By Cal Aboud, SDA Media Relations Student Assistant
SEATTLE, Wash. – Undermanned, off just a three-day turnaround, the Arizona State men’s basketball team battled Wednesday night at Alaska Airlines Arena. Falling 95-83, a final score not at all indicative of what was a solid outing for Bobby Hurley’s squad, the Sun Devils were done in late by foul trouble.
Arizona State opened the contest firing on all cylinders, shooting 60 percent (15-of-25) from the field, while connecting on four of their initial six three-point attempts. On a 13-0 run beginning at the 16:28 mark, the Sun Devils would jump out to as much as 14-point lead midway through the period. The Huskies, courtesy of a 9-0 run, would trim Arizona State’s lead to five at 21-16 with 8:34 remaining, before a barrage of Sun Devil threes would re-establish a sizable advantage for Hurley and company. A Willie Atwood three with .38 ticks remaining in the first half would give the Sun Devils a 44-32 lead at recess.
Tra Holder led the Sun Devils in scoring in the half nearly going perfect from beyond the arc, making 4-of-5 for 12 points, while also dishing five assists. Arizona State, a team who has often struggled over the course of the season to score from the perimeter, shot an impressive first half 57.1 percent (8-14) from three.
The Sun Devils fell flat offensively in the early going of the second half, making only 2-of-10 shots in the opening seven minutes, allowing Washington to pull the game to a tie, 51-51, by virtue of an 11-0 run.
What followed next could best be described as a war of attrition at the foul line, as neither team managed a score from the field over a five minute span beginning at the11:45 mark.
After a Washington score at 8:08 would put tie the score at 58-58, the Huskies would grab their first lead of the game the following procession off a pair of free throws. Arizona State would respond with two foul shots of their own.
Ultimately the teams would trade the lead four times down the stretch. With .25 ticks remaining, a Washington free throw would give the Huskies a three-point advantage, 78-75. The Sun Devils, in need of a three to force overtime, found it in the likes of a desperation bank-in three from Justice at 0:16.
Heading into overtime with three players beyond the foul limit, leaving just five scholarship players available, the Sun Devils sat at a disadvantage. The Huskies would open on a 6-0 run, before consecutive scoring possessions by Andrews would place the game out of reach.
The Sun Devils saw a number of outstanding individual performances on the night.
Sophomore guard Tra Holder, who paced Arizona State with 18 points (career-high 5-9/3PT) and six assists, had an impressive defensive outing, limiting Pac-12 leading scorer Andrew Andrews at 21 PPG, to just six points in regulation.
"Tra did a nice job moving his feet and staying in front." said coach Hurley regarding guarding the elusive scorer. "We contested his shots and we understood how good he was and we gave him the appropriate attention."
Andrews who scored 30 points in the Sun Devils last meeting with the Huskies on Jan. 16, didn’t register a score from the field in regulation.
Kodi Justice continues to show versatility at the point guard position.
Beyond going 4-of-5 from three and notching 14 points, the sophomore showed impressive vision and flash, whipping passes around the court en route to tallying four assists.
Forward Obinna Oleka once again showed why he is one of the best players in the league at the charity stripe going a perfect 8-of-8. The Sun Devil newcomer finished with 12 points while recording a team-high eight rebounds. Willie Atwood for the 16th time this season scored in double figures netting 14. Senior Gerry Blakes added 12, in addition to four assists.
Washington, who was led by a career-high 34 points from freshman Dejounte Murray, benefited from a season-high 34 Sun Devil fouls, making 31-of-45 attempts at the foul line.
The Huskies also managed to edge out the Sun Devils on the boards, outrebounding Arizona State 41-33.
UP NEXT…
The Sun Devils close the Washington road swing with a trip to Pullman to take on the Washington State Cougars (9-12; 1-8), Sat., Feb. 6, at 4:30 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks with JB Long and Matt Muehlebach on the call. Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd have the Sun Devil radio call on the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network (620 AM), presented by MidFirst Bank.
Arizona State met the Cougars just four weeks ago (Jan.14), notching an 84-73 victory in Tempe for their first conference win of the season.