As both teams stepped onto the floor with 30 minutes until the opening tip, a stark contrast was instantly observable between the two programs. On one half of the floor, the Big 12 Conference leaders engaged in a systematic routine for their pregame warm-ups, as players and coaches drilled realistic aspects of the game indicative of how they desired to play when the game ball was tipped. Every player was immersed in the pregame procedure, sprinting from spot to spot to shoot timely layups and three-pointers after a crisp pass was delivered as they set their feet.
“I went out and watched them in pregame warm-ups. They were all talking and super engaged when I came out about an hour before the game,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said, referring to their opponent.
On the opposite end of the court, the host team continued in its habitual individualistic preparations. Players spent their time shooting off-dribble shots from midrange and beyond the arc, practicing halfcourt shots and other long-range field goals.
The difference in preparations proved important instantly in the matchup. The visiting No. 5 Cougars (22-4, 14-1 Big 12) outclassed Arizona State men’s basketball (12-14, 3-12) from the start, leading 10-2 within the opening four minutes of the game and eventually leading by as many as 21 points in the second half en route to an 80-65 victory. With this victory, Houston set the Big 12 record with its 12th consecutive conference road win.
“I usually would take a lot more time and maybe dive into some of the reasons why we didn’t win,” Hurley said. “Sometimes it is very simple, like, hey, they outplayed us. They were better than us tonight. There was not a lot we could’ve done in that game tonight that would’ve given us a legitimate chance at beating this team.”
Houston dominated the matchup in multiple facets. Coming into the game, it was expected to control the affair as the nation’s best defensive team, allowing just 57.3 points per game. On that end of the floor, it certainly stifled the Sun Devils, holding them to 43% shooting and 36% from beyond the arc.
“We script so many things we may not even have to do, but we’re prepared for them,” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Because you never know when they’ll need to be there. We have a great culture… our kids feel great value in being a Houston Cougar. It means something to them.”
Issues arose for the Maroon and Gold when generating looks in the halfcourt, as rapid-fire rotations and athletic switches mitigated any easy baskets outside of elite spells of ball movement. ASU has struggled in the 2024-25 season with its assist-to-turnover ratio, averaging just 1.01 assists per turnover, good for 14th in the Big 12. On Tuesday, the discrepancy became even worse, with just 12 Sun Devil assists to 13 turnovers, as the Cougars forced drawn-out possessions.
Offensively, Houston brought out its shooting guns as usual. Entering the conference, the Cougars shot a league-best 39% from beyond the arc, which is also good for 11th in the country. On Tuesday, the Cougars shot 47.8% from deep, with junior guard Emanuel Sharp and senior guard LJ Cryer each hitting four three-pointers.
The dynamics of the one-sided affair began long before both teams stepped onto the hardwood, rather than being solely an embodiment of the current place both of these programs sit. Houston has continued to improve year after year, building upon past success with players it had in seasons prior. Graduate forward J’Wan Roberts has played under Sampson for six years, coming into the program with the Cougars being his only collegiate offer. For Roberts, his story exemplifies a system that nurtures its talents into a well-oiled basketball machine.
“The shots that we take every single day,” Roberts said. “Even as a group, just working on pick-and-rolls, playing with each other, and finding different ways to get out of touch. I feel like that's the culture that’s built [at Houston]. Everything we do is full speed.”
For ASU, the culture and energy in the locker room have hit a low point this season. Falling for a 10th time in 12 contests, the rollercoaster of the Big 12 campaign has resembled a drop tower. Now, with its losing streak stretched to six consecutive games and its winless home drought extended to seven straight losses at Desert Financial Arena, Hurley continues to remind his players of what they signed up for as collegiate basketball players. The grueling and cruel gauntlet won’t let up, regardless of morale.
“I mean, there are no guarantees in this thing,” Hurley said. “We had our chances; we didn’t cash in. I don’t know where it's going. I can’t forecast that. We do have a little more time until our next game now.”
Trying to uplift spirits with his good play and energy is senior guard Alston Mason, who scored a career-high 26 points against the Cougars. Despite facing college basketball’s best defense, he put the offensive load on himself, doing anything he could to rally his team.
“I don’t feel any pressure at all in basketball,” Mason said postgame. “It’s tough because I’m in a position where I wanted to play more aggressively. When you lose a couple of games, the confidence goes down. But once we get a win under our belt, we can get back to how we were playing.”
Despite seeing the positive side of this result and almost every other game his team plays, Sampson understands the difficulties of coaching a college program. With ASU’s current losing streak, the 32-year head coach spared no empathy when speaking on life’s challenges and how the Sun Devils are in a rut that many others have also faced.
“I hate to see it,” Sampson said. “I’ve been there; we all have. I coached a team at Washington State that lost 18 in a row. It’s not easy. It affects every part of your life… He’s spent his entire life to have this opportunity, and he’s going through a tough time right now. But we all will. I hope [individuals] have the courage to fight through it like he is right now.”
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