(Photo: Emma Jeanson/WCSN)
With three minutes and 45 seconds to play, graduate forward Alonzo Gaffney pinned the layup of Washington State guard Myles Rice, followed by a quick outlet pass to junior Adam Miller who finished a reverse layup in transition to put Arizona State men’s basketball ahead 64-55 over the hottest team in the Pac-12.
After sliding down near the bottom third of the Pac-12 men’s basketball standings, earning an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament through the regular season is all but out of the window for the Sun Devils.
What is left between now and the start of the Pac-12 Conference tournament in March is a test of mental fortitude, how the Sun Devils carry themselves as a program throughout the latter stage of conference play as they prepare for their last chance to make the big dance.
“It is about when you get hot for me,” graduate wing Jose Perez said. “We’re in the same position we need to win three games in three days and anything can happen when we get hot.”
ASU came into Saturday night’s matchup as a huge underdog, despite playing in Tempe the Sun Devils were faced with a red-hot foe in No. 21 Washington State a program on the back of an eight-game winning streak, and a huge road win in Tuscon on Thursday night.
Yet the Sun Devils (14-14, 8-9 Pac-12) didn’t allow the Cougars’ (21-7, 12-5 Pac-12) momentum to faze them as their energetic defensive performance propelled them to their first victory over a ranked opponent this season, winning 73-61 at Desert Financial Arena
“I thought possibly the best defensive we’ve played this season,” head coach Bobby Hurley said post-game. “You can see why they’ve had the success they’ve had, but our defensive was up to the challenge tonight. We stepped up in that regard.”
Gaffney’s heroic rejection down the stretch was just one of many ways ASU made its mark known defensively. As a team, it managed to force 11 turnovers from WSU, and despite being last in the Pac-12 in rebound margin, Saturday night’s battle on the glass was all square at 35 a piece.
On the defensive end, the bench production of Gaffney and junior big man Bryant Selebangue made all the difference, the pair combined for 20 bench points and 13 rebounds, five of them coming on the offensive glass.
“We knew that we needed this game,” Selebaunge said. “We need to protect the home [court], we all told each other we need to do everything it takes to get this win.
“Making sure when I come in instant energy. Something that gets us going is offensive rebounds. I know that is going to bring a spark to the team, get an offensive rebound, and kick it out or score it, that’s my job, it’s what I signed up for.”
The energy on the defensive end carried over to the offensive side of the ball as well, ASU was able to build off its scorching 51-point second half in Thursday’s loss to Washington, coming out of the gate with 36 points in the first half on 53% shooting.
The Sun Devils shot 49.2% from the field and 42.9% from three for the game, knocking down shots on all three levels and getting into the paint consistently for 36 paint points. The team saw four players finish in double figures and two more with nine.
“We’re not going to do it with one guy,” Hurley said. “Any time we seem to win there are four guys or five guys in double figures we need that type of production. When we have that many guys playing well on that end of the floor it really gets everyone energized I think we play better at both ends.”
For ASU this win is a huge boost in confidence, after the worst loss to Arizona in program history just last week, then falling short on Thursday in a nail biting loss against Washington. Earning a statement victory over a ranked opponent in WSU gives the entire squad a lift in morale.
“You can’t complain when you beat a ranked team,” Selebaungue said. “We needed this one, we needed this one. We lost [the] last one at home, we needed the bounce back to get ready for Wednesday.”
With all eyes getting set on the upcoming Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament, the Sun Devils feel as though they can compete with anyone in the conference, and they won’t end this season without giving it their all when it matters most, and they will be tested with a rematch with Arizona set for Wednesday.
“We need to go out with pride, our pride needs to get in the way,” Perez said. “We go we win out get the best seed possible, and see who we match up well with, it is all about matchups in March.”
