In an energized Desert Financial Arena, the Sun Devils fell short of a major upset against No. 3 Iowa State 76-61.
While the score looks deceiving, the game was a back-and-forth contest for 35 minutes. In the first half, ASU held the 11th-best offense in the country to just four points in the first seven minutes.
Freshman forward Jayden Quaintance was big in the first half, scoring all nine of his points. The first 20 minutes were when he did most of his damage, but foul trouble never let him get back into a rhythm.
Iowa State has one of the best defenses in the country, but they couldn't stop ASU in the first half. The Sun Devils shot 56% from the field and 50% from three to tally 40 points and a seven-point lead at the half.
A major reason why Iowa State was able to stick around was their guard play. The Cyclones boast arguably one of the best trios of guards in the country with junior Tamin Lipsey and seniors Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones. Jones, who recently entered the starting five, had a career-high 33 points.
"He (Jones) was playing a different game than everybody else was today," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "Not only his offense. He was face-guarding us, denying us on defense, picking up full court. He played a complete game."
The ASU football team was recognized at halftime for its outstanding season. It was no coincidence the halftime spectacle happened against Iowa State, which ASU beat in the Big 12 Championship game.
Rows packed with Cyclones fans and the ASU student section went back and forth all game, eventually leading to a "Where’s your trophy?" chant from the students.
"What they did this year was off the chain in terms of just energizing everybody and getting people excited again about the program," Hurley said.
For the most part, the second half was just as competitive as the first. With foul issues, ASU had to turn to junior center Shawn Phillips Jr. who helped keep the Sun Devils in the game.
"His attitude, everything with his teammates, how he interacted with everybody today, he took a big step today," Hurley said. "Hopefully we keep taking steps with Shawn because he's got great upside if he just stays focused, and we keep him going in the right direction."
Eventually, the wheels fell off for the Sun Devils. In the last five and a half minutes of the game, ASU allowed Iowa State to go on a 19-3 run thanks to forced shots and turnovers.
In their last two games, the Sun Devils beat a ranked West Virginia on the road and hung around with an elite Iowa State squad. The team's improved play comes after a four-game losing streak in conference play.
"We're starting to figure some things out, but you know, ultimately, you've got to win," Hurley said. "There's no moral victories."
Edited by Jack Barron, Sophia Braccio and Katrina Michalak.
Reach the reporter at jkmccar2@asu.edu and follow @jackmccarthyasu on X.
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Jack is a junior studying sports journalism with a minor in business. This is his first semester with The State Press. He has also worked at his high school paper.
