(Photo: Travis Whittaker/WCSN)
With 30 seconds remaining on the clock and Oregon State with the ball, Arizona State’s six game winning streak was in jeopardy of coming to a dissatisfying conclusion.
Previous Sun Devil teams have squandered victories during the past, playing flat to lesser competition. It all seemed destined to fall into place for another heart-wrenching loss, until it didn’t.
The Sun Devils rose to the occasion, preventing the Beavers from converting their last second chances, as ASU exorcised their past demons. The 74-73 victory over OSU Saturday night places Arizona State alon atop the Pac-12 standings for the first time this season.
It was a team effort for the Devils as five players each had double digit scoring tallies. Alonzo Verge led ASU with 17 points with seven field goals on 13 attempts. Verge scored the final seven points for the Sun Devils, including a pivotal, late basket with two minutes remaining in the second half.
“I think it’s amazing the character that these guys have shown and battled through so much,” head coach Bobby Hurley said. “We’ve kind of transformed ourselves and really have found an identity.”
With the win, ASU won its seventh consecutive games, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in Tempe since the 1980-81 season.
Through the winning streak, the resurgence of forward Kimani Lawrence has helped the Devils step up in pivotal moments. The junior forward earned 14 points on nine shots, including two makes from behind the arc. Lawrence attributes his recent success from three on a change in his approach.
“When we got days off, I was just practicing,” Lawrence said. “I have been in the gym a lot, then I have been. Just pushing myself, I got my teammates pushing me, I got them instilling confidence in me.”
Along with Lawrence, forward Romello White showed up in critical spots for the Sun Devils. White collected needed points deep in the paint and maintained a physical presence on the block against a feisty Oregon State club. The pressure begins in practice for White, competing with a fellow forward in Lawrence.
“We try to bully each other and try to talk trash,” White said. “So, we just started practice, we try to challenge each other, and then when it gets to the game, [it] is way easier.”
White concluded tonight’s game second on the team with 15 points and converting on seven of eight free throw attempts.
This marks the first time this season Oregon State was defeated when they maintained a higher shooting percentage. Both teams shot well from the field, but Oregon State had a slight edge at 50.0 percent compared to Arizona State’s 49.1 percent. The Beavers were 15-0 coming into Tempe when outshooting their opponent.
With an overtime loss to Oregon, Arizona falls to second place, leaving ASU in sole possession of first place in the Pac-12. ASU will have four more conference games prior to the conference tournament games in Las Vegas.
Next weekend, Arizona State travels to Southern California to take on both USC and UCLA in two contentious showdowns. The Devils have something to prove the rest of the season.
“We have always been like the underdog. We’ve always been projected the bottom of the pack, White said.” “We just wanted to prove to everybody that we’re a good team. We’re actually a great team. And we can get a lot of wins under pressure on the row. We just want to show everybody that you can’t doubt us.”
“When you win and, have the success that you’re having, it makes the work worth it,” Hurley said. “We got to hit the floor this week again and get over this.”
