ASU Men’s Basketball: Sun Devils Complete Improbable Comeback Win

(Photo: Brady Klain/WCSN)

The Arizona State Sun Devils (18-6, 6-6) used a 12-2 run over the final three minutes to give them the improbable victory over the USC Trojans (17-8, 8-4).

USC made the first bucket of the game, but ASU immediately responded. The Sun Devils went on a 9-0 run, quickly giving them a seven-point lead. This would be the Devils’ largest lead of the evening. Their lead was short-lived, as the Trojans went on a 13-2 run. The ball just couldn’t find the hoop on ASU’s side of the court, as they missed 10 of their next 11 shots to fall behind by four.

With over three minutes left in the first half, Remy Martin drove into the paint and tied the game with a beautiful layup, bringing Wells Fargo Arena to their feet. ASU was unable to feed off the crowd’s energy, as the Trojans responded with a 7-0 run. The Devils would inch their way closer. A Vitaliy Shibel put-back dunk to end the half would cut their deficit to four.

Both teams didn’t have an answer from beyond the arc in the first half. USC was 3-for-13 (23%) and Arizona State was 1-for-9 (11%). Tra Holder had the lone three, finishing with 10 points in the half. Holder struggled from the line in the first half, going 3-for-6. Overall as a team, the Devils shot 57 percent from the charity stripe in the first-half.

After going 1-for-7 and struggling in the first half, Shannon Evans saw his first three of the night fall. This would be the spark ASU needed, as back-to-back buckets by Mickey Mitchell and Remy Martin would tie the game at 44. Though, much like the first half, the Trojans responded with a run of their own. ASU’s inability to grab defensive boards and hit three’s led to their seven-point deficit. With 11 minutes remaining, an irate Bobby Hurley called for a timeout.

USC’s lead would get as high as nine, but on cue, ASU would respond once again. A deep Shannon Evans three would trim the lead to four with just over 10 minutes remaining. Another Evans three and a Tra Holder layup cut the lead to two, and Wells Fargo Arena erupted. Evans’ hot hand would continue, as his fourth 3-pointer of the half would trim the lead to just one. But, if we’ve learned anything from this game, a run was in order. An 8-0 USC run gave them a nine-point lead with four-and-a-half minutes remaining. The Devils went five minutes without a field goal, but still managed to be within five in final few minutes.

Kodi Justice, who only had one basket prior, banked one in, cutting the deficit to only three. Shannon Evans, who seemingly couldn’t miss in the second half, knocked one down from deep to tie the game at 78 with under a minute remaining. A missed layup by USC would give the Sun Devils the ball and the final possession. Tra Holder, who’s been ASU’s best player all season, had the ball in his hands. He took it to the hoop, banked it in, and gave the Sun Devils a two-point lead with 1.4 seconds remaining. USC’s desperation heave as time expired was to no avail, and Arizona State escaped with a miraculous victory.

On the evening, ASU shot 63 percent from the free-throw line. They only knocked down six of their 23 three-point attempts, but they hit shots when they needed to most. Shannon Evans finished with 21 points, and Tra Holder finished with 22, respectively.

ASU’s next game is in two days, as they welcome the UCLA Bruins to town.