PHOENIX –Throughout the years, Arizona State men’s basketball head coach Bobby Hurley would have late-season heroics with a marquee win against a ranked opponent to nullify the typically lackluster record the program had in the second half of the season. Tuesday’s home game against No. 5 Houston seemed to fit the bill. ASU was home and coming off a tough loss to TCU in Tempe to extend its losing streak to five games. Tonight was the game Hurley would again work a miracle. That dream didn’t last long.
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Feb 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Adam Miller (44) looks on against the Houston Cougars during the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The Sun Devils were outclassed in every aspect of the court by the Cougars in the 80-65 loss. ASU went on a meaningless 11-0 run in the final five minutes of the game to soften the perception of the final score, but those who watched saw 40 minutes of different levels of college hoops.
Houston boasts the best scoring defense in the Big 12 and showcased it in Tempe, blitzing ASU ball handlers at every opportunity. Before their late run, the Sun Devils were shooting below 40% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. The Cougars didn’t take their opponents lightly and took the fight from the jump.
Outside of senior guards BJ Freeman and Alston Mason, ASU struggled to score in the first half. Out of the Sun Devils’ 31 first-half points, Freeman and Mason scored 22 and were two of the three players to record more than one field goal. Houston’s defense blitzed ASU ball handlers every chance it could, making simple pick and rolls impossible.
The Sun Devils’ offensive woes allowed the Cougars to generate easy points. ASU had seven turnovers in the first half, which led to 15 points. Graduate student guard Mylik Wilson led the charge for Houston with 10 points and recorded two steals. Wilson and graduate student guard L.J. Cryer combined for 20 points in the first half and led a downhill attack that got the Cougars 16 free throw attempts.
Feb 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Houston Cougars guard L.J. Cryer (4) shoots against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The halftime break didn’t help Hurley’s squad. Houston wanted to squash ASU’s hopes early with its outside shooting. Redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp executed that gameplan, shooting 4-of-5 from 3 in the second half alone. Sharp and Cryer led offensively, while the Cougars’ defense remained as sharp as ever.
Mason continued his success from the first half, dropping 14 points after the intermission to bring his total to 25 points. However, the Sun Devils couldn’t find anything in the halfcourt that wasn’t from Mason or Freeman. While the 14-3 run to end the game was a nice memento, it doesn’t take away from ASU’s sixth straight loss.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
