rejected a Wildcat shot with 15:48 to play. After trading misses, the Sun Devil momentum continued. Fresh into the second half, Austin Nunez drained a straight jumper to cut the lead to five, 49-44 with 14:44 to play.
Ballo forced a jumper that wouldn’t fall and Luther Muhammad nailed a mid range.
Arizona was forced to call a timeout. The Sun Devils were on an 8-0 run. ASU also started the second half on an 18-4 scoring stretch over the first 5:50.
Just as the Arizona crowd tried to will the Wildcats back into the game, Desmond Cambridge Jr. cut the deficit to three, 53-50, on a trey from the right wing to roars from the Sun Devil faithful. That mark was the lowest the game would get.
Muhammad snapped a scoring drought with a midrange, cutting the deficit to seven 59-52 with 8:23 left.
Trailing by 10, Collins knocked in a jumper with 2:31 to play. Arizona State then found themselves on the right side of a pre-inbound tussle as Arizona was called for a Flagrant 1 with 2:16 to go. Devan Cambridge made both free throws for a 4-0 Sun Devil run.
Despite ASU’s late surge, the Wildcats were able to establish control and took the victory, 69-60.
QUOTABLES
Arizona State Men’s Basketball Coach Bobby Hurley
Opening Statement:
“It always hurts to lose to Arizona for sure and give credit to them. They were really good in the first half and we struggled to make shots. I think some of it, certainly they get credit for how they were defending us, taking things away and what not. That contributed to some of our failures there, but I think there’s always a little to carry over from the way we lost last week and into that first half to get our confidence back. Appreciate it how we fought back into the game and defended and got stops and started playing like we’d been playing a lot during the season, so hopefully this is something to build on moving forward.”
On how defense was coming out of the half:
“I thought they were doing a good job defensively taking some things away and they were expending tremendous energy in the first half guarding us. I felt like maybe we were a step quicker at times in the second half to take things away and to create some turnovers and get back in the game. Just proud of the guys that we got it to where it was a manageable game and a game we had a chance to win if we’d hit some shots. I mean it’s crazy, they’re a top-5 team in the country and beating some really good teams and we lost by nine and went 3-for-27 from three. So hopefully the guys who are normally hitting the shots and making those shots will connect a little better as we move forward. I think the other thing that hurt us was their size and how big they are around the basket was the free throw differential. Minus 17 at the free throw line and made free throws, it’s hard to overcome that. We made five more shots in the game from the field than they did.”
On foul trouble in the second half:
“Frankie’s foul on the baseline down there, that’s his fourth foul and two of my primary guys, Frankie and Desmond, Frankie has four fouls. It impacts what we’re doing, so I would’ve loved to see a more physical foul whistled there and it particularly would be Frankie’s fourth foul.”
Arizona State Men’s Basketball Guard Frankie Collins
On the high energy coming out into the second half and forcing turnovers:
“I think it’s easier to come out of halftime. You have to adjust, talk to the coaches, everyone talk to each other. Come out and say this is what we have to do and just make adjustments and make it happen.”
On if there was anything different that took away the three-ball for ASU:
“I think they were really hard on close outs. They made us take some tough three’s but I feel like we got a lot of good shots and we just didn’t make them. They defended the three-point line pretty well for the most part.”
Arizona State Men’s Basketball Forward Warren Washington
On if playing against Arizona’s bigs gives him confidence moving forward:
“Of course it does. They’re really good bigs and going against them, I knew it was going to be a war and I knew they were going to come at me so I felt like I just had to be physical and match their energy so it gives me confidence for sure when I play against those guys because they’re really good and it has a big effect on college basketball.”
On the crowd and the atmosphere:
“It’s everything to have Sun Devil Nation support us and fill up the arena. Today it was beautiful for me since it was my first chance to play against Arizona. I just like to say we appreciate y’all for the support and all that.”
UP NEXT
Arizona State continues a three game homestand and Pac-12 play with Washington State Thursday at 6:00 MST. The Sun Devils will have a quick turnaround to Washington Sunday at 3:00 MST.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Josh Schwam, Graduate Media Relations Intern
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