That wasn’t exactly the way you’d expect an exhibition game to go.

Arizona State’s preseason contest on Thursday evening at Wells Fargo Arena was free to the public, and those fans got to see 50 full minutes of basketball. The Sun Devils watched a 12-point second half lead evaporate. It took two overtimes for them to defeat Division II Northern State, 98-90. In the first overtime, ASU needed a game-tying 3-pointer from forward Vitaliy Shibel to send it to another.

ASU coach Bobby Hurley called it a “less than inspiring” start to the 2017-18 season.

“I think where the team started losing me some was just some of the decision-making as the second half wore on and into the overtimes and how we did push the margin out and how we stopped defending,” he said. “We also had some shot selection problems from guys that I don’t typically expect to have that issue.”

Here’s everything you need to know from the exhibition:

HURLEY DOESN’T BELIEVE NORTHERN STATE IS YOUR AVERAGE DII TEAM

ASU led by just two points at halftime, but Hurley said he wasn’t surprised by that.

“They’re a lot different than what we do every day in practice, and so I knew that it would be a challenge playing them,” he said.

Northern State won 22 games last year and returned most of its team. Hurley said the Wolves pass the ball well and also do a good job of moving without it. Give them credit for playing the Sun Devils closely.

HURLEY EXPECTED MORE FROM HIS SENIOR GUARDS

Hurley said he expected his guards to play a bit better. Senior Shannon Evans II scored 24 points on 7-18 shooting, while fellow senior Tra Holder dropped 20 on a 6-for-16 clip. Kodi Justice, however, shot just 2-for-12 and ended with six points.

“I have a pretty high standard for our seniors, our guards, and I just think those guys all in their own way didn’t quite have the type of game that I would expect them to play,” he said.

When asked about poor shot selection from those senior guards down the stretch, Hurley started his answer by saying, “Sometimes, no matter how experienced they are.”

He stopped.

“I’m trying to reach deep down and give those guys a pass right now, I’m reaching deep,” he continued.

Then he finished.

“You’d assume that better decisions would’ve been made, and I have a high standard for them because of what they’ve done and the careers they’ve had,” Hurley said. “I’m hopeful they’ll bounce back like we need to bounce back collectively.”

Minutes after mentioning the poor decision-making on offense, Hurley pointed out a positive from the backcourt as a whole.

“Six charges we drew, which kind of explains the pressure by those guys and the energy they were expending guarding,” Hurley said. “We forced them into 33 turnovers in the game. Our pressure paid some dividends, those guys gave energy.”

YOUNG TALENT SURPRISES

For how surprised Hurley was that his senior guards didn’t have better performances, he said he could’ve been more surprised about freshmen Kimani Lawrence and Remy Martin providing good minutes.

Lawrence, a 6-foot-7 forward, poured in 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting, also adding four assists and four steals. He showed athleticism and an ability to run the floor that the Sun Devils can certainly use from someone in the frontcourt.

Martin, a guard, added 11 points, two boards, and two steals. It seems his impact will go much further than the box score this season, though.

Hurley called Martin an added “spark” off the bench and even said that he was spirited while he was on the bench and not in the game down the stretch.

Martin’s speed stands out. He’s a blur.

On the offensive end, he pushes the ball on the fastbreak and finishes well near the rim. But on defense, it seems Martin can be a guy who picks up opposing ball-handlers the entire length of the floor.

“He loves guarding the dribbler. He gets very intense hawking the basketball,” Hurley said. “The enthusiasm he has for defense is something I’m welcoming with open arms. Just his whole approach and attitude to defense. We need more guys that take it that personal at that end of the floor.”

PERSONNEL NOTES:

ASU was without 6-8 forward Romello White on Thursday because of a violation of team rules that occurred last year. White’s status is game-to-game, Hurley said.

But in his absence, ASU grabbed 14 fewer rebounds than Northern State.

“It sure would’ve been a plus to have him, both in post defense and rebounding,” Hurley said. “His ability to consistently finish around the basket, the way I’ve seen him to that. He’s a big part of what we’re going to do.”

Hurley said that transfer forward Carlton Bragg, a former 5-star recruit out of high school, isn’t with the team at the moment because of personal reasons. Hurley said the team supports Bragg, who is sitting out this season due to transfer rules.

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And because Hurley dug deep to find a couple positives from a sloppy exhibition performance, here’s one more:

“Just thankful that it’s October right now and we got a few weeks to work on things,” he said.

ASU next goes to the University of San Diego for a charity exhibition game on Nov. 1.