There are no layups in Big 12 play, even if your opponent is still winless versus its conference foes, and Arizona State (12-8, 3-6 Big 12) can certainly attest to that theory. Despite missing two starters, the Sun Devils pulled away for a 70-68 victory over Colorado (9-11, 0-9 Big 12) in Boulder, completing the season sweep of the Buffs.
Resiliency at its finest
One unsavory trend for the Sun Devils in Big 12 play this season had been their struggles in late-game situations. Three consecutive losses in January were decided by fewer than 10 points, including an overtime loss at Desert Financial Arena and two late-game collapses against UCF and Iowa State.
However, on Tuesday, ASU pulled out a hard-fought victory despite allowing 42 second-half points to Colorado. In the final moments of the game, the Buffs missed nine of their last 11 field goal attempts, including six straight.
“Great road when they were desperate to win, obviously,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley remarked. “I got a ton of respect for Coach Boyle and what he's done here, what his program is all about, and how hard it is to win in this building. So, it was a gut check game for us, just where we are in the standings, and want to try and climb ourselves out of the hole we kind of dug for ourselves.
“We dealt with a lot of stuff with injuries, and we're still dealing with it. We really stepped up, though. Adam Miller played great on both ends of the floor. Shawn Phillips had probably his best game this season for us, just with his presence in the paint, the rebounding, especially without Jayden Quaintance tonight.”
The back-and-forth contest required hustle and second efforts from all the Sun Devils. Senior point guard Alston Mason said the team’s ability to win came from its full-team effort, especially with Colorado pushing late.
“Big 12 games are always going to be competitive,” Mason said. “Getting a win is always going to be good. Colorado is a tough team. We haven't been healthy in these recent games, but that's college basketball right now, and we’ve got to step up.”
Another solid road performance for ASU
In the first meeting between ASU and Colorado, which took place in Tempe on Jan. 4, the Sun Devils cruised to a double-digit victory. However, playing on the road proved more challenging.
In the earlier game, ASU shot 51.9% from the field and 46% from three-point range, dominating both ends and holding Colorado to just 34.8% shooting overall and 12.5% from beyond the arc. In the altitude of Boulder, the shooting numbers were closer. ASU shot 45% from the field and 31.8% from three. Colorado finished with a 43% field-goal percentage and 24% shooting from three.
Though ASU averages 36% from three-point range this season, its 31% shooting in Boulder was the second-best mark for the team in a true road game.
Overcoming key injury woes
ASU’s already short rotation was further depleted for Tuesday’s game. Just before tipoff, it was announced that five-star freshman forward Jayden Quaintance would miss the game due to an ankle injury suffered in Thursday's practice. Quaintance had played in ASU’s loss to Iowa State over the weekend, recording nine points and two rebounds in 17 minutes, but did not make the trip to Boulder as he continues to be evaluated in Tempe.
The Sun Devils have also been without freshman guard Joson Sanon, who missed five of six Big 12 games with his own ankle injury.
The injury woes continued during the game. Senior guard BJ Freeman left early in the first half with a quad injury. He was in visible pain on the bench for the rest of the half and was wearing street clothes when he returned for the second half. Outside of freshman guard Trevor Best, who played one minute, ASU played with just six available players for the remainder of the game. Mason and senior guard Adam Miller each logged 39 minutes.
The status of Freeman (deep thigh bruise) and Quaintance (ankle) for Saturday’s upcoming rivalry game against Arizona remains uncertain.
Next man up personified
With two key starters out, other players had to step up. Junior center Shawn Phillips Jr. played an integral role, starting in place of Quaintance. Phillips recorded a season-high 13 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks, shooting 5 of 7 from the field in 29 minutes, his most extensive appearance of the year. His most significant play came late when he blocked Colorado’s Andrej Jakimovski with under 10 seconds remaining to deny the Buffs a chance to take the lead.
“It's huge. It gives all of us confidence, and it gives him confidence,” Mason said of Phillips’ performance. “We need him down the stretch. To fill in for Jayden, he’s been here before. He’s experienced. Day by day, he’s learning, growing, and understanding. He didn’t get into any foul trouble, and that was huge for us.”
“I've said this before: he gets lost in the shuffle with some of the freshmen and the upside they have for the future,” Hurley said of Phillips, “but Shawn’s right at the top of the food chain in our program of just raw talent and upside and potential, if he puts it all together. Hopefully, the switch that gets turned on sometimes is starting to get turned on, because he could make a difference for us His length around the basket, challenging shots, the block he made when all hell was breaking loose at the end was huge for them not to get that shot. That same play to Coach Boyle ran, I think he beat my brother (UConn’s head coach Dan Hurley) in Maui with (Andrej) Jakimovski driving to his right hand and scoring the ball, so Shawn was able to rotate over and block that shot.”
Off the bench, freshman forward Ameir Ali provided a spark on both ends, scoring six points on 2 of 8 shooting while also contributing seven rebounds and a steal in 27 minutes. Though his numbers didn’t jump off the page, his impact was felt in a game where the Sun Devils had limited bodies.
Guard play shines
Miller and Mason carried the offensive load, with both players playing 39 minutes. Miller recorded season highs of 18 points and six assists, shooting 7-10 from the floor, including four three-pointers. Mason contributed 17 points, making all five of his free-throw attempts.
“That’s big. It was big. We needed him,” Mason said of Miller. “BJ went down, and he stepped up again. A lot of injuries right now, a lot of guys have to step up, and he did.”
With Freeman, ASU's leading scorer (13 points per game), sidelined, both Mason and Miller took on bigger roles in the offense. Mason, in particular, has been more aggressive in recent weeks, something he had discussed with teammates.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of people, and they said I need to be a little more aggressive,” Mason said. “I’ve been trying to change my mindset on that.”
“Guys just stepped up,” Miller commented. “We did it even against West Virginia, BJ was kind of hurt in the first half, we had no Joson (Sanon), so we've kind of been going through it. JQ (Jayden Quaintance) was out this game, so this is the first time for us having that. But I think guys just got to be ready. An opportunity comes up, you're not going to make every shot, but you just gotta have high intensity and be ready, and you're gonna give yourself the best chance. I feel like we did a good job as a team. I felt like we should have won by a little more. We let some plays slip off to turnovers. We only had three steals; we should have had way more than that. But a win is a win.”
The increased confidence from both guards could prove crucial as ASU prepares for Saturday’s rivalry game against Arizona, currently second in the Big 12 standings. Every available player will need to be dialed in to secure the victory. Mason’s impressive performance comes just in time for his first Territorial Cup matchup, following in family footsteps as his dad, Alton Mason, played for Sun Devil basketball from 1998-2001.
“It goes all the way back with my family, man,” Mason said about the Territorial Cup rivalry. “I have uncles who went to Arizona, and my dad went to ASU. It’s big, not just for me but for ASU. But first, we’ve got to get healthy. I gotta get one [against Arizona].”
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