TEMPE – The Arizona State men’s basketball team (6-3) trailed Pepperdine throughout the first half on Saturday, but high energy and career games from Eric Jacobsen and Shaquielle McKissic helped ASU take control and pull away in the second half, as the Sun Devils went on to beat the Waves, 81-74, from Wells Fargo Arena.
Arizona State shot just 22 of 53 (42%) from the floor, but overcame the tough shooting outing by outrebounding Pepperdine 40-25 and outscoring it 15-4 on second chance points. ASU went to the free throw line a total of 48 times, converting on 34 (71%), while Pepperdine finished just 12 of 15 from the charity stripe.
HOME COOKING: ASU has now won 14 straight at home for the first time since the 1974-75 teams opened Wells Fargo Arena with 20 straight home wins. ASU has gone 40-5 in its past 45 home games and has won 22 of its past 23 in Wells Fargo Arena.
SUN DEVIL 14-GAME HOME WIN STREAK
ASU 81, Pepperdine 74 (Dec. 13, 2014)
ASU 77, UNLV 55 (Dec. 3, 2014)
ASU 78, Colgate 71 (Nov. 29, 2014)
ASU 68, LMU 44 (Nov. 20, 2014)
ASU 49, Bethune-Cookman 39 (Nov. 17, 2014)
ASU 86, Chicago State 50 (Nov. 14, 2014)
ASU 78, California 60 (Mar. 1, 2014)
ASU 76, Stanford 64 (Feb. 26, 2014)
ASU 69, #2 Arizona 66, 2 OT (Feb. 14, 2014)
ASU 74, Oregon 72 (Feb. 8, 2014)
ASU 86, Oregon State 82, OT (Feb. 6, 2014)
ASU 72, Colorado 51 (Jan. 25, 2014)
ASU 79, Utah 75 (Jan. 23, 2014)
ASU 66, Washington State 47 (Jan. 5, 2014)
ERIC IMPROVEMENTS: Entering this year, junior Eric Jacobsen had played in 64 games and averaged 8.8 minutes, 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds. He is averaging 33.6 minutes, 11.7 points, 8.0 boards and is 35-of-50 (.700) from the field. After posting 16 blocks in his first two seasons, Eric has 18 blocks in nine games this year.
BALANCED SCORING: ASU has had six players lead it in scoring in its first nine games: Shaq McKissic (20 vs. Chicago State and 22 vs. Pepperdine), Eric Jacobsen (13 vs. Bethune Cookman and 16 vs. UNLV), Chance Murray (12 vs. LMU) and Jon Gilling (21 vs. Maryland) all did it prior to Gerry Blakes scoring 21 vs. Alabama and 23 vs. Colgate. Tra Holder then had 14 off the bench at Texas A&M on Dec. 6.
GETTING IT DONE: Junior college newcomer Gerry Blakes has led the way in the past six games averaging 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting .514 (36-of-70) from the floor and is perfect in 14 free throw attempts in that time.
For ASU, McKissic scored 22 points on 6 of 10 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and three assists. It marked his second career double-double as a Sun Devil. He found his way to the free throw line 14 times, connecting on 9 of 14.
Jacobsen also recorded a 20-point performance, finishing with a career-high 20 points on 6 of 7 shooting to go with nine rebounds. He opened the game a perfect 5 of 5 from the field before missing his first shot in the second half. His previous high was 16 points, which he accomplished twice, including last time ASU played at home against UNLV on Dec. 3.
McKissic and Jacobsen became the first ASU players to both record 20 points in the same game since Jahii Carson and Jonathan Gilling did so on March 8, 2013 against Oregon State.
A total of four Sun Devils finished in double-digit scoring. Gerry Blakes hit on 5 of 9 from the field on his way to a 16-point performance, including a clutch three-pointer that put the Devils up 64-57 with just under four minutes remaining. Tra Holder was the other double-digit scorer, scoring 15 points, much in part after going 11 of 16 from the free throw line.
Pepperdine took a 31-29 lead into the locker room after a hot start in which it opened the game 8 of 10 from the floor. ASU shot 11 of 32 (34%) in the first half, failing to connect on a three-pointer (0-6), while the Waves shot 14 of 29 (48%).
The Devils gained their first lead of the day at the 11:29 mark of the second half thanks to a Blakes three-pointer, the first make of the day from beyond the arc for ASU after beginning the game 0 of 9. Arizona State held the lead for the remainder of the way, going on to notch its sixth victory of the season.
ASU next travels to Milwaukee, Wisc., on Dec. 16 for a showdown with Marquette. The contest is set to tip at 7:00 p.m. (MT).