Feb. 17, 2005
By MEL REISNER
AP Sports Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Ike Diogu had 25 points and Bryson Krueger a season-high 21, and Arizona State survived blowing an 18-point lead to defeat Oregon State 75-73 Thursday night.
The win wasn't locked down until Krueger threw a floor-length in-bounds pass to Serge Angounou, who dribbled out the final three seconds.
Jason Braxton had a season-high 11 points for the Sun Devils (17-9, 6-8 Pac-10).
The Beavers (14-10, 6-7) rallied from a 44-26 deficit behind David Lucas, who had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Jason Fontenot.
Fontenot scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half, when Oregon State surged from 18 points down to take a 63-62 lead on Lucas' three-point play with 6:23 left.
But the Sun Devils answered, regaining the lead when Angounou drove the key for a dunk with 5:47 to go. When Fontenot missed a shot the next trip upcourt, Angounou, who had seven of his eight rebounds in the second half, got the carom and Krueger made his fifth 3-pointer with 5:20 remaining.
The Beavers came back to tie it at 67 on Nick DeWitz's 16-footer with 3:28 left, but Arizona State opened breathing room on a jumper by Angounou and Braxton's free throw. With 24 seconds left, DeWitz cut the gap to 72-71 with a 3-pointer, but Kevin Kruger made three free throws down the stretch.
Diogu scored in double figures for the 85th straight game, but also missed a career-high seven free throws.
Both teams shot poorly in the first half, and the game was tight until Krueger scored 11 points in a 2:20 span, giving the Sun Devils a 33-18 lead.
His last two baskets were a jumper after rebounding a missed free throw by Diogu with 5:49 left in the half, and a 3-pointer 47 seconds later.
That was Arizona State's biggest lead until Diogu made a 14-foot jumper with 2 seconds left after recovering his own blocked shot, opening a 42-26 halftime lead.