Playing without big man Warren Washingtonfor the first time this season, Arizona State did not back down inside, winning the battle in the paint 24-20.
Four Sun Devils put together double-digit scoring efforts, paced by DJ Horne with 18 points. It is Horne’s second straight game and second straight appearance at Maples Pavilion scoring 18. Frankie Collins (15), Desmond Cambridge Jr. (13) and Devan Cambridge (11) were the other Sun Devils in double-figures.
KEY MOMENTS
Arizona State cut into an early double-digit Cardinal lead, going from an 18-8 to 18-17 with a 9-0 run over 2:44 from 11:28-8:44. It was part of a 14-7 scoring advantage over 6:19 from 11:28 to 5:09.
Stanford opened the second half on a 15-2 scoring stretch and took a 48-35 lead.
Trailing 63-55 with 6:08 to play, Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Horne both hit triples in :29 seconds, a 6-0 run to bring it back within two.
Arizona State took the lead for the first time in the second half on a DJ Horne triple at 1:50, 67-65.
ASU closed the game on an 8-0 run and held the Cardinal to two of their last 10 from the floor and a scoring drought of the final 4:05.
FIRST HALF
Desmond Cambridge Jr. knocked in a floater with 18:46 to get the Arizona State (17-8, 8-6) offense started.
Desmond Cambridge Jr
The squads traded buckets before Stanford (10-14, 4-9) went on a 6-0 run, making it 11-4. Devan Cambridge leaked out on the fast break for an and-one basket. Desmond Jr. snatched the rebound and Devan eventually dropped in a basket, making it an 11-8 deficit.
Following a Jamiya Neal layup, Austin Nunez drained a trey – ASU’s first – making it a 18-13 Stanford advantage and giving the Sun Devils a 5-0 run.
Frankie Collins earned his first points of the contest on a layup at 9:19, bringing ASU the run to seven, an 18-15 Stanford lead. He proceeded to knock in another bucket bringing him up to four straight points and the run to nine. The Sun Devils were within a point, 18-17 at 8:44.
Duke Brennan earned his first block of the game – ASU’s first on a three pointer this season – at 8:06.
Following a Stanford triple Collins earned his third straight ASU basket and second contested layup at 7:05. At 6:40 on the clock, ASU went into the under-eight media timeout trailing 21-18.
Horne banged in his first three of the contest at 5:32, bringing the Sun Devils back within one, 23-22. Stanford slipped through the lane for a slam, Horne countered, nailing his second straight basket.
Following a Stanford stop, Horne launched another triple at 4:10, giving ASU a 27-25 lead, its first of the contest.
Cambridge Jr. gave ASU the lead back at 3:02 with a tough midrange jumper. A Neal jumper at 1:06 gave ASU a five point lead – its largest of the game – at 33-28.
SECOND HALF
Collins snapped a 9-0 Cardinal run that opened the half with a layup at 17:12, making it 42-35 Stanford. Collins then scored another basket, his second straight and the Sun Devils trailed 48-37 at 16:14.
He hit another trey, a personal 6-0 run, to bring it back to single digits at 48-40 with 14:27 left.
Nunez hit his second three at 12:38, bringing it back to a six point game, 52-46.
The Sun Devils continued to hang around. Desmond Cambridge Jr. drilled a triple at 10:43 and cut it to 52-49. The Cardinal committed a turnover on the other end, leading to a single free throw from Nunez, a 52-50 Stanford lead.
Cambridge broke a 6-0 Stanford run with an offensive rebound and layup for an old-fashioned three point play. He hit the foul shot to make it 58-53 Cardinal with 9:04 to play.
Duke Brennan got on the scoreboard at 7:12 on a dish from Collins. ASU trailed 58-55.
Trailing 63-55 with 6:08 to play, Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Horne both hit triples in :29 seconds, a 6-0 run to bring it back within two.
ASU’s relentlessness continued and did not allow Stanford separation. A long trey from Desmond Cambridge Jr. continued ASU’s surge. They re-cut the deficit one, 65-64 with 2:21 to play.
The Sun Devils took their first lead since 33-31 with 0:39 left in the first half on a three by Horne. They led 67-65 with 1:50 to play.
Horne would make two clutch foul shots with eight seconds to play, and the Sun Devils sealed the 69-65 victory.
QUOTABLES w
Arizona State Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bobby Hurley
Opening Statement…
??This game was a staple of what we’ve done late in games; we’ve had a lot of success late in games. Look at the VCU game, Colorado — other games like those, our defense has stepped up. We dragged them (Stanford) late in the clock, we guarded them well, we made our free throws. DJ (Horne) had a big three, Desmond (Cambridge) had a big three. We made enough plays to win.
On rhythm of the game…
This game was textbook about how our season has been. Getting down at different stages, then getting up and finding a way. It was great that the guys fought as hard as they did and were able to get a win.
Arizona State Men’s Basketball Guard DJ Horne
On being able to close out the game with strong shooting…
“It feels great because that’s winning time right there. Those last four minutes are a war and it showed a lot about who we are as a team and that we care a lot about one another.”
On the team’s resiliency after coming back tonight losing some tough games:
“We definitely have a positive energy because this time is one of those low areas because you’re waiting to get to March … so to come out with a win and to grind it out like we did, it’s big for us and it’s going to mean a lot for our season.”
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils continue their visit to the bay by heading to Berkeley to face the California Bears at 6:00 MST Saturday night.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Josh Schwam, Graduate Media Relations Intern
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