PHOENIX – Arizona State men’s basketball needs a spark. Losers of eight of its last 10 games, ASU is desperate for any sign of life. It doesn’t get any easier when they travel to Lubbock to play No. 12 Texas Tech, which won seven straight games before losing to No. 13 Arizona. The Sun Devils will be without freshman center Jayden Quaintance, who will miss a ‘period of time’ with an ankle sprain. The absence of the 17-year-old opens up the door for junior center Shawn Phillips Jr. to have a big day.
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Jan 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Shawn Phillips Jr. (9) dunks against the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Texas Tech doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses, but one slight to its game is the interior defense. It’s 15th in the Big 12 in blocks per game, and the last two losses have allowed 48.5 paint points. The Red Raiders are limited in size and athletic rim protection.
ASU possesses many guards, like returning senior guards BJ Freeman and Adam Miller, who will have a lot of success driving to the rim. However, Phillips Jr. is where the Sun Devils can thrive. Wednesday’s game will be Phillips Jr.’s 3rd start, and when given a bigger role has excelled.
Notable, at Colorado, Phillips Jr. had 13 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. His rim-running athleticism helped ASU’s offense not stay stagnant, with guards driving downhill, forcing the defense to choose their poison of Phillips Jr. lob or an easy layup. Phillips Jr. has started to figure out more on the defense end, recording 10 blocks in his last four games. In his first 18 games, he only had seven rejections.
Feb 9, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jamyron Keller (14) shoots the ball over Arizona State Sun Devils center Shawn Phillips Jr. (9) during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Head coach Bobby Hurley will again be shorthanded in this game, with Quaintance out of the lineup, but if Phillips Jr. can continue his trajectory in recent weeks, ASU might be able to pull up an upset.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
