Arizona State beats an eight-game home and loses the line in what might be head coach Bobby Hurley’s last regular season with Sun Devils, when No. 9 Texas Tech visits Saturday night in Tempe, Ariz.
Several media reports indicated that Hurley could be on its way out after a 10-year driving that contained three NCAA tournaments.
Arizona State (13-17, 4-15 Big 12) has dropped three games in a row and is 1-9 in the last 10 and is intended for a fourth losing season in five years.
“It’s very easy to just release the rope and feel sorry for yourself and not compete,” Hurley said. “These guys have stopped together through all the chaos we have had and the unfortunate things that have been going on but they, and in particular, have shown leadership.”
Sun Devils has been without a leading goal scorer BJ Freeman for the past two weeks after he was dismissed for behavior that is harmful to the team. Nor have they had the postal player Jayden Quaintance (right knee) during the last three games.
Adam Miller (HIP) only played the first minute of Tuesday’s loss of 113-100 on No. 24 Arizona before worsening his injury.
Alston Mason finished with a season high 33 points against Arizona.
“I feel bad for the kids. I’ve done a lot in the game. And I appreciate every moment I get to do what I do,” Hurley said. “But this is like their moment, and I feel that this season has been robbed from us to a degree only with unfortunate injuries spread (throughout the season.) And maybe all these injuries collectively added why we lost maybe another four or five matches we could have won.”
Sun Devils reached 100 points in regulation for the first time this season even though they only had five scholarships available when the game ended. Basheer Jihad and Shawn Phillips Jr. Fouled out of the game during the declining minutes. They darkened the century on February 12 when they lost on Texas Tech 111-106 on double overtime.
Since their meeting with Arizona State in Lubbock, Texas, the Red Raiders have lost to TCU and Houston but won at Kansas 78-73 last week to improve to 2-22 at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, can.
Texas Tech (23-7, 14-5) is 7-2 on the road this season.
The Red Raiders come from a victory 91-75 at home against Colorado on Wednesday evening. They tied a program record with 16 made 3-points.
Kerwin Walton made four 3 points and Chance McMillian and Christian Anderson each had one.
“Man, what a fun team to train, for everyone is selfless,” said Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland. “Our team really shares basketball and everyone can shoot, so how do you defend it?”
A Texas Tech Victory guarantees a second place in BIG 12 regular season behind Houston, who only lost a conference game and secured the regular season conference title last week.
The Red Raiders is the only BIG 12 team that defeated Cougars, back on February 1 in Houston.
In a victory with two overtime over Arizona State in the previous meeting, Texas Tech’s JT Toppin had a career pile of 41 points and 15 returns and Darrion Williams had 27 points.
Toppin comes from a 30-point, 14-rebound performance in the victory over Colorado on Wednesday.
If picturesque is not available because of his knee injury, Arizona State faces a huge challenge against Toppin and Red Raiders Frontcourt.
Sun Devils was surpassed 52-30 in color in its loss in Arizona on Tuesday.
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