Arizona State basketball snapped its seven-game losing streak with a 66-54 road win against Kansas State on Sunday afternoon.
The storm known as the 2024-25 season once again ravaged the Sun Devils ahead of tip off as senior guard/forward BJ Freeman was dismissed. Instead of another disheartened performance, they used a collective effort to exact revenge against the Wildcats. Arizona State basketball head coach Bobby Hurley started three big men in the game, dominating a Kansas State side without senior wing Coleman Hawkins.
A potential eye of the storm. Tranquility in the midst of chaos.
Here are three takeaways from the win.
Takeaway #1: Freshmen show up for Sun Devils
It has been tough sledding for the Sun Devil freshmen. Forward Jayden Quaintance struggled in his return from an ankle injury against No. 5 Houston, and guard Joson Sanon has not put up the same numbers from non-conference play. Guard/forward Amier Ali, while seeing more playing time, has struggled with his three-point shot.
However, all three made an impact with Arizona State basketball on Sunday afternoon. Quaintance led the team, rebounding from his scoreless showing against the Cougars, with 18 points and seven rebounds. This included hitting two three-pointers after entering the game with only four triples on the season. It was also his first time posting double-digit point totals since Jan. 21 against West Virginia.
Quaintance left the game with less than five minutes to go. He was fouled while driving to the basket and was clutching at his right leg before receiving some help from the trainers.
Ali sparked the Maroon and Gold with his corner threes, going 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. He finished the day with 11 points, reaching double figures for the third time in the past five games. Sanon, after zero points in the opening 20 minutes, canned nine in the second half.
Takeaway #2: Wildcats can’t reclaim conference magic
After beating Arizona State basketball in Tempe, Kansas State has struggled on the road, with losses to BYU and Utah. Many wondered if those struggles would continue back at Bramlage Coliseum.
The struggles indeed continued, as the Wildcats dropped their third home game of the season by double figures. They struggled on the offensive end, shooting 33.3% from the floor and 19.2% from beyond the arc. Their 54-point performance came after posting 71 in the season’s first meeting against the Maroon and Gold.
All players were held to single digits in the first half. Despite gauging the home crowd in the second half with a few mini-runs, the hosts did not erase the deficit, with Arizona State basketball responding to baskets.
These losses come after a resurgent period for Jerome Tang’s side. After struggling in non-conference play, they rattled off six consecutive wins, which includes victories against Arizona and Iowa State, who sit in the Top 20. They entered today’s contest as the 10th team out of the NCAA tournament, according to the ESPN+ broadcast.
Like Arizona State basketball, it looks like Kansas State will need to win the Big 12 to extend its time in March.
Takeaway #3: Freeman’s dismissal shows Sun Devil culture concerns
Arizona State basketball fans received a shock last year when then-graduate guard Jose Perez left the team ahead of the regular season finale against UCLA. He did this to play professional basketball in Puerto Rico.
This year’s departure was more bitter for the Sun Devils, with leading scorer senior guard/forward BJ Freeman turning in his uniform. Freeman was sent away due to “conduct detrimental to the team,” the same reason for his suspension against Oklahoma State on Feb. 9. Hurley told the ESPN+ broadcasters pregame that Freeman will continue to take classes at the university.
Freeman’s brash actions continued before that period, as he was ejected with a Flagrant 2 foul in two games this season. This included head-butting Arizona players during the Feb. 1 clash at Desert Financial Arena.
“Coach said that the (referees) were gonna be nitpicking on us and watching us the whole year,” Freeman said after the loss to TCU on Feb. 15, where redshirt senior guard Adam Miller was ejected for insulting an official. “The refs aren’t playing with us. We gotta figure that out, and show our emotion to our teammate, not the other team.”
Freeman’s comments came after Hurley told the media that his players did not want him to give a postgame speech after the game.
The UW-Milwaukee transfer ends his time with Arizona State basketball (and potentially his collegiate career) with 342 points, 98 rebounds and 65 assists in 25 games played. After beginning the season on the bench, he was in the starting five during his last 22 appearances.
It is one thing for a starter to leave ahead of the biggest stretch of the season. It is another for that to happen twice.
Up next for Arizona State basketball (13-14, 4-12): vs. BYU (19-8, 9-5) – Feb. 26 at 9:30 p.m. EST
Up next for Kansas State basketball (13-14, 7-9): at UCF (14-13, 5-11) – Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. EST