Kansas State (16-16) topped Arizona State 71-66 in Big 12 Championship men's basketball first round action Tuesday night at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
ASU cut it to 62-56 with under five minutes remaining, but the Wildcats behind 26 points from Coleman Hawkins held off ASU as KSU made four of its final five shots from the field. Alston Mason did what he has done all year, notching 17 points, and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line, and is 97-of-114 (.851) on the year, currently ninth-best in Sun Devil history and the best by a Sun Devils since 2010 (minimum 40 attempts).
Single-Season Free Throw Percentage
89.7 – DJ Horne, 2022 (35-of-39)
87.7 – Bryson Krueger, 2006
87.5 – Rihards Kuksiks, 2010
87.5 – Chris Beasley, 1984
87.4 – Stevin Smith, 1992
86.3 – Derek Glasser, 2010
86.3 – Alex Austin, 1989
85.9 – James Holliman, 1977
85.1 - Alston Mason, 2025 (97-114)
The Wildcats jumped out hot early by hitting five straight threes to take a 17-4 lead less than six minutes into the game with a 9-0 run, but ASU tied it 19 at the midway point of the first half.
KSU took a 38-31 lead into the half with Coleman Hawkins scoring 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Alston led ASU at recess with eight points. KSU led ASU 18-4 in points in the paint.
Shawn Phillips Jr. had 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Joson Sanon and Basheer Jihad added 13 points each, as Sanon is averaging 18.8 points in his past five games.
ASU cut it to 62-56 with under five minutes remaining, but the Wildcats behind 26 points from Coleman Hawkins held off ASU as KSU made four of its final five shots from the field. Alston Mason did what he has done all year, notching 17 points, and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line, and is 97-of-114 (.851) on the year, currently ninth-best in Sun Devil history and the best by a Sun Devils since 2010 (minimum 40 attempts).
Single-Season Free Throw Percentage
89.7 – DJ Horne, 2022 (35-of-39)
87.7 – Bryson Krueger, 2006
87.5 – Rihards Kuksiks, 2010
87.5 – Chris Beasley, 1984
87.4 – Stevin Smith, 1992
86.3 – Derek Glasser, 2010
86.3 – Alex Austin, 1989
85.9 – James Holliman, 1977
85.1 - Alston Mason, 2025 (97-114)
The Wildcats jumped out hot early by hitting five straight threes to take a 17-4 lead less than six minutes into the game with a 9-0 run, but ASU tied it 19 at the midway point of the first half.
KSU took a 38-31 lead into the half with Coleman Hawkins scoring 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Alston led ASU at recess with eight points. KSU led ASU 18-4 in points in the paint.
Shawn Phillips Jr. had 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Joson Sanon and Basheer Jihad added 13 points each, as Sanon is averaging 18.8 points in his past five games.