The Arizona State men's basketball team knew they were in for a tough night with the No. 5 Houston Cougars rolling into Desert Financial Arena. Given Houston’s reputation for suffocating defense, points were expected to be at a premium. And that proved to be the case, as the Cougars claimed an 80-65 victory in Big 12 play on Tuesday night, handing ASU (12-14, 3-12) their seventh straight home loss.
Houston’s Defensive Domination
Houston (22-4, 14-1) came into the matchup as the conference frontrunner, boasting the nation’s best scoring defense—allowing just 57 points per game. They also ranked sixth among 355 Division I teams in opponent field goal percentage, holding teams to just 38.1%. Despite the loss, ASU managed to score more points than most teams have against Houston and shot a respectable 43.2% (19-for-44) from the field, including an 8-for-22 performance from beyond the arc. That was a small moral victory, according to head coach Bobby Hurley.
“If we had 65 in this game, I probably would have signed on for it just because of how well they defend, and we just gave up too many points in the first half to legitimately give ourselves a chance,” Hurley said. “They’re one of the best defensive teams in the country. They’re holding teams to 38% and we shot 43%. I think the turnovers were about equal. We had 44 shots in the game. That’s a sneaky good thing about them—how they manage the game and have quality possessions at both ends. They put a stranglehold on you when they get a lead.”
Bright Spots for ASU
While the final score wasn’t in their favor, there were a few positives for the Sun Devils.
-
Alston Mason’s Breakout Performance: The senior point guard was a bright spot, pouring in a season-high 26 points. Mason shot an outstanding 8-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, and was nearly automatic from the free-throw line, making 6-of-7 attempts. Over the past five games, Mason has been on a tear, scoring 99 points on 30-for-59 shooting from the field and an incredible 24-for-25 from the line.
-
Free Throws Improving: The Sun Devils, who have struggled at the stripe, showed signs of progress by knocking down 19-of-26 attempts (73.1%). Take away three misses from Basheer Jihad, and the rest of the team went 17-for-21. A particularly encouraging sign was center Shawn Phillips making three of his four attempts—an area where he typically struggles.
-
No Quit in the Sun Devils: At one point in the second half, ASU was down by as many as 23 points (13:04 remaining), but they kept fighting. They managed to trim the deficit to 12 with 1:43 left when Phillips slammed home a dunk to make it 76-64. The comeback effort ultimately fell short, but it demonstrated that this team hasn’t given up on Hurley despite the tough stretch of losses.
Where Things Went Wrong
While there were positives, the Sun Devils also had their share of struggles that contributed to the loss.
-
Lost the Battle on the Boards: Rebounding was a major issue, as Houston dominated the glass with a 36-25 advantage. This disparity limited ASU’s shot attempts to just 44 for the entire game. Freshman Jayden Quaintance, the team’s leading rebounder, was clearly not at full strength after returning from an ankle injury. He finished with just two rebounds in 14 minutes of action. Freshman Amier Ali led ASU with six rebounds, despite not being in the starting lineup.
-
Houston’s Hot Shooting: The Cougars shot 48.1% (26-for-54) from the field, including a blistering 53.6% in the first half, which helped them build a 47-31 halftime lead. Houston also drained 11 of their 23 three-point attempts. L.J. Cryer led the way with 18 points, while Emanuel Sharpe chipped in 17.
-
Turnovers Proved Costly: ASU came into the game averaging 13 turnovers per contest, and that’s exactly what they finished with. However, those giveaways were costly, as Houston converted them into 20 points. Against a team that controls the tempo and limits possessions, every turnover hurt that much more.
Changing Things Up
Hurley decided to roll out a new starting lineup for the fifth time this season. Quaintance, despite being fresh off his ankle injury, was inserted back into the starting five alongside Phillips, Mason, Adam Miller, and B.J. Freeman. The shake-up also saw Basheer Jihad come off the bench for the first time this season, making Mason the only player to have started every game.
Quaintance, who has been a force with six double-doubles this season, struggled to get into rhythm. He picked up two quick fouls in the first five minutes and never really found his footing. He finished 0-for-2 from the field and sat out the second half as Hurley opted to rest him.
“As good as he looked yesterday in practice,” Hurley said, “he just didn’t have, in my estimation, the same explosiveness that we normally see, and that’s why I chose to shut him down in the second half. Hopefully, the next several days will be helpful for him to start getting back physically.”
What They Said
Hurley had high praise for Houston’s well-rounded attack and discipline.
“They have shooting, and they have fierce interior players that can really get something done, so they present a lot of issues for you,” Hurley said. “Even late clock, (Milos) Uzan hit some big shots. These guys hit shots late in the clock. They’re a well-built team, as good a team as I’ve seen, maybe since Florida. They’re very impressive.”
Senior point guard Alston Mason echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the Cougars’ chemistry and rebounding dominance.
“Houston’s a really good team. They’re connected. They know where their guys are going to be. They have good chemistry, and they all feed off each other. They get a lot of rebounds. It’s hard to beat a team that dominates on the glass like they do.”
What’s Next
The Sun Devils now turn their attention to an upcoming road test against Kansas State (13-13, 7-8) on Sunday at 2 p.m. MST. This will be the second meeting between the teams this season. The last time they faced off in Tempe, the Wildcats escaped with a narrow 71-70 victory, a game that came down to the wire. Quaintance missed two crucial free throws with three seconds left, leaving ASU just short of a dramatic win.
With their losing streak continuing and the competition in the Big 12 relentless, ASU will need to find a way to regroup quickly. Can they put together a complete performance and snap their skid on the road? Time will tell.
Login