Arizona State basketball beats Santa Clara 81-74 at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, NV on Friday night.
Despite winning their season opener, the Sun Devils needed a change from Tuesday, where they struggled against Idaho State. They shifted gears to beat the 84th-ranked Broncos, according to KenPom (Arizona State is currently ranked 79th).
“I thought the quality of our shots was very good,” Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley said in the postgame interview on the FloSports broadcast. “We got some stuff going to the basket. We were able to spray the ball to the perimeter for the shooters.”
Takeaway #1: A game of runs
The story on Tuesday was Arizona State’s slow start, falling into a hole early.
It was a different story on Friday night.
The Sun Devils started on a 22-12 run. But the final 10 minutes saw Santa Clara pressure them into turnovers. This caused the Broncos to go on a 20-6 run, forcing Hurley to burn a timeout with 2:10 remaining in the half. Hurley’s side responded with some shots from range to lead 36-34 at halftime.
The second half saw less extreme runs, with the lead seldom getting higher than five points. But Arizona State was trying to close the game out up late, attempting multiple three-pointers and missing most. Leading 75-71 with 1:13 remaining in the second half, senior guard/forward BJ Freeman hit a triple to give the Sun Devils a seven-point lead and hang on for the victory.
Takeaway #2: More guards get in on the action
Four Sun Devils saw double-digit point totals on Friday night. They were able to get the guard play going and make shots from beyond the arc, something that was a struggle on Tuesday.
Freshman guard Joson Sanon and Freeman, who both go to double-digits on Tuesday, played well. But Friday night saw the emergence of freshman guard/forward Amier Ali and redshirt senior guard Adam Miller.
Ali saw some action, launching four triples after making zero on Tuesday. He found the open space and helped the Sun Devils sustain some momentum, especially in the second half. He also got a shout-out from Hurley in the head coach’s postgame interview.
Miller, the sole returner on the starting five, gives experience to not just Sun Devil basketball, but college basketball in general. The two-time transfer was a regular starter in every game of his collegiate career. After only scoring three points in the season opener, Miller found open spaces in the mid-range, knocking down some three-pointers.
The addition of Ali and Miller showed a more guard-prevalent offensive attack. Something that has been common under Hurley, who was a guard himself during his time at Duke.
Takeaway #3: A tale of the two five-stars
The Sun Devils made some big moves in the offseason, bringing in not one, but two five-star recruits in forward Jayden Quaintance and guard Joson Sanon. It led to high expectations for this season, as they made up the highest-ranked recruiting class in the Hurley era.
Sanon was once again in rhythm, getting shots up from behind the arc. He has demonstrated his ability to take what the defense gives him and make the most of his opportunity. Another game for him in double-digits.
Quaintance struggled offensively on Tuesday, with only two points and one rebound. He did well defensively though, with six blocks. The McDonald’s All-American looked the same defensively, getting in front of attackers. Offensively, he still struggled early around the court. But he found some rhythm in the second half with key dunks that electrified the Sun Devil bench.
Hurley and his staff will look to find more ways to get both players involved as the season progresses.
Up next for Arizona State (2-0): at No. 6 Gonzaga (1-0) – Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. EST/3 p.m. MST
Up next for Santa Clara (1-1): vs. North Dakota State (1-1) – Nov. 13 at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST