LAWRENCE, Kan. – Arizona State found themselves down 15-2 before the first media timeout, but the resilient Sun Devils used a 15-0 run in the second half to earn a 95-85 upset over No. 2 Kansas (7-2) at historic Allen Fieldhouse. The win improved ASU to 9-0, one of just seven teams in the nation still undefeated. ASU's 58 second-half points is the most scored vs. KU in half since Texas Tech scored 60 in the second half on Feb. 13, 1999.Let's goo!!!! #ASU #Sundevils big win fellas stay #LockedIn?? https://t.co/qU9lPPgObO
— James Harden (@JHarden13) December 10, 2017
"This was a very special win for us and our program, and I didn't really have to coach a whole lot today," said Sun Devil head coach Bobby Hurley. "These guys sitting with me here deserve all of the credit because of their playmaking ability, their shot-making ability their selflessness, the energy they played with on both ends of the door. Getting the deflections on defense, getting down the court, just a lot of great things."
The 95 points is the most by visitor in Allen Fieldhouse in regulation game since Kentucky had 95 on Dec. 9, 1989.
ASU's best wins this year are at #2 Kansas, vs. #15 Xavier and Kansas State in Las Vegas and vs. San Diego State. The Sun Devils trailed at the half in all four games.
Tra Holder led ASU with 29 points (8-for-16), adding seven assists, while Shannon Evans II and Remy Martin scored 22 and 21, respectively. Martin was 8-of-11 from the floor and made both his three-point shots and all three free throws. He added five steals. Kodi Justice added nine rebounds.
TRA HOLDER'S TOP SCORING GAMES
40 vs. #15 Xavier @Las Vegas (11/24/17)
35 vs. UC Irvine (11/19/17)
29 at #2 Kansas (12/10/17)
27 vs. Washington State (1/29/17)
26 at UCLA (1/9/16)
25 at Stanford (12/30/16)
Kansas entered the game 225-10 under Coach Self at Phog, but 19-of-33 (.576) in the second half and were 14-of-28 (.500) from the three-point stripe.
Joining ASU on the undefeated list are Florida State, Miami, TCU, Villanova, Georgetown, and Mississippi State.
MORE THAN A DOUBLE NICKEL: There have been 914 halves of Sun Devil basketball played in the past 15 seasons, and four of the top nine scoring ones have taken place already this year. ASU dropped 58 at No. 2 Kansas and on No. 15 Xavier.
MOST POINTS IN A HALF PAST 15 SEASONS (2003-04 TO PRESENT)
72 vs. Citadel (Nov. 23, 2016)*
58 at #2 Kansas (Dec. 10, 2017)*
58 vs. #15 Xavier (Nov. 24, 2017)*
58 vs. San Francisco (Nov. 20, 2009)
58 vs. Oregon (Feb. 11, 2006)*
57 vs. Cal Poly (Nov. 13, 2016)*
56 vs. UC Irvine (Nov. 19, 2017)
56 vs. San Diego State (Nov. 14, 2017)*
56 vs. Kennesaw State (Nov. 18, 2015)
*notes second-half points
SUN DEVIL REGULAR SEASON OOC WINS VS. TOP-10 TEAMS (SINCE JOINING PAC-10 IN 1978-79)
ASU 95, @#2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)
ASU 97, #7 Maryland 90 (November 23, 1994 at Maui)
HALF: ASU is now 12-27 when trailing at the half under Bobby Hurley, after going 12-64 the previous five seasons.
12 HALFTIME DEFICIT WINS UNDER COACH HURLEY
(-3) @#2 Kansas 40, ASU 37/Dec. 10, 2017/ASU 95, @Kansas 85
(-2) #15 Xavier 46, ASU 44/Nov. 24, 2017/ASU 102, Xavier 86
(-2) Kansas State 44, ASU 42/Nov. 23, 2017/ASU 92, KSU 90
(-6) SDSU 40, ASU 34/Nov. 14, 2017/ASU 90, SDSU 68
(-1) USC 48, ASU 47/Feb. 26, 2017/ASU 83, USC 82
(-2) @UW 41, ASU 39/Feb. 16, 2017/ASU 83, @UW 81
(-1) Stanford 33, ASU 32/Feb. 11, 2017/ASU 75, Stanford 69
(-7) @SDSU 32, ASU 25/Dec. 10, 2016/ASU 74, @SDSU 63
(-3) #23 USC 30, ASU 27/Feb. 12, 2016/ASU 74, USC 67
(-12) @UNLV 37, ASU 25/Dec. 16, 2015/ASU 66, @UNLV 56
(-8) @Creighton 41, ASU 33/Dec. 2, 2015/ASU 79, @Creighton 77
(-2) UCSB 29, ASU 27/Nov. 29, 2015/ASU 70, UCSB 68
QUOTING COACH HURLEY
On the team's mindset after KU's opening run that has knocked a lot of teams out before
"It was on our board. In all of the games here that I have watched, they have really gotten out (to) some great advantages in the rst half so we knew that they would take a big swing at us early in the game and see if they could knock us out and we really overcame that de cit. (We) Just want to get our feet under us in a game and give ourselves a chance to show what we are capable of doing."
On what this win means for the Arizona State program
"No one really wins here (in Allen Fieldhouse). So you come in here and most of the time you're not leaving real happy. I trust these guys with (senior guard) Kodi Justice and they really play for each other and they are fearless. They really stepped up to the challenge, playing against a great group (of players) that Kansas has and is a high-scoring team. For Shannon and Tra and Remey, we just kept calling their numbers and kept giving them chances to try to make plays and that was the difference."
On the Sun Devils' 15-0 run in the second half
"It's a blur to me right now. I just remember us generating more stops. Our defense may not be perfect, I think we could look at it and nd things that we need to improve on and get better at, but I think our energy was there enough. We could defeat teams on offense, you just keep scoring and these guys over here they could hit the three and they could drive (to) the rim and (they are) just complete players, all three of these guys. And Kodi Justice (too). So it makes my job a lot easier, having these guys between the lines."
On what it was like to have Remy Martin play at such a high level in a game like this
"Remy has played in big games in high school (as he was a part of) a really good program and he has played against some really elite players. It is just all in his attitude and how he approaches the game. He's fearless. He is not afraid of big moments and at our other game in Vegas, against Xavier, (he) had (a) similar impact on what happened. I just think in general the guys feed off of each other and they give each other confidence because they are all really good. Any number of those guys could be the difference maker on any given night so they feed off of each others' positive energy."
ARIZONA STATE FRESHMAN G REMY MARTIN
On the fatigue they were having to battle today after Friday night's close game
"I think we worked hard in practice every day, so when we get into games it's the same situation, we could run all day. And then (us) guards we have to stay fresh because we have got to run the team. So we weren't tired at all, we were just happy to win."
ARIZONA STATE SENIOR TRA HOLDER
On KU's defense throughout the game
"Shannon and I were talking about it. The game slowed down for us. At first it was really rapid, the crowd got into it, but every time we tried to get to spots to find each other. The defense worked out and made some big shots toward the end. Remy was all over the place the whole game so credit to these guys and Coach Hurley."
On what he told the team with three minutes left to play in the huddle
"That this is the hard work that we put in the preseason and this is what the offseason is all about. Coach had the Herby call, the early drill, which is really hard so I said that this is like running the Herby drill and we are going to get the drill in. Similar to every other game."
On Kansas being vulnerable after its last loss
"(They were) Not really vulnerable, but more so hungry and nasty and gritty, things like that. I thought that Coach Self did a great job of getting those guys prepared for us and things like that."
On guards being 'on' today:
"It's not just today, it is every day. We go hard ... it is all fun and games."
ASU AND KANSAS: ASU is now 5-5 vs. Kansas, who has been to the NCAA Tournament the past 27 seasons and won its 13th straight Big 12 regular season title last season. The previous meeting was a 108-76 Kansas win in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City.
ASU VS. KANSAS (5-5)
#16 ASU 95, @#2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)
#6 Kansas 108, ASU 76 (March 22, 2003/NCAA @Oklahoma City)
#2 Kansas 90, ASU 88 (Nov. 26, 1997/Preseason NIT @NYC)
ASU 70, Kansas 68 (Nov. 23, 1990)
@ #2 Kansas 90, ASU 67 (Dec. 22, 1989)
@Kansas 63, ASU 62 (Nov. 30, 1981)
#5 Kansas 88, #3 ASU 71 (March 14, 1981/NCAA @Wichita)
ASU 73, Kansas 65, OT (Dec. 29, 1979)
ASU 71, Kansas 62 (Dec. 14, 1962)
ASU 72, Kansas 58 (Dec. 11, 1961)
LINKS/STORIES FROM THE WIN AT NO. 1 KANSAS
--Highlights
--Postgame interview with Remy Martin
--No. 16 ASU overwhelms No. 2 Kansas for upset win (azcentral.com)
--AP story on ESPN.com
--Kansas City Star game story
--Twitter blows up after ASU upset win
--ASU stuns No. 2 Kansas on the road (State Press)
--Trio of electric guards lead ASU to 95-85 victory over No. 2 Kansas (House of Sparky)
--Unstoppable guard play lifts ASU (House of Sparky)
--Postgame interviews (via House of Sparky)
--Sun Devils ground Jayhawks (Arizona State Rivals)
--ASU stuns No. 2 Kansas (sports360az.com)
--ASU overpowers No. 2 Kansas in second half (247Sports.com)