The downward trajectory of Arizona State men's basketball's 2024-25 campaign continued on Sunday. The Sun Devils (12-11, 3-9 Big 12) fell 86-73 to Oklahoma State (12-11, 4-8) on the road, marking their fourth loss in five games. Two starters were absent, and another was lost midway through the first half.
Ahead of Sunday’s contest, senior guards Adam Miller serving a suspension due to an ejection in the previous contest and leading scorer BJ Freeman absent due to violation of team rules, ASU head coach Bobby Hurley turned to the frontcourt to fill the void. However, when five-star freshman forward Jayden Quaintance rolled his ankle with 11 minutes to play in the first half, Hurley's rotation became even thinner. Quaintance scored just three points in nine minutes of action and did not return after exiting with 10:53 left in the first half. Despite a valiant effort from the shorthanded Sun Devils, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Cowboys.
Mason’s Mastery in Consecutive Contests
Following ASU’s win over Colorado on January 28, senior guard Alston Mason told Sun Devil radio, “I’ve been talking to a lot of people, and they said I need to be a little more aggressive,” he said. “I’ve been trying to change my mindset on that.” Since then, the 11.7 points-per-game scorer has tallied 20 points in consecutive games, leading Hurley's offense in both contests.
On Sunday, Mason took charge as his team trailed from the opening minute. Using his elite ball handling to attack the basket and draw fouls, he converted all six of his free-throw attempts. Mason shot efficiently, going 6-for-10 from the field, including a critical three-pointer from just inside halfcourt at the halftime buzzer. His clutch shot cut the deficit to 10 points at the break.
Mason’s play wasn’t limited to scoring. He also led ASU in playmaking, posting six assists and committing just one turnover. Despite the shorthanded offense, Mason carried the team as far as he could, a trend that has become increasingly prevalent as the season progresses.
Too inefficient, too late to make up ground
Without Miller, Freeman, and Quaintance, the Sun Devils needed their remaining rotation players to step up, but freshman guard Joson Sanon and senior forward Basheer Jihad struggled mightily. On Sunday, the duo combined for just 8-of-31 shooting, and neither player found a rhythm until the late stages of the game.
Sanon has struggled since returning from a mild ankle sprain sustained on New Year's Eve. He has failed to score in double figures in any Big 12 contest this season. On Sunday, he broke that streak, scoring 17 points, but it took him 20 shots to get there. Sanon finished 5-of-20 from the field and 20% from three-point range. His struggles were amplified by ASU’s reliance on him for scoring, and despite his points, he couldn’t effectively contribute to the team's success.
Jihad’s game was a straightforward one production-wise. Missing his first five shots, the 12.5-point-per-game scorer didn’t get on the board until he nailed a three-pointer with 12:26 left on the game clock. Jihad continued to heat up, scoring two more field goals to finish with 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. While Jihad’s late contributions helped take the load off Mason, ASU was already down by double figures by the time he found his scoring touch.
Free throw shooting was one of the lone bright spots for the Sun Devils
One Achilles’ heel for the Sun Devils has been subpar free-throw shooting throughout the 2024-25 campaign. At 70.3%, ASU ranks 11th in the Big 12, an unfortunate statistic given that their opponents shoot 76% from the line, the worst in the conference.
On Sunday, the story remained the same, but the Sun Devils did have their best performance from the charity stripe of the season, converting 22-of-26 free throws for nearly 85%. The best conversion rate they’ve achieved with over 21 attempts. However, Oklahoma State also shot an identical 85% from the line on 22-26 shooting, marking its best conversion rate when attempting more than 25 free throws as well.
Down the stretch, neither team was able to convert from the field as both sides drew fouls and knocked down shots from the line. ASU, despite cutting the lead to seven with 6:34 remaining, couldn’t get any closer as the Cowboys went nearly perfect from the line when the game was on the line.
Lack of depth proves costly
Sanon, Mason, and Jihad combined for 51 of ASU’s 63 shot attempts on Sunday. This heavy reliance on the key players highlighted the lack of depth on the roster. While freshman forward Amir Ali and senior guard Bobby Hurley Jr. played with maximum effort and intensity on both ends of the floor, they were unable to contribute effectively on offense.
This overreliance on a few players made ASU predictable as the game went on. The Sun Devils were forced into late shot-clock situations, often having to throw up hurried heaves as the clock expired. With key players sidelined, ASU struggled to find offense, enduring multiple stretches without converting a field goal.
How can ASU stop the bleeding
Sunday’s defeat to Oklahoma State allowed the Cowboys to leapfrog the Sun Devils in the Big 12 standings. Hurley’s team now sits second-to-last in the conference, with only a handful of games remaining. The chances for ASU to position itself as an NCAA tournament contender grow slimmer with each passing game, as the Sun Devils have now lost four of their last five and have won just two of their last 10.
So, how can ASU get back on track with time running out to make a mark?
The first priority is getting healthy. Without Freeman, Miller, or Quaintance, the Sun Devils will continue to struggle against any opponent on the schedule. Beyond the lack of depth, the team will need to trust each other more consistently despite the challenges reflected in their record.
A hopeful sign for ASU is that its games have been highly competitive. Despite losing eight of their last ten, only three of those losses were by 10 points or more. The defeats aren’t necessarily a result of being unable to compete but rather a failure to execute in key moments, which has caused them to slide further down the competitive Big 12 standings.
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