LAS VEGAS - One down, and only the NCAA Tournament committee knows how many more to go. In their opening round game of the Pac-12 Tournament, Arizona State (21-11) used a late run to defeat Oregon State (11-21) by a final score of 63-57 and keep their hopes of being part of the field of 68 alive.
Reminiscent of their early-season success, the Sun Devils’ defensive prowess was on display for most of the 40 minutes, holding the Beavers to 57 points on 34 percent shooting, including a 3-for-18 performance from three-point range. While it took the offense a little while longer to complement the efforts on the other end of the court, significant contributions from both guard DJ Horne and forward Warren Washington aided the Sun Devils in outlasting a pesky Beavers squad.
“I felt it was a gutsy win,” head coach Bobby Hurley said postgame. “I’m pleased with the contributions from a lot of guys from a tough week in LA.”
Following back-to-back losses on the road last weekend against UCLA and USC, the Sun Devils came into tonight’s game needing a win, not just to advance in the conference tournament but for their own confidence as well. There was no better way for ASU to boost their morale than by winning a game in their style, with outstanding defense, and turning it into points on the other end.
“The game was in a really narrow range for so long,” Hurley noted. “The difference was our ability to generate points off turnovers.”
Having forced 12 takeaways from the Beavers, ASU converted those chances into 20 points on the other end. In the half-court game, it wasn’t as comfortable. The first half was a signature Sun Devil showing, with the defense dominating. Through the front 20, Oregon State mustered just 26 points on 9-of-23 shooting, making just two three-pointers. The Beavers’ main offensive threat, freshman guard Jordan Pope was specifically neutralized, as Hurley and the defense kept the slashing guard from getting to the rim.
“He was a guy that was a marked man coming in for us,” Hurley said. “We understood we had to make things as difficult as possible.”
A hard night it was for Pope, as he managed just 12 points for the game on an inefficient 4-of-13 shooting clip, including going 3-of-10 from beyond the arc to encapsulate the overall offensive output of Oregon State.
ASU, though, couldn’t use their strong defensive start to their advantage, as they scored just 29 points of their own in the first half, with DJ Horne and Desmond Cambridge accounting for 17 of them. What allowed Oregon State to hang around was its protection of the ball, as they surrendered just five turnovers in the front 20 and employed a more methodical offense.
“(It was a) slower paced game,” Hurley said. “When it was a constant, grind-it-out, half-court game, we weren’t as solid.”
Out of the locker room, the Sun Devils emphasized getting out in transition, much like the team that started the season 15-3. In another resemblance of that form, the team’s depth proved vital in helping the Sun Devils build a cushion in the second half. The bench effort was led specifically by Jamiya Neal, who scored seven points on perfect shooting in the period.
“Jamiya Neal has stepped up,” Hurley complimented. “His role has expanded, and he’s done a very good job.”
“That’s just my job, coming off the bench and being a spark,” Neal added.
Neal’s contributions, alongside a quality half from Warren Washington, helped the Sun Devils control the game and for Washington to control the paint. Washington corralled five of the team’s 12 offensive rebounds on the night, and his seven second half points tied with Neal for the team’s lead. Combined with the key defensive effort, ASU built a lead as high as 12 with less than eight minutes to play, even with just a 1-for-7 shooting half from Desmond Cambridge, who was seen in a walking boot both before and after the game.
“Just a jammed toe,” Cambridge identified. “You don’t think it looks good?”
“It’s stuff we don’t make excuses about,” Hurley said more seriously. “Everybody has stuff going on. That’s the best way that he can limit making something he was a little bit worse right now. He’s gutting it out. He’ll be fine; he’s gonna play tomorrow. I have no doubt about it.”
Even with Cambridge’s slow day, the Sun Devils still seemed primed for a win. With their season on the line, though, Oregon State didn’t lie down on Wednesday night despite their 1-13 record away from Corvallis this year. The Beavers deployed a full-court press that threw the Sun Devils for a loop, so much so that they would score just eight points in the game’s final seven-plus minutes. Naturally, the Beavers’ offense fed off their defensive energy and slowly but surely began to claw back into the game.
“They didn’t give up,” Hurley said in praise of Oregon State. “They kept fighting. They came in and played a winning game.”
Despite giving it all they had, the Beavers simply dug a hole too big to climb out of at the end of the day. With the aid of their defense allowing just one made field goal in Oregon State’s final 12 attempts plus a pair of clutch free-throws from Jamiya Neal, the Sun Devils were able to close the deal and end the Beaver’s season and keep theirs going.
While there were many anxious moments in this game, ASU effectively earned a hard fought victory. In what could be their first game out of a possible four over the next few days, no matter how physically worn down the team is, there is no rest for the weary in the postseason. And no one understands that better than Hurley.
“This tournament is survive and advance,” Hurley noted. “No matter how you get it done, you move on to the next round.”
“It’s March,” Warren Washington added. “If you’re complaining about soreness, everybody’s sore. It’s about your mentality. We’re gonna prepare and come out ready tomorrow.”
The task won’t get any easier with USC on deck Thursday night, but Hurley says he and the Sun Devils are looking forward to their third attempt at getting by the Trojans, especially with how close they came to doing it last week.
“Last game, we were in the game and shot 29 percent from the field,” Neal noted. “I feel like If we make a couple more shots, do what we did defensively last game; we’ll be alright.”
“Both teams need the game,” Hurley said emphatically. “It’s a legit test like what you’re gonna face if you want to play in the NCAA Tournament. If it’s anything like our last game with USC on Saturday, it’s gonna be a war.”
Desmond Cambridge was more than confident that he and his teammates would be ready for one more battle with USC on Thursday night.
“We lost twice. We’re not losing three times.”
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