TEMPE, Ariz. — In a competitive matchup, Arizona State managed to secure an 81-66 victory over St. Thomas (MN) on Sunday night, showcasing a strong performance in the second half. Basheer Jihad emerged as a crucial player for the Sun Devils, contributing 12 of his total 20 points during those pivotal final moments. Additionally, Joson Sanon delivered an impressive performance with 19 points and nine rebounds to support the team’s success.
The Sun Devils, now with a record of 4-1, saw notable contributions from freshman Jayden Quaintance, who finished the game with a double-double, achieving 13 points and 13 rebounds, along with four assists and three blocks. Amier Ali also added to the team’s total by scoring 10 points. On the other hand, St. Thomas, which now stands at 3-2, had Miles Barnstable and Kendall Blue contributing 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The turning point in the game came during a significant 10-0 scoring run that allowed Arizona State to grasp the lead for good, pushing the score to 23-19 with just under six minutes left in the first half. Shortly after, Quaintance powered the team with a dunk, leading to a halftime score of 39-29. Although Nolan Minessale and Drake Dobbs brought St. Thomas within two points early in the second half with back-to-back three-pointers, Jihad quickly responded with a three-point play, keeping the Tommies at bay.
Rich Byhre hit a three-pointer that narrowed the gap to just 58-55 with eight minutes remaining. However, Sanon and Miller each sank three-pointers within a span of 40 seconds, fueling an 11-0 run for Arizona State that further widened the lead. After Barnstable responded with another three for St. Thomas, the Sun Devils went on to score nine consecutive points, increasing their advantage to a substantial 20-point lead when Sanon capped it off with a three-pointer late in the game.
Arizona State demonstrated solid offensive capabilities, shooting 50% from the field with 27 successful shots out of 54 attempts. They also performed well from long range, hitting 9 of 22 for a 41% success rate, while dominating the free-throw opportunities with an impressive 18-3 advantage over St. Thomas.