TEMPE, Ariz. — In the opening game of the season, Alston Mason delivered a stellar performance, scoring 14 points to help Arizona State secure a 55-48 victory against Idaho State on Tuesday evening.

BJ Freeman made a significant contribution with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Joson Sanon supported the team with 11 points. Both Mason and Sanon were instrumental in hitting two of the seven 3-pointers made by the Sun Devils throughout the match.

On the other side, Isaiah Griffin led the Bengals with 12 points, with Jake O’Neil and Connor Hollenbeck providing additional support with 10 points each. O’Neil also showcased his skills on the boards, pulling down 11 rebounds out of Idaho State’s total of 46.

Arizona State’s shooting performance stood at 36%, with 20 out of 55 shots finding the basket, while Idaho State struggled, managing only 25% with 17 of 67 attempts.

The Sun Devils maintained control of the game, leading 39-26 with 13:48 left to play. However, Idaho State put up a fight, narrowing the gap to 45-44 with just over five minutes remaining. In response, Freeman calmly sank a pair of free throws, and Arizona State ultimately delivered a decisive 10-4 run to close out the game. Key late-game contributions included a powerful dunk from Shawn Phillips Jr. and a jumper from Freeman.

Under head coach Bobby Hurley, Arizona State has shown strong performance in season openers against non-conference teams, boasting an 8-2 record and winning eight of their last nine. Hurley, who has had coaching success with both Arizona State and Buffalo, now holds a career total of 198 wins.