ASU’s focus and consistency knocks off No. 21 Washington State

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State basketball’s suffocating defense and balanced scoring output led to a near coast-to-coast win, 73-61, over the Pac-12’s top-ranked Washington State.

Arizona State basketball takes down Washington State

“That was possibly the best defense we played of the season,” head coach Bobby Hurley said. “We did a lot of things you have to do to beat a team that’s very deservingly a top 25 team.”

The Sun Devils’ aggressiveness on both ends of the floor kept the Cougars from ever catching stride and finding rhythm.

“One of the best things I saw tonight was Alonzo Gaffney missing a layup and continuing to play and fight,” Hurley said. “I think that symbolized why we were good tonight because he didn’t give up on the play. He took the ball away from them and then went and laid the ball in.”

WSU scored the first four points of the game and kept ASU off the board for the first two minutes. Then ASU went on a 13-0 run and scored 18 of the next 20 points to open an early 12-point lead. The Cougars were held scoreless for more than five minutes.

WSU would respond with an 8-0 run of its own to cut ASU’s lead to five points. The two teams went back and forth for the rest of the half. ASU led 36-29 at halftime.

Bryant Selebangue makes an impact off the bench

Junior forward Bryant Selebangue was a major contributor off the bench in the first half for the Sun Devils. Selebangue scored six points on perfect shooting from the field. He grabbed four rebounds, including two offensive rebounds, in just nine minutes. Selebangue said it’s his job to bring instant energy when he comes in. He looks to evade guys and use his agility to get offensive rebounds to provide a spark for ASU.

He (Selebangue) does his job; doesn’t really need the ball, but he’s going to go out there and do all the dirty work,” graduate student Jose Perez said. “He’s like a Dennis Rodman.”

WSU opened the second half on a 9-0 run to take its first lead since it was 4-0. The Cougars led 38-36 and held ASU scoreless for the first 4:48 of the second half. But ASU would respond with a 7-0 run that turned into a 12-2 run to regain the lead, 48-40.

The Sun Devils and Cougars traded baskets for a while before ASU made a 9-0 scoring run with less than five minutes left in the game. That put the Sun Devils ahead by 11 points and would eventually stretch to a 12-point win, 73-61.

Perez led the way in scoring for ASU with 16 points, but the Sun Devils had four players in double figures and two players with nine points.

Looking ahead

“If we’re going to have success the rest of the way, we’re not going to do it with one guy. Anytime that we seem to win, there’s four or five guys in double figures,” Hurley said. “When we have that many guys playing well on both ends of the floor, it really gets guys energized and I think we play better on both ends.”

Desert Financial Arena was buzzing all night. ASU fed off the crowd noise throughout the game, but especially in the second half. There were a few questionable calls coinciding with massive dunks and important blocks that had the fans electrified down the stretch.

“The crowd was unbelievable,” Hurley said. “They chose to support our guys. I thought the students were outstanding in their turnout and hoping for a lot of gold in the arena on Wednesday night.”

ASU has three days off before it welcomes its rivals from down south to Tempe. WSU upset Arizona on its home court Thursday and on Wednesday the Wildcats will travel to Desert Financial Arena. The Sun Devils will look to avenge their 45-point loss in Tucson earlier this season.

“I’m here to defend ASU pride and I’m going to do whatever it takes,” Selebangue said. “They’re (Arizona) not going to come in here and step on us, we’re going to hold our ground down. This is our home and we’re going to protect it.”

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