(Marana, AZ) After playing the game of their lives on Wednesday and disposing of Nevada, the big question was, “could they continue to shoot well, or would they comeback down to earth?”
ASU was fortunate to be in the West Region as a lower seed and after Arizona was upset yesterday and the Grand Canyon loss to Gonzaga earlier today. Sparky was the last representative for the State.
TCU, the sixth seed came out hot and as the Sun Devils were not. The Horned Frogs led early 15-4 as they made six of their first seven shots.
Arizona State the eleven seed was 2-8 and not running their offense patiently. After the first media timeout, Coach Bobby Hurley settled his troop down as they went on a 9-0 run and 6-7 from the field in that span to close within a bucket 15-13 with 12:20 left in the first half.
At the 10:20 mark, the Devils drew even at 17-17. After two TCU free throws, Luther Muhammad derailed a three to give the Sun Devils the lead. The jitters were gone and TCU was the team that went on a dry spell.
After the slow start, the Devils ratcheted up the defense and only gave TCU one shot per possession going 2-11 in that stretch.
Frankie Collins drove the left side and put up a running teardrop off the glass for a 26-25 Arizona State lead with 6:15 left and a Horned Frog timeout.
At the end of the first half, ASU offense hit three consecutive baskets beyond the arc and went into halftime with a 44-37 lead.
Hurley’s time out early in the game was the key to the ASU turnaround as they finished the half shooting 59.3% (26-27) and 6-10 three pointers.
The Frogs cooled down considerably when faced with an “in your face” man to man defense and shot 38.7% (12-31) from the field.
Defensively, the four blocked shots by the Devils slowed down the TCU penetration into the lane. ASU also had eighteen points from their bench.
Photo – Twitter
Collin’s opened up the Sun Devis scoring with a behind the low post screen facial dunk that brought the crowd to its feet.
That wasn’t the end of the Arizona State fireworks as they got a breakaway double-clutch dunk off a steal and another basket off a turnover that made Frog’s Coach Jamie Dixon call a timeout to try to stop the bleeding. The lead was now eleven 52-41 ASU.
The Frogs finally found some seams in the Sun Devils defense and penetrated better as they picked up their tempo.
Offensively, the Devils went back to not running their offense and taking off balance jumpers, and with 14:15 left, TCU had the deficit down to two possessions 52-46.
Both teams went cold and but the game still was anyone’s to take, who would want it more? Each had enjoyed an eleven point lead.
TCU made it a one possession game 54-51 with ten minutes to go off a three point basket.
Sun Devils continued to play sloppy and Texas Christian tied the score 54-54 off a 13-2 run.
Arizona State went to a 2-3 zone defense to force the Horned Frogs to play on the perimeter. At this point, TCU was only shooting 34%, but the game was still far from over.
The lead went back to seven 61-54 which was ASU’s margin at halftime.
With a shade over five minutes left, the Frogs hit a three pointer with the shot clock running out to bring the score to 61-57. ASU quickly answered with a three of their own and an additional basket on the next two possessions.
Both teams were starting to light it up going down the stretch but this game was far from a finesse game as is seen in Pac-12 play. It more resembled an old fashioned tug of war.
Out of the timeout, both teams exchanged baskets. With 3:00 left, the Frogs missed both free throws and ASU went to the line at the other end and missed their attempts as well. Both teams were in the double bonus.
The score was tied at 1:47 off a Horned Frog three pointer. ASU turned the ball over and TCU regained the lead off of free throws 69-67 with 33.4 seconds left and a Sun Devil time out.
Collin’s drive the ball but his high arcing layup was too strong and ASU was forced to foul. TCU made one of two to add to their tenuous lead 70-67 with 21.8 seconds left.
DJ Horne hit a clutch three from the top of the key to tie it at 70-70. TCU called timeout with 12.4 second and the ball.
TCU’s Coles hit a six foot runner and that was the game. Horned Frogs advance 72-70.
The biggest takeaway from this contest was it was a game of scoring runs and and a game of scoring droughts. It was only appropriate that this one came down to the final possession.
At the conclusion of the first weekend, there were no Arizona schools left in the Dance as Arizona, ASU and GCU went a collective 1-3, with the Sun Devils claiming the only victory.
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