The astonishing scenes were exacerbated by comeback heroics and tense momentum swings. In front of a hostile, sold-out crowd, Arizona State (20-9, 11-7) resisted an 11-point second half swing, trailing by as many as 10 with 6:30 left in regulation.
From that juncture, the Sun Devils allowed just one field goal and finished the contest on a 21-10 scoring advantage.
After Arizona (24-5, 13-5) center Oumar Ballo went 1-2 from the free throw line with 2.9 seconds to go, Cambridge Jr. launched from beyond halfcourt and connected on one of the biggest shots in program history. He paced the Arizona State offense with 19 points and was tailed by DJ Horne with 18. Five men put double-digit scoring tallies for the Sun Devils.
"HE GOT IT!!!". @dezcambridgejr sure did.@CBSSports #ForksUP /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/VMnU75tAch
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) February 25, 2023
KEY MOMENTS
- Jamiya Neal had a personal 5-0 run to cap seven straight points for Arizona State in the first half, giving the Sun Devils their largest lead of the opening stanza, 44-40 with 1:02 remaining.
- Arizona had the opportunity to expand its 10 point lead with 6:30 left, but went 0/4 from the field and allowed ASU to pull within two with 2:04 left.
- Trailing by eight with 5:09 to play, ASU went on a 9-2 scoring stretch over 2:32 from 4:56-2:24, including two Desmond Cambridge Jr. three pointers and no made field goals for the Wildcats.
- Devan Cambridge snatched the basketball from an unaware Azuolas Tuebelis, giving way to a massive triple by Cambridge Jr. with 2:24 to play, cutting ASU's deficit to just one, 82-81.
- DJ Horne nailed a go-ahead triple with 1:49 to play, giving the Sun Devils' its first lead since 19:50 in the second half.
- The most key moment of the season to this point came as time expired, when Cambridge Jr. buried a halfcourt shot to win the game, 89-88.
NOTABLESThe CBS footage with commentary from @TimHealeyASU and @K_Dodd3 on @SunDevilRadio -- great call, solid analysis and a touch of foreshadowing. pic.twitter.com/LCBtYJ6ExI
— Vince Marotta (@Vincemarotta) February 25, 2023
- Arizona State picked up its first road victory over a top 10 team since Dec. 10, 2017 over #2 Kansas in Lawrence.
- ASU held Arizona to one field goal in the last seven minutes.
- Arizona State outscored the Wildcats 21-10 over the final 6:30 of regulation.
- Arizona is now 36-2 over the last five seasons when scoring 88 or more points. Both losses have come against Arizona State.
- The victory marked Bobby Hurley's 11th over ranked opponents as a Sun Devil.
- The Sun Devils are one of only five teams in the Power 5, Big East and Mountain West to have forced double digit turnovers in each conference game this season.
- ASU forced 13 turnovers against the Wildcats.
- As an unranked team in Tucson, the Sun Devils entered 0-29. This was their first win as an unranked team in program history at Arizona.
- It's the Sun Devils 21st consecutive conference game forcing double-digit turnovers, the most in the Pac-12. In fact, it's the 27th time in the last 29 games forcing double-digit turnovers, and 54 of 60 dating back to the start of last season.
- ASU is now 5-0 this season and 39-3 in the last seven years when shooting 50% or better from the floor. Arizona State shot 54% from the floor against the Wildcats.
- Arizona is 36-2 over the last five seaons when scoring 88 or more points. Both losses are against Arizona State.
- The Sun Devils have won the turnover battle in six of its last seven games.
- ASU hit 11 three pointers, including the game-winner by Cambridge Jr.. The Sun Devils capitalized on Arizona's three point defense metrics, who entered the game allowing 7.9 3PT FGM per contest.
- In the last contest against the Wildcats, ASU hit just three triples.
- The Sun Devils have now won 20 games for the fourth time in the last six years.
- ASU improves to 16-1 when shooting at least 40% from the floor.
- The Cambridge brothers have the two highest +/-'s in league play for ASU, with Desmond Jr. sporting a +54 mark and Devan at +50.
- Warren Washington is +26 in his last three games.
- The Sun Devils are 6-1 when Warren Washington makes at least five field goals.
- ASU's game against Arizona was separated by more than two possessions for just 2:34 of regulation.
- The win marked ASU's ninth of the season in a game separated by two possessions or less. ASU has three such wins since the start of the 2019-20 season, one shy of the national lead (Wisconsin, 33).
- In the last seven games, 247:19 of the last 285 total minutes (86.7%) have been separated by two possessions or less. ASU is 5-2 in those games.
- In fact, in the last three, a total of 6:39 of the last 120 (95.4%) minutes have been separated by two possessions or less.
- Arizona State trailed by two-or-more possessions for 15:04 in the first half of its initial meeting against Arizona this year. They trailed by two-or-more possessions for just 2:34 in their second meeting.
- ASU's 23 dimes were tied for the most in a game this year.
- It's just the fifth time an opponent has had more assists in a game than Arizona in the last 44 games. Arizona entered second in the country with 19.2 assists per game.
- Desmond Cambridge Jr. finished with 19 points, the fifth straight game he has been in double figures. ASU is 10-4 when he scores at least 15 points.
- The Sun Devils are also 8-3 when Warren Washington scores at least 10. He had 16 on 7-8 shooting.
- ASU also moves to 8-1 when DJ Horne makes three triples. Horne shot 3-6 from deep.
- Additionally, Horne has scored double-digits in three of four games against Arizona.
- Horne also notched a Sun Devil-high seven dimes. It was the third time this season Horne has paced the ASU assist effort.
- Jamiya Neal had one of the most important games of his career, scoring 12 points on 5-9 shooting to go with five rebounds and three assists. In his previous three games against Arizona, Neal had a total of five points on 1/7 shooting.
- Neal had three steals for the second time in the last three games.
- ASU's 20 made shots are the most in the first half this season. The Sun Devils' 46 points are tied for the most points in a first half this season (at Oregon).
- Additionally, ASU's first half 58.8 FG% is the second-highest in any game this season. (59.3% vs. WSU).
- ASU's halftime lead was significant. The Wildcats have led at the half in 23 of their 28 games entering the contest. Arizona has only lost one game when leading at the half.
- The Sun Devils made 36 field goals. It was three more than the previous season high of 33 at Oregon.
- ASU's 89 points also marked the third highest total of the season. The Sun Devils had 91 against San Diego and 90 at Oregon.
- In fact, the 89 points scored at McKale Center was the most since ASU scored 99 on Jan. 15, 1998.
- In 28 games this season, Wildcat big man Oumar Ballo has been held to less than 10 points just five times. He had seven against the Sun Devil defense.
- Cambridge Jr. has led ASU in seven of 18 conference games.
- Wildly enough, it was Cambridge Jr.'s second made shot from beyond half court this season. His first gave ASU a 35-30 halftime lead against No. 5 UCLA at Desert Financial Arena.
FIRST HALF
Devan Cambridge got the Arizona State offense going with a triple on the Sun Devils' first possession at 19:38. Following an Arizona layup, DJ Horne banged a three pointer, making it 6-2 Sun Devils.
The squads traded blows until Desmond Cambridge Jr. nailed an off-balance jumper at 16:46 and Horne swopped in for a layup at 16:29 for a 12-9 ASU advantage.
The Wildcats went up by as many as five after an 8-0 run before Alonzo Gaffney hit a trey from the top of the key. Then, following a Wildcat layup, Jamiya Neal nailed his own three, cutting the deficit to one, 21-20, at the under-12 media timeout.
TOUGH ????@jamiyaneal_ x @SunDevilHoops pic.twitter.com/u5TiIYFnJz
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 25, 2023
The Sun Devils took the lead back on a layup by Duke Brennan at 10:21 on a find from Cambridge Jr., 22-21. Heading into the under-eight media break at 7:50, the score was knotted at 29.
Following two free throws by the Wildcats, DJ Horne knocked in a jumper at 7:36, re-tying the contest at 31.
Trailing by three, Warren Washington slipped to the rim for his second basket of the game on Horne's fourth assist with 2:27 left in the opening stanza, ASU trailed by one, 40-39.
Out of a Sun Devil timeout, Neal banged his second three pointer off of a Devan Cambridge offensive rebound and assist, 42-40 Sun Devils at 1:49.
Neal was hot, getting a steal and layup to make it 44-40 at 1:02. Following an Arizona layup, Arizona hit a triple at the horn, going into the half with Arizona State leading 46-44.?? @jamiyaneal_ from deep for @SunDevilHoops pic.twitter.com/Jl4TYfP5JB
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 25, 2023
SECOND HALF
Two straight threes for Arizona to open the second half gave them a 51-45 advantage, but an offensive rebound by Devan Cambridge gave way to a Horne three pointer at 18:32, making it 51-49 Arizona.
Two free throws at 16:50 knotted it at 53.
Horne's sixth assist came on a Washington slam at 16:18, giving the Sun Devils a 55-53 lead. ASU took a 55-53 edge into the media timeout.
The Wildcats caught fire and capitalized on a couple Sun Devil miscues, reaching a game-high six point lead with 12:54 to play, 65-59. ASU's transition defense forced a key miss from long range by Pele Larsson.?? @5warrenw went up for it ??@SunDevilHoops pic.twitter.com/q8HtgsZXVG
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 25, 2023
On the ensuing ASU possession, Washington hit a free throw jumper, cutting the deficit back to four, 65-61.
After the WIldcats countered with a basket, Washington scored his second straight basket on a drop-step layup. The Wildcats immediately countered with another layup, 69-63 Arizona with 11:08 on the clock.
What a move ??@5warrenw pulls out the drop step
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) February 25, 2023
?? @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/v8kDJla9RL
Gaffney drilled his second three with 10:14 to go and ASU still trailed 69-66. The Sun Devil defense forced a miss on the next possession. The Sun Devils snapped a cold-spell with a Washington basket at 8:07 making it 71-68 Wildcats.
The Wildcats earned a game-high eight point advantage into the media timeout at 6:48 on the clock.
Trailing by double-digits for the first time, ASU rattled off four straight points by Cambridge brothers to make it 78-70 with 5:25 left, forcing a Wildcat timeout at 5:15.
Back down by eight, Desmond Cambridge Jr. drilled his first triple of the game, a momentum changer at 4:56. The Wildcats still led 80-75. Horne drew contact at the rim at 4:00, getting to the line and hitting one, ASU still trailed by four.
After the Wildcats hit two free throws, Washington hit two free throws at 3:15, making it a four point game, 82-78 Arizona led.
Devan Cambridge ripped the ball from Ballo at 2:31 and fed it to his brother on the wing as Desmond Cambridge Jr. buried a three pointer with 2:24 left, cutting the deficit to one, 82-81. to cut it to one.
Horne gave ASU its first lead since halftime - 84-83 - with a three pointer at 1:49 from Gaffney. The Wildcats went back up 85-84 at 1:31 on foul shots.The Cambridge brothers ??@DevanCambridge gets the loose ball and sets up a @dezcambridgejr triple!
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) February 25, 2023
?? @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/grkVo4QWS8
With Oumar Ballo on the bench, Washington slipped by Tubelis at 1:17 and gave ASU the edge back, 86-85.
After Ballo missed the front end of a one-and-one, Desmond Cambridge Jr. drilled the biggest shot of the Arizona State Men's Basketball season. He buried a halfcourt heave at the buzzer to win the game, and give the Sun Devils a critical and massive road victory, 89-88.
UP NEXT
Sun Devil Men's Basketball will continue a key stretch to end the regular season as they hit the road for Westwood to face the No. 4 ranked UCLA Bruins. Tip is set for 6 p.m. PT7 p.m. MT on ESPN.
QUOTABLES
Arizona State Men's Basketball Head Coach Bobby Hurley
Opening Statement...
"As you might imagine, just a lot of euphoria. That was a heck of a game. I've been involved in playing Arizona for a number of years now, this is just an epic game. Just get the quality of the game. This is very high level, very well played and we're a very good defensive team and that's the best we could do. So a lot of credit to them. They're a really good program; one of the top teams in the country. So to come out here and do what we did today was pretty special."
If this game was a season-defining win...
"I hope people are watching to see the level of the game. That's what the postseason is about. They want teams that could perform like that on a national stage. And I think you saw two teams that you know, should be in the postseason."
On where this game ranks as a player and a coach:
"It's hard to share that exactly. I've had games under three second games as an amateur and you know Cambridge is amazing. He did this in the first half against UCLA. It's so easy to him now."
Arizona State Men's Basketball Guard Desmond Cambridge Jr.
On how he feels...
""I still don't know how to feel. That was definitely the craziest experience, the best game I have ever been apart of. It literally hasn't even set in yet."
On what it does for the team's confidence moving forward...
"It was a really big confidence booster, was what we needed. We knew that we were going to have to play every possession, that no matter what they were going to keep coming for us and we had to come back strong. Beating a team like that, in the way that we did, you can't even put into words how much that helps us and everyone in the locker room for down the stretch and other big games left.
On the mindset going down 10 in the second half...
"That's the thing I was just touching on. Staying resilient, poised. Being able to stand up when they knock you down. We grew so much here. We didn't have Austin Nunez, so that was for him too
Arizona State Men's Basketball Guard DJ Horne:
On where it ranks on best games he's ever played in...
"By far the best one in my career. That's for sure."
On the resiliency of the team...
"It definitely gives us a lot of confidence, especially with these next two tough games on our schedule. To do it against a team like Arizona, especially with our backs up against the wall as far as where we are in our season. I think this is good for us and give us motivation."