Box Score
ASU Crushes La Salle 111-78 at Tribune Classic
TEMPE, Ariz. - Bobby Lazor scored 24 points as Arizona State routed La Salle 111-78 Saturday night in the first round of the Tribune Classic, the Explorers' worst loss in 15 years.
The Sun Devils (9-3), who extended their homecourt winning streak to eight games, will face Eastern Michigan in the championship game Sunday night.
Arizona State has advanced to the championship game for 24 consecutive years, and 29 of 31 years overall.
Jeremy Veal scored 20 points, Mike Batiste and Urit Kelly each had 14 and Eddie House added nine for the Sun Devils.
Mike Gizzi led the Explorers (3-4) with 22 points, Shawn Smith added 16 and K'Zell Wesson and Victor Thomas each scored 12 points.
Gizzi's layup 25 seconds into the game gave La Salle its only lead.
Lazor scored nine points, Batiste added six and Urit Kelly scored five as the Sun Devils outscored the Explorers 31-7 over the next 10:25 to open a 22-point lead.
Arizona State closed the first half with a 6-2 run to take a 61-30 halftime lead, and led by as many as 35 point in the second half.
The loss was the six-worst in La Salle history, and the Explorers' worst since a 35-point loss to Villanova on Jan. 27, 1982.