ASU’s Alston Mason heroics not enough in 113-100 loss to No. 24 Arizona

Mar 4, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Carter Bryant (9) fails to block ASU Sun Devils guard Alston Mason (1) during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

1st Half: ASU remains close with Arizona, despite defensive mistake

ASU had as bad of a defensive half as a team could have in Division 1 basketball. The Sun Devils allowed 32 paint points, seven offensive rebounds for 13 second-chance points, and forced zero turnovers. Arizona shot 56.8% from the field strictly because of the limited rim protection.

The Wildcats had 13 assists in the first half, a majority from simple pick-and-rolls, as the Sun Devils couldn’t keep up with the dynamic guard play of Love and junior Jaden Bradley, who combined for seven assists. Seven out of nine Arizona’s players scored 5+ points in the first half.

Despite its defensive shortcomings, ASU kept the deficit marginal. Arizona grew its lead to double digits, but hot shooting from Mason kept his team alive. Mason scored 15 points on 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and led the Sun Devils to shoot 7-for-12 from the 3-point line. ASU only scored 14 paint points, almost entirely by junior center Shawn Phillips Jr., who had 11 first-half points.

Entering halftime, the Sun Devils trailed 55-47, but with some defensive adjustments could be in serious contention for an upset.

2nd Half: Mason’s heroics not enough for ASU to overcome Arizona

The second half was the free-throw game. The interstate rivals shot 49 free throws, matching each other’s physically. ASU did a stellar job of adjusting to Arizona’s defense and using their dynamic guards to attack downhill, seeking out the contact. However, the Sun Devils had the same problem defending against Wildcats’ guards, sending them to the free-throw line. Arizona had a three-minute field goal drought but didn’t shrink its lead because it was still getting to the charity stripe.

ASU needed a spark, and it came from its old reliable in Mason. The Sun Devils kept it close and just needed to go on a run, and that is when the senior guard helped the team go on a 7-0 run in under a minute to cut the lead to three points. It wasn’t just Mason’s stellar shot-making, but the Sun Devils’ ball movement was superb. ASU’s offense was fluent, driving to the paint and kicking out to the perimeter. Players moving without the ball, filling the corners, and staying active help create confusion for Arizona’s defense and spark the run.

However, the Wildcats illustrated why it’s one of the premier teams in the country, responding with an 8-0 run. Sophomore guard KJ Lewis caused all sorts of problems for the Sun Devils with his impressive speed. Similar to its previous games, ASU seemed to run out of gas late. The Sun Devils foul trouble came back to bite Phillips Jr. and senior Basheer Jihad, both fouling and leaving Hurley without any rim protection.

The Sun Devils couldn’t recover from the late run by the Wildcats, extending their losing streak to four against their interstate rival. ASU has been swept by Arizona back-to-back years, and have lost 10 of its last 11 matchups.