Arizona State junior wing Carrick Felix felt he would make the shot even before he attempted it.
The play, drawn up by coach Herb Sendek with 1.8 seconds left, was nearly improbable. Felix didn’t know how many times it worked in practice.
“It worked today,” said Felix, who drained a three-pointer as time expired to give the Arizona State men’s basketball team (4-5) a 60-57 victory over North Dakota State.
It was Christian Laettner’s buzzer-beater with a twist. Sophomore wing Chanse Creekmur, who played quarterback in high school, connected with junior wing Trent Lockett on a full court pass just outside the paint. Lockett had a chance to take the shot, but stuck to the play and found an open Felix for the 25-foot jumper.
“I thought Trent had tremendous basketball instincts to pass to Carrick,” Sendek said. “He might have been able to make a play, but he made a better play.”
Felix said the Sun Devils run the play in practice regularly, but could have avoided Saturday's last second scenario.
Lockett and sophomore forward Kyle Cain each contributed a double-double. Lockett had 10 points and 12 rebounds while Cain contributed 14 points and 13 boards, but missed 1-of-2 free throws in the last 25 seconds.
Down three with 14 seconds left, North Dakota State (7-2) sophomore guard Mike Felt nailed a desperate turnaround shot over two defenders to tie the game at 57.
It set the scene for Felix, who spent the offseason improving his jumper. He led the team with 15 points and had three of the team’s five three-pointers.
“You think back to him as a shooter a year ago today and where he is today, he’s got to be among the most improved shooters in the country,” Sendek said. “Now when he takes a three, I have great confidence it’s going in.”
Creekmur, who didn't play Wednesday against Nevada due to a hamstring injury, nailed the other two three-pointers for ASU.
Creekmur has struggled to find his shot this season. Coming into the game, he was 4-for-21 from behind the arc. He entered off the bench in the first half and drilled a three-pointer on the next play. He finished with eight points, three rebounds and had a key block down the stretch.
“Not only was it good to see the points go on the board, but I think it was really good for the moral of our team because we all know he is a terrific shooter,” Sendek said. “You don’t want to play him in horse.”
North Dakota State committed just six turnovers, but shot 36.2 percent in the game. Asides from a few wide-open looks that the Bison could not capitalize on, ASU improved its perimeter defense allowing the Bison to shoot just 19 percent from three-point range.
“That part of our defense was measurably better than it has been,” Sendek said.
The win snaps a three game losing streak at home for the Sun Devils, who are now 3-3 at Wells Fargo Arena. ASU will look to carry the momentum into next Saturday’s game against Northern Arizona.
“I felt like we all worked hard for this and we’re going to continue to get better, continue to practice, continue to execute our stuff and continue to try and win,” Felix said. “We’ll see how many we can win in a row.”
Colvin out
Junior guard Chris Colvin did not play Saturday due to “conduct unacceptable to any team,” Sendek said.
Colvin, a junior college transfer from Palm Beach,Fla., averages 7.1 points, 3.3 assists and 3.5 turnovers in eight games.
Sendek does not know what his status will be beyond this disciplinary action.
“That’ll be determined as we move forward and we’ll see what happens,” Sendek said.
Reach the reporter at master.tesfatsion@asu.edu
