ASU’s tendency to go several minutes at a time without a basket again proved to be a venomous bite, as it fell at Cincinnati 67-60 on Saturday.
After a 24-point first half, the shorthanded Sun Devils made a game of it, as Joson Sanon (ankle) remained out and Shawn Phillips Jr. picked up four fouls in seven minutes. All five starters played at least 33 minutes as a result.
Facing a 17-point deficit early in the second half against one of the best defensive teams in the country, ASU used 15-2 run to claw back with 3s from each of Alston Mason, BJ Freeman and Adam Miller. They combined to hit all six of the team’s 3s (22 attempts) in the game.
Down the stretch of the ASU run, Cincinnati began its own drought of nearly nine minutes without a made field goal (12 consecutive misses). The Sun Devils were unable to capitalize after several looks from close range that wouldn’t go.
Three late turnovers by Cincinnati gave ASU a chance at a miracle comeback, but it never got closer than a five-point game with 38 seconds left.
The Sun Devils (10-7, 1-5) have now lost four straight and their NCAA tournament hopes are dwindling, entering the day as one of Joe Lunardi’s next four out, the same category as the Bearcats.
First half struggles again ail ASU
The Sun Devils again struggled to find early offense, as their first bucket came 3:10 in. Later in the first half brought a 6:42 drought that saw Cincinnati take advantage, turning a three-point ASU lead into a 13-point deficit.
ASU would fight back to make it a four-point game late in the half before the Bearcats again separated, ending the half with a 14-point lead.
Slow starts have plagued ASU, leaving its defense to make up for poor offense, which doesn’t work well when it takes an effective press defense from a shorthanded group unable to sustain long stretches of the press.
Sanon’s absence has emphasized the team’s need for self-creation, and his team had other health scares in the loss: Freeman took a hard fall and had his knee landed on, initially exiting before returning along with a rolled ankle late from Mason, who stayed in.
ASU has another tough road test coming up against West Virginia on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MST before coming home to play No. 2 Iowa State next Saturday.
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