Just hours before the Sun Devils’ game in Manhattan, Kan., it was announced that senior guard B.J. Freeman would be dismissed from the team due to conduct detrimental to the program. ASU’s leading scorer this season, with an average of 13.7 points, had been a bright spot statistically despite the team's six-game losing streak. According to ASU head coach Bobby Hurley, Freeman's issues in the locker room had become a recurring dilemma.
"As far as B.J. [Freeman], it was just unfortunate that it came to this,” Hurley said. “He’s our leading scorer and a very productive player for us. It’s just that we’ve had too many instances of either player or coach conduct with B.J., and he was already suspended once. It was a really hard decision to make—but it was based on this year, and he’s got another season to play. I’m sure he’ll still have a really good market for a place to land next year.”
Despite missing their most productive offensive weapon, ASU (13-14, 4-12 Big 12) dominated on the road, defeating Kansas State (13-14, 7-9) 66-54 on Sunday afternoon. After taking a 5-4 lead just 90 seconds into the game, the Sun Devils never looked back, building margins as large as 19 points en route to a statement win after enduring a tumultuous losing streak. ASU raised eyebrows across the Big 12. Here are the takeaways.
Next man up
Without Freeman, Hurley and the team relied on a flurry of players to step up in the absence of their leading scorer. All seven players in the rotation scored at least once, and the team shot 36% from beyond the arc, maintaining consistency on offense.
The Sun Devils' best efforts, however, were on the defensive end, allowing just 54 points—a new benchmark for their usual Big 12 performances. This includes a stretch of over five minutes in the final 10 minutes of the game, during which Kansas State failed to score. ASU also set a new defensive record for the conference, surpassing their previous best of 57 points allowed against No. 23 West Virginia in January.
Kansas State shot just 33% from the field and less than 20% from deep. However, the Wildcats are typically an above-average team from three-point range. On the season, they shot 34.3%, good for eighth in the Big 12.
“It started defensively,” Hurley said. “I think I shared the stats with our team: when we allow 70 points or more, we are 0-11 in the Big 12. On the season, when we hold teams under 70 points, we are 8-1 and now 9-1, so how we defend matters. We were better.”
ASU might find itself in its next game, a Wednesday contest in Tempe against BYU, needing to compensate for another personnel loss. Freshman forward Jayden Quaintance appeared to reinjure his ankle deep in the second half and was seen leaving the arena after the game on crutches.
Twin Towers
Replacing Freeman in the starting lineup was junior center Shawn Phillips Jr. The 7-footer has played much-improved basketball recently, averaging 10.5 points over the last four games, including 10 points against Kansas State. His best work, however, came on defense. He recorded his first double-double of the season with 11 rebounds—10 of them on the defensive end—and added two blocks. Phillips is averaging 2.25 blocks per game over his last four games.
His frontcourt teammate Quaintance, who was everywhere for the Sun Devils, scoring a team-high 18 points while shooting 8-of-11 from the field, including two three-pointers. Quaintance also contributed defensively with seven boards, one block, and two steals. His consistent play sparked offensive runs and anchored the paint, putting the Wildcats in tough spots.
“Our big lineup was pretty good,” Hurley said. “They guarded the paint well and made things difficult for Kansas State, especially the way we started the second half. I don’t know how many minutes they went without scoring, but I thought the big lineup was helpful with that and also with rebounding.”
Ali Arsenal
While going through a tough stretch, it became increasingly important for Hurley and the coaching staff to allocate minutes to freshman forward Amier Ali. Despite mistakes, the 6-foot-8 wing has shown positive growth, and his development is beginning to take shape.
Ali scored 11 points Sunday, the second most on the team, shooting 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. He was instrumental in the first half, hitting three long balls to help establish a six-point halftime lead.
After a difficult six-game stretch in January, where Ali scored just six points—including three consecutive zero-point outings—he has turned a corner offensively, averaging 10.6 points over his last five games.
Closing one door to open another
The losing streak is over. February has been a challenging month for Hurley and the program, with six consecutive defeats. The negative energy built up during the rough stretch, and ASU consistently struggled to close out games, with seven of their 12 conference losses being decided by 10 points or fewer.
“We have to learn how to win again,” Hurley said. “That might be an interesting way of looking at it. We were winning games in November. We were 7-1 and 9-2 before Big 12 play, and we’ve had a series of unfortunate events in terms of injuries and players in and out of the lineup. Some of it’s been injuries, but it’s also been hard for us to get our rhythm and find our groove.
“Sometimes, to win a game where you’re not in a one-possession game, you can actually start winning without that game pressure. The next step is going to be, ‘Hey, let’s win a close one.’ Let’s win a game down the stretch, where it’s a tight game. We haven’t really proven that lately, but this is a good first step for us here in the later stages of the conference.”
Late season push
Crazier things have happened, and the season is far from over for the Sun Devils. With four wins in conference play and four games remaining, there is time for Hurley's team to turn a corner without Freeman.
While it’s too early to speculate on ASU’s leading scorer, it’s clear that the team played with a newfound energy in Manhattan on Sunday. Despite a rough home stretch, the only way for the program is up, and Sunday’s two-way victory shows signs of a team with life. With four games plus the Big 12 tournament still to play, there’s plenty of time left.
“Well, we’ve got four games left, just four games. Each one is another opportunity,” senior guard Alston Mason said. “I think I heard [Coach John] Calipari say that our tournament starts now, and I feel like that’s the same situation for us. The guys know that if we want to reach that point, it’s do or die for us. They’ve got to step up and be prepared for every game. We just need to go out there and play hard.”
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