MANHATTAN, Kan. — In a much-needed victory, Arizona State emerged with a 66-54 win over Kansas State on Sunday, effectively ending a troubling six-game losing streak. Key player Jayden Quaintance made a significant impact with 18 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field, while Shawn Phillips Jr. contributed a solid performance with 10 points and a personal best of 11 rebounds.
Quaintance, who had struggled with his three-point shooting this season, improved his record by making 2-of-4 attempts from beyond the arc in this game. Overall, this victory provides a boost for the Sun Devils, now with a record of 13-14 and 4-12 in the Big 12, particularly as they had suffered losses in 11 out of their previous 13 matches.
The game started off with Alston Mason’s three-pointer, which allowed Arizona State to seize the lead just 90 seconds in. This early score was instrumental in igniting a 10-2 run, giving the Sun Devils a 12-6 advantage. Kansas State attempted to close the gap with a jumper from Dug McDaniel, bringing the deficit to two points midway through the first half. However, Arizona State countered with a strong offensive push, netting 15 of the next 20 points to establish a 31-19 lead with just over three minutes left before halftime. They entered the break ahead, 34-28, and maintained this momentum by scoring 11 of the first 13 points in the second half, extending their lead to 45-30 less than six minutes after the restart.
Kansas State, now sporting a record of 13-14 and 7-9 in conference play, found it challenging to recover, as they trailed by at least nine points for the remainder of the game. David N’Guessan was the standout for the Wildcats, recording 20 points and 10 rebounds, while McDaniel and Max Jones struggled significantly, combining for only four points on 4-of-23 shooting. The team’s performance was a marked decline, exemplified by their season-low shooting percentage of 33% from the field.
In addition to Quaintance and Phillips, Arizona State saw contributions from Amier Ali, who scored 11 points, and Mason, who tallied eight points along with seven assists. Looking ahead, Arizona State prepares to host BYU in their next matchup, while Kansas State is set to travel to face UCF.
