(Tempe, AZ) Tonight’s game is a continuation of the series from 2019 where ASU squeaked out a last minute victory at the GCU Arena.
The Antelopes came in as defending WAC Champions at (8-1), while ASU was only (2-6), but coming off a big win in Eugene over the Oregon Ducks.
This is definitely a rivalry at least for the students of both universities who have disdain for the other school. Both student sections came out in force.
Devils using their height advantage took a quick 6-0 lead before GCU got on the board with a layup from Aiden Igiehon.
At the first television timeout, the Lopes were just 1-7 from the field while ASU was 4-10. Neither team has hit a three pointer as the Devils led 8-2.
Both teams seemed a little tight, although GCU started off cold from the field.
Alonzo Gaffney was a force down low for ASU as he either blocked or altered several Antelope shots in the paint.
Devils’ DJ Horne hit the first three of the game at the 11:50 mark of the first half to extend the Sun Devils lead to 14-5.
Photo – Davis Kadlubowski/GCU Athletics
Grand Canyon still hadn’t found their range at the second media timeout hitting only two of sixteen for a paltry 13% field goal percentage. ASU 16-5.
Out of the timeout, Canyon finally knocked down their first trey at the 9:31 mark. ASU 17-10.
The Lopes then went on an 11-2 run go cut Arizona State’s lead to a single possession 19-16 with 8:07 left till the half.
The Sun Devils broke the run on a Muhammad Luther layup just before the media timeout. ASU 21-16.
At the last media timeout, GCU was still down 25-20 but had to feel good about not being down by double digits as the Sun Devils had cooled off from the field drastically.
ASU opened it up a bit at the end of the half as it was the Antelopes turn to go cold from the field and went into the locker room up 33-24.
In the first half, both teams never got into a consistent offensive flow as tight defense but also not being patient and launching jump shots up five to seven seconds into their possessions was the biggest factors in the poor shooting by each team. ASU went 9-30 (30%) and GCU 8-32 (25%).
Only three shots behind the arc tickled the nets with the Lopes going 2-12 and Arizona State at 1-12.
Holland Woods hit a 5 foot runner in the lane to start the scoring followed by a three pointer by Jovan Blacksher Jr, and GCU was right back in the thick of to start the second half. ASU 33-29.
The Sun Devils answered back to take the lead back to nine on a quick 7-0 burst at the media timeout down 40-29.
The near sellout crowd went back and forth at each other as both schools had thousands of fans going crazy.
At the 11:48 mark, it was 40-33, but the Sun Devils kept letting GCU hang around in spite of 24% shooting.
Photo – David Kadlubowski/GCU Athletics
The Antelopes had a chance to tie or take the lead at 41-38, but an I’ll timed turner and again at 46-44 but a low post shot by Taeshon Cherry rolled around the rim.
Arizona State with just under four minutes to go went up by seven or a quick 11-4 run at 57-48.
The Antelopes never gave up only down by four 61-57 with 13.6 seconds left but in a must foul situation.
The Sun Devils had just enough gas in the tank to hold off GCU in an ugly game with poor shooting on both ends at 67-62.
The difference in this game was ASU’s lights out free throw shooting going 26-28.
The Antelopes had four more baskets 23-73 and five more three pointers 8-32 than Arizona State (19-61) and (3-20), but only made 8-13 from the charity stripe.
There was no real edge on the glass as Grand Canyon had 51 boards to 46 for the Devils.
Both teams returns to action next week as ASU travels to Nebraska to face Creighton University on the 14th. The Lopes face another Arizona rival in Ottawa University at the GCU Arena at 6 pm.
