Coming into the game as a 10.5-point dog, the Sun Devils had all of the bulletin board material that they needed. Coming off their biggest win of the season against No. 23 West Virginia in a true road game and they were double-digit dogs in their own home?
Setting the stage for Arizona St:
After missing several games with a nagging ankle injury, 5-star rookie phenom Joson Sanon returned to the lineup giving Coach Bobby Hurley a bit of extra depth off the bench as he had been playing a seven-man deep lineup without him. Before his injury, he was the team's leading scorer at 13.5 points per contest, so Sanon was welcomed back with open arms.
Coming out of the press conference after the win in Morgantown, Bobby Hurley said that keeping up the intensity was going to be a key pillar if they wanted to stack on another win to their resume. With a noon start time on Saturday, it was going to take all that they had and then some if they wanted to take down Keshon Gilbert and the No. 3 ranked Iowa St Cyclones.
Game Time for Arizona St vs Iowa St:
As fans rolled into the stadium before tip, it was very evident that the Cyclone faithful traveled very well. Inside and outside the stadium, it looked like it was going to be overun by Cyclones fans. At tip off, the split was probably 60/40 in favor of Iowa St. Coming out of your home tunnel and seeing more away fans than home fans has to be demoralizing. Before tip off, Coach Hurley rounded up the boys and had a very heated conversation with them and they ran out of the huddle fired up!
Arizona St won the tip and we were off and running. The Sun Devil defense was racheting up the intensity early as they forced Iowa St into a four and a half minute long stretch to start the game without scoring. At the first official media time out, the score was 5-0 Arizona State. Jayden Quaintance, the second rookie phenom on the team for the Sun Devils picked up two early fouls which were negligible at best, and it looked like Coach Hurley may be back down to a 7-man rotation after all.
The first half was a very back and forth game with nine lead changes. Everytime the Cyclones had a run, the Sun Devils would punch back. Leading by as much as nine in the first half. Both Joson Sanon and Adam Miller were instrumental in those run killing shots. When either guy made a step back three, you could see the air leave the stadium for a moment. Right before the half, Sanon hit a step back three from 35 feet out to put the Sun Devils up by seven. He did a bow and arrow gesture to Curtis Jones, who was very noticably frustrated that his team was down by seven. Jones had 18 of the Cyclones first 26 points, for awhile there, it looked like Jones may have to score 60 if the Cyclones wanted a chance. All things considered, Arizona St played almost a error free first half, minus the fouls on Quaintance, Sanon, and Miller.
Halftime Adjustments?!?!
Coming out of the half, Coach Otzelberger said in the presser, he made it a point of emphasis to get turnovers. "Arizona St ranks near the top in the country in turnovers and we rank No. 1 in points off turnovers"! We are down seven and only have two turnovers. Whatever Otzelberger said in the locker room, that may not have been presser appropriate, worked. The Cyclones started the 2nd half on a 9-0 run in what span, the Sun Devils had three turnovers.
Like I mentioned earlier, although the Cyclones looked like the more dominate team. Everytime the Cyclones punched and the Sun Devils looked dazed, they made it a point to get back into the ring and punch back. After that 9-0 run, the Sun Devils had a 6-0 run of their own to increase the lead back to four at the Official Media timeout at 11:35.
Back and forth, back and forth we go. Until the 5:20 mark when the Cyclones ratched up the defense another level and that was the ball game. Arizona St scored just three points over the final 5:20, all coming off free throws which the Cyclones had 16 points of their own. The Sun Devils looked like they had the No. 3 ranked Cyclones on the ropes in Tempe, until something clicked for the Cyclones and it was all over at that point.
Coach Hurley was seen being very vocal to the refs several times in the second half as both Joson Sanon and Jayden Quaintance fouled out while Adam Miller and Shaun Phillips Jr had four personals of their own.
Post Game Press Conference:
No Sun Devil athletes or coaches decided to make media availability post game after the loss at home. Curtis Jones, Joshua Jefferson, and Coach Otzelberger made themselves available post game.
Many questions were asked surrounding the fan split and how that affected the game. Coach Otzelberger said that his team is always very pleased to run out of opposing tunnels to see a home contingent of fans and that was no different today. Curtis Jones said that being able to "play in front of a home crowd" makes games like these so much better.
Curtis Jones was also asked about his explosion on offense as he had 33 points and 7 rebounds in the win. "Curtis, how do you continue to keep shooting after starting 0-4"? Curtis replied with "I have been playing basketball for long enough to know all it takes is one. After missing the first four, I made the next six. Right"?
Final Remarks:
It is always going to be very hard to win a game when you are playing against the No. 3 ranked team in the nation. Respectfully so, the Cyclones earned that number next to their name. It was going to take a nearly perfect game from the boys in white, a perfectly coached game from Hurley, and zero errors on both sides of the ball in order to get this win. 12 turnovers and 11 personal fouls in the second half was the exact opposite of what the Sun Devils needed. While the score board certainly does not tell the full story of the game, this one goes into the L column for the Sun Devils.
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