Arizona State wins battle on the boards to edge out Oklahoma State

TEMPE, Ariz. — Behind its strongest night on the boards this season, Arizona State (13-12, 4-8 Big 12) secured an 85-76 win over Oklahoma State (16-8, 4-7) in Tempe, earning redemption from last season’s loss.

The Sun Devils’ rebounding success, combined with forcing 17 turnovers against an Oklahoma State team that averages 84.4 points per game and ranks among the top four in the Big 12, came on a night when they believed it would require more success from beyond the arc.

“We figured out how to rebound,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said. “We missed shots, but we were able to get second-chance opportunities. That’s probably the biggest differential we have had in second-chance points all season.”

The game also featured a high number of free throws, with both teams battling foul trouble that resulted in key players being on the bench for periods of time.

Oklahoma State’s senior guard Anthony Roy, the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18.2 points per game, picked up his third foul late in the first half, disrupting his rhythm in the second half. Senior forward Parsa Fallah, the Cowboys’ leading scorer at halftime, also saw limited action in the second half after committing two fouls in less than two minutes.

The Sun Devils overcame the foul trouble and were able to find another gear in the final minutes.

ASU sophomore forward Santiago Trouet picked up his third foul early in the second half but returned a few minutes later to contribute key points that helped the Maroon and Gold stay in front. Trouet also grabbed 10 rebounds, addressing one of the team’s main emphases moving forward.

“He takes that personally. That’s probably the skill that he possesses that is a separator for him,” Hurley said.

ASU senior guard Moe Odum also picked up his fourth foul with under 10:00 minutes left but later hit a crucial 3-pointer with 2:49 to play to put the Sun Devils ahead by six. The shot was one of the few that fell for ASU, which shot just 5 of 21 from 3-point range.

Continue the momentum going forward

With six games remaining, the Sun Devils look to build on their rebounding efforts, offensive production, and defensive energy to win games and pull off an upset Tuesday night. The players aim to bring that same mentality to every game.

“It’s a great game to jump up in the conference, and it will be a great upset for March Madness,” Trouet said.

Arizona State looks to carry momentum into the February 17 matchup against No.16 Texas Tech at Desert Financial Arena.