If you just glanced at the 88-80 final score from Sunday’s matchup between No. 6 Gonzaga and Arizona State, it looks like the Zags took care of business at home.
However, that was not the tale of the tape for much of the game — especially in the second half.
The Sun Devils seesawed with the lead multiple times, answering Gonzaga’s runs with runs of their own and blocking multiple shots at the rim.
At halftime, the two programs were knotted at 38 and stayed locked in a single-digit battle for most of the second frame.
Sophomore Braden Huff led the Zags with 21 points, shooting 9-of-13 on the night and proving too much for the ASU defense to handle late.
ASU’s Basheer Jihad was the game’s top scorer with 22 points. The Ball State senior transfer used all of his 6-foot-9 frame to snag 10 rebounds.
It was an impressive show of strength from both teams. ASU was thrashed by 56 in a charity match against No. 7 Duke before the season began, displaying an intense turnaround since then.
Gonzaga (2-0) now moves on to host UMass Lowell on Nov. 15 while the Sun Devils (2-1) will head home to the desert to face Grand Canyon on Nov. 14 in Tempe.
