The Arizona State Sun Devils stunned the #13 Texas Tech Red Raiders with a 72-67 victory on Tuesday night at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. This win not only marked a significant upset but also reignited Arizona State”s hopes for a tournament berth, which appeared slim leading into the week.
Entering the game with a record of 14-12 overall and 5-8 in the Big 12, the Sun Devils were coming off a week-long break after their 85-76 win against Oklahoma State. In contrast, Texas Tech, boasting a record of 19-7 and 9-4 in the conference, had just achieved a notable victory over Arizona in Tucson over the weekend. Arizona State faced a setback before the game as starting guard Bryce Ford was declared unavailable due to a lower-body injury.
The game started with Texas Tech quickly establishing a 5-0 lead. However, the Sun Devils responded powerfully, with Massamba Diop finishing strong around the basket. Arizona State”s tenacious defense and timely shooting kept them competitive, and a three-pointer from point guard Moe Odum followed by three free throws gave the Sun Devils their first lead at 10:51 in the first half.
A steal leading to a transition basket by Trevor Best extended Arizona State”s lead to 16-12, prompting a Texas Tech timeout. Following this, Texas Tech rallied to regain control, pushing ahead to a 25-20 advantage, which led Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley to call a timeout at the 6:41 mark. Despite being less deep on the bench and struggling defensively at times, the Sun Devils fought back. They finished the half strong, leading 37-36 after Diop sank a three-pointer just before the break.
The second half saw a competitive back-and-forth, with Arizona State regaining the lead at 47-44 thanks to a three-pointer from Noah Meeusen and a dunk from Santiago Trouet off an offensive rebound. The Sun Devils” defense continued to disrupt the Red Raiders, while Odum”s play energized the team”s offense, allowing Arizona State to build a 57-49 advantage midway through the second half.
Texas Tech made a push to narrow the gap but faced an unfortunate injury to J.T. Toppin around the seven-minute mark, which halted their momentum. Arizona State capitalized on this, with Odum hitting a crucial pull-up three-pointer with 3:26 left in the game, giving the Sun Devils their largest lead of the night.
Looking ahead, Arizona State will embark on a two-game road trip, facing Baylor on Saturday and TCU on February 24. This unexpected victory has raised the stakes for the Sun Devils as they seek to secure their place in the postseason.
