Desert Financial Arena was in the spotlight on Saturday afternoon.
With 13,743 people in attendance, the Arizona State Sun Devils hosted the USC Trojans on national television. They needed a response after a second-half derailment against UCLA led to the team’s first home loss of the season on Wednesday.
“I was very concerned about this game,” Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley said. “USC has dealt with a lot of adversity this year. Hats off to their coaching staff for their ability to get their guys to play.”
But Hurley was not concerned after the second-half buzzer sounded.
His side beat the Trojans 82-67, moving to 11-7 on the season and 5-2 in conference play in their final Pac-12 home game against USC.
After both sides traded momentum to start the game, the Sun Devils closed out the opening half with a 20-5 run out of a media timeout with 6:22 left to lead 43-36 at the break.
The Sun Devils started the run by making free throws. Then, junior forward Bryant Selebangue converted on a putback to tie the game at 31. The home side’s opportunities at the line grew when the Trojans reached seven fouls with 5:42 remaining. made field goals to extend the lead.
Selebangue starred in the first half. He had nine points and 11 rebounds, with nine on the offensive end. Most of his stats were logged during the run, turning momentum towards the Sun Devils.
“He symbolized how the guys approached the game,” Hurley said. “He was relentless just going after the ball. If he missed a shot, he was the first guy to be there to get it again until he completed the play.”
While the Trojans cut the lead to three on multiple occasions, the Sun Devils did not squander the advantage. They closed the game with a 26-9 run, leading by 20 before the Trojans scored the game’s final five points.
Hurley’s side carved its way to victory by turning defense into offense. They forced 22 turnovers, scoring 24 off them, and won the fast-break battle 27-11.
Junior guard Frankie Collins led the transition with 17 points, highlighted by a first-half dunk. He also posted seven assists. The Sacramento native also stole the ball six times in the first half.
“He’s smart with the way he reaches,” junior guard/forward Jamiya Neal said about Collins. “A lot of people think he’s just out there playing, but he actually calculates…He really knows what he’s doing.”
Neal also bolstered the attack. This started early, scoring a dunk and a triple off no-look passes from Collins. Along with his 17 points, the Toledo native grabbed nine rebounds, falling one board short of a double-double.
However, graduate guard Jose Perez led the team with points, scoring 20. While his teammates delivered the highlights, the West Virginia transfer remained steadfast down the lane and in midrange. The fans started to chant his name after crucial baskets in the second half.
“That gets you going, it turns you on,” said Perez, who has experience playing in an electric environment. “It turns you to another level, [it gives you] more energy.”
Graduate forward Alonzo Gaffney also reached double digits, scoring 8 of his 11 points in the second half.
The Sun Devils (11-7, 5-2 in Pac-12) are back on the road next week. They will play conference leader Oregon Ducks (13-4, 5-1 in Pac-12) on Thursday at 7 p.m. and the last-place Oregon State Beavers (9-8, 1-5 in Pac-12) on Saturday at 5 p.m.
As the Sun Devils head to the Beaver State, Hurley calls for his team to continue competing in the final year of the Pac-12.
“It’s just exciting to put ourselves in a position that we continue to play meaningful games,” Hurley said. “We’re 5-2 in the league and we’re going to play a team that’s going to sit at the top of the standings. Those are the games you live for and have an opportunity to compete in.”
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