Field Level Media
Feb 15, 2018
Arizona center Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Allonzo Trier added 19 points as the No. 17 Wildcats completed a season sweep of No. 25 Arizona State with a 77-70 victory over the Sun Devils on Thursday at raucous Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
Ayton had 15 points and assisted on another basket in the final nine minutes as the Wildcats (21-6, 11-3 Pac-12) pulled away for a 70-63 lead with 1:27 remaining and held on to maintain control of the conference race.
Tra Holder had 20 points and Kodi Justice had 19 points and tied a season high with four 3-pointers for Arizona State (19-7, 7-7). The Sun Devils had a three-game winning streak broken, and they have not beaten Arizona in coach Bobby Hurley's three seasons.
Arizona State used a 31-6 run that began with 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half to take a 46-39 edge three minutes into the second half before Arizona countered with a 17-6 run for a 56-52 advantage with 8:53 left.
Justice's reverse layup tied the game at 63 with 3:45 left before Ayton scored on a tip-in and a slam dunk and, between baskets, fed Trier for a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats a seven-point cushion.
Dusan Ristic had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Rawle Alkins scored 10 points for Arizona.
Remy Martin had 10 points for the Sun Devils, whose starting lineup was introduced by boxing announcer Michael Buffer.
Arizona had a 44-28 rebounding advantage and the Sun Devils committed 23 personal fouls, many trying to contain 7-footers Ayton and Ristic inside.
Ayton had six points and Parker Jackson-Cartwright had five when Arizona scored 15 of the first 21 points.
Ristic and Trier had two 3-pointers apiece and the Wildcats made 10 of their first 14 field goal attempts to stretch their lead to 33-15 before Arizona State recovered.
Justice had two 3-pointers and a three-point play and Martin and Evans II had threes as the Sun Devils closed the half on a 23-6 run to cut the deficit to 39-38 at the half.
Arizona State extended the run by scoring the first eight points of the second half for a 46-39 lead.
A male Arizona cheerleader was ejected with 12:35 remaining while Martin was shooting free throws.
--Field Level Media