(Photo via Alyssa Buruato/WCSN)
After opening up Pac-12 Conference play with a 6-1 record, Arizona State Men’s Basketball has lost their last four straight, as hope for an NCAA Tournament berth continues to dwindle. In the nine days since the Sun Devils played UCLA, they have gone from fighting with the Bruins for Pac-12 supremacy to sixth in the conference following Oregon’s win over Utah on Saturday.
The Sun Devils (15-7, 6-5 Pac-12), trying to get their season back on track on Saturday night, fell to Washington State (10-13, 5-7 Pac-12) 75-58. The culprit was once again a lack of offensive production as the Sun Devils shot only 33.9% from the field and 33.3% from three. The defeat in the Palouse was arguably the Sun Devils’ worst offensive performance of the season, as it was the first time this year ASU scored under 60 points.
The lack of offensive production is even more frustrating for the Sun Devils considering their solid defensive performance. Washington State shot a below-average 36.9% from the field, but where the Cougars killed the Sun Devils was from beyond the arc.
The first half opened with both sides struggling to score, but ASU had the upper hand leading 12-11 with 10:47 left in the first half. Then, much like the Sun Devils’ game against Washington, the floodgates opened with the Cougars storming ahead on a 19-4 run in just over six minutes to go up 30-16. The barrage consisted of four three-pointers from the Cougars.
Washington State has been near or at the top of the Pac-12 in three-point shooting this season, including first in three-pointers attempted per game with 8.4, and is second only to UCLA in three-point percentage with 35.7%. Despite the Cougars’ known strength, the Sun Devils allowed Washington State to take a season-high 34 three-point attempts, and the Cougars hit 14 of them for an efficient 41.2% clip.
All night long, ASU was tormented by junior guard Justin Powell and junior forward Andrej Jakimovski. The pair combined for 11 threes on 52.4% shooting and 42 points.
Down 12 points going into halftime, the Sun Devils needed a spark, and sophomore guard Frankie Collins attempted to provide one. Immediately out of halftime, the California native made it a point to drive to the basket in almost every possession. Collins accounted for the Sun Devils’ first five points of the half, making a layup and getting to the free throw line two other times after attacking the basket. Collins ended the night with 16 points, with 13 of them coming in the second half.
Throughout the final 20 minutes, the Sun Devils managed to cut the lead down to six, but whenever they got close, the Cougars answered with a three. Washington State then went on an 8-0 run in the last 1:15, including a Jakimovski three with five seconds left to seal its fifth Pac-12 win.
The Sun Devils now have a tough task ahead of them if they want to make the tournament. With three tough road games at No. 8 Arizona, No. 6 UCLA and USC – all teams who have already beat them this year – the Sun Devils will likely have to go undefeated in their six remaining games before that stretch. ASU was in ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s “Last Four In” in his latest “Bracketology,” but after the loss to Washington State, they will likely fall off the bubble.
The road ahead might become slightly tougher after ESPN’s Roxy Bernstein announced on Saturday’s broadcast that junior guard DJ Horne was not active in the game due to “conduct detrimental to the team.” Horne had struggled over the last few weeks and only played one minute in the second half of the Sun Devils’ loss to Washington.
The Sun Devils return home next week to host both Oregon schools, beginning a stretch that could make or break their season.
