The last two times the ASU men's basketball team hosted Oregon, the game came down the the game's final possession, leading many to believe a similar affair was on the docket Sunday night. After the first 20 minutes followed the script, the second half swung in favor of the overdog visitors.
The Sun Devils (12-10, 2-7 Pac-12) allowed 54 second half points in a 91-74 home loss to the No. 23 Ducks, cementing their place at number 11 in the conference standings. Oregon hit 10 of its final 13 field goal attempts to pull away, exiting the desert with a sweep.
The game started inauspiciously for ASU, as they fell behind 13-0 less than five minutes in. The surprisingly large Oregon contingent seized all the momentum, setting up a rare first half dagger that appeared inevitable.
It never came.
The Sun Devils, helped by a 30-second timeout called by head coach Bobby Hurley, pushed back their tormentor. They took a lead with the help of a long run of their own, evening up the odds in the waning minutes of the first stanza.
With a halftime lead in sight, ASU misplayed possessions down the stretch. The Ducks snatched a one-point lead at the break.
"We missed some layups and some free throws that maybe blew an opportunity to possibly lead at halftime," Hurley said. "But all things considered, to go into the half the way we started the game, I was kind of happy with where we were positioned."
The second half began just as poorly as the first half did, with ASU being whistled for five fouls in the first four-minutes. With each blow of an official's whistle, not only did the crowd groan, but Hurley did as well, leading to his fifth technical foul of the season later in the half.
Despite his fire in the heat of the moment, Hurley's answer was more politically correct postgame.
"I have to watch the tape to see about the fouls and the nine free throws in 1:15," Hurley said. "That's quite a bit."
Those early fouls and free points for Oregon set the tone of the final 20 minutes. With a head start offensively, the Ducks played more freely than ASU on both ends of the floor, leading to more opportunities to make explosive plays.
Senior forward Chris Boucher was a force for Oregon, scoring 26 points on 8-12 shooting against a plethora of ASU defenders. He was just as good on the other end of the floor, blocking seven shots and grabbing 10 rebounds.
"Boucher is a lot tougher than he looks," Hurley said. "And he's extremely talented."
Up double-digits and looking to go for the jugular, the Ducks pressured the Sun Devils defensively, hoping for mistakes. Instead of taking advantage of the open man on traps, ASU faltered, committing 17 turnovers that led directly to 29 points.
Senior guard Gerry Blakes, who finished with 15 points, turned the ball over six times and said the inconsistency in dealing with Oregon's defense cost his team the game.
"At times we showed that we can break the press and at times we gave up the ball," Blakes said. "I turned the ball over a few times and a couple other players (did) as well."
Blakes said ASU "didn't stay together" and tried to be individuals too often, leading to breakdowns offensively.
In the final minutes, the Ducks did what they wanted on both ends, pulling away with fast break dunks and free throws, putting the game away and leaving the Sun Devils in their dust.
Now, at the midway point of the conference season, ASU is looking up at all but one team, putting them in a precarious position in their postseason hopes. Four of the team's seven conference losses have come by 10 or fewer points, giving Blakes hope for a turnaround down the stretch.
When asked why he's confident Blakes answered flatly.
"We've shown we're a good team," he said. "That's why."
Reach the reporter at mtonis@asu.edu or follow @Tonis_The_Tiger on Twitter.
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