Bobby Hurley made a drastic decision after 89 seconds that led to domination

(Photo: Maya Diaz/WCSN)

PHOENIX – Just 89 Seconds into the game, Arizona State men’s basketball trailed by three points, an easily surmountable deficit, as the ball was just tipped four possessions prior

However, head coach Bobby Hurley wasn’t going to sit and wait to make changes at Mortgage Matchup Center in Downtown Phoenix Saturday night.

Hurley subsequently took out all five of his starters in a move more familiar to Mullett Arena and ASU hockey head coach Greg Powers.

Yet, Hurley seemed to have the golden touch with his hockey-style line change. By the 10:20 mark of the first half, the Sun Devils had sprinted out to a 27-6 lead, holding Oklahoma to just one field goal over the eight minutes.

“It validates trust that you have in the full group,” Hurley said. “Sometimes you go with your gut instinct, and you’re right, and you’re wrong sometimes. That time it worked.”

Hurley’s instinct was the primary catalyst for his team’s 86-70 victory over Oklahoma (6-3), as ASU (7-2) won the closing game of the Jerry Colangelo Classic.

In the opening minute and a half, the Sun Devils were outrebounded 3-0, with two of Oklahoma’s boards coming on the offensive glass, a far cry from what Hurley has preached as his team’s ethos.

“We had specific drills where whoever got the rebound, played offense, or every guard had to run to the paint to get a rebound, just so we avoided standing around and watching,” Hurley said. “My thought was ‘if I didn’t do anything about this – after giving up two offensive rebounds right away – then what I’m saying is meaningless.’”

ASU finished the night on top of the rebounding battle, 40-38, proving Hurley’s message wasn’t meaningless in the end.

The substitutes didn’t just bring rebounding — they brought an all-around attack on Oklahoma’s defense.

Sophomore guard Noah Meeusen was the attack’s lieutenant, tallying eight assists on the night, with many coming in transition.

“The first couple of minutes, defensively, we got stops, then we could run,” Meeusen said. “Then just find the open guys, and they make shots, so credit to the guys.”

In ASU’s 27-3 run, Meeusen assisted four of his team’s assists during the spurt.

The first-half run coincided with ASU catching fire from three. The Sun Devils shot 7-of-10 from three in the first half, with senior guards Moe Odum and Anthony “Pig” Johnson leading the way with a pair each.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma finished the opening 20 minutes shooting a measly 3-of-17 from three.

ASU’s 3-point shooting understandably slipped in the second half, but it saw the emergence of redshirt sophomore forward Marcus Adams.

Adams had struggled during his first eight games in maroon and gold, as he only scored more than five points once in his return from an offseason injury.

Friday night was a total reversal of the script, as Adams finished the night with 11 points and three made three-pointers.

“You have to do more at this stage, if you’re him, because all the time he missed,” Hurley said. “He deserved to play well because of all the work he put in all week to get ready for this game.”

With the injury, Adams could have had his whole season derailed, but slowly but surely, he’s gotten on track with his teammates.

“He ran 17s every day this week,” Odum said. “Ran again for two minutes, another drill, then he shot after. I made him shoot free throws, and then on our off-days, I made him come in the morning.”

Adams’ ascent to his current conditioning provided an additional layer to ASU’s offense, as it seemed to have more space on the perimeter..

“Domination,” Odum said. “That’s what it brought to us.”

The Sun Devils dominated for the large majority of the game, with Oklahoma’s best scoring run being an 8-0 run that turned the deficit from 70-47 to 70-55.

The win was much more of a welcome sight for Hurley, as it alleviated some of his anxieties from the eight days spent in Hawaii.

“This was scary for me because I did [the Battle 4] Atlantis a few years ago, and it was three straight games and travel,” Hurley said. “The guys were shot against Washington State. No legs. No energy, we scored 29 points.”

Unlike the game against Washington State in 2021, ASU’s offense couldn’t stop scoring. The 86 points from Saturday night are the Sun Devils’ third-most this season, and most on the mainland of the United States.

Overall, the leadership of Hurley and Odum combined to deliver a dominant performance over Oklahoma, in another strong performance after winning three games in Hawaii in November.

“I told them when we got back, ‘Maui is over, Hawaii is over,’” Odum said. “That was last month. It’s a whole new month.”