Field Level Media
Jan 7, 2018
Shannon Evans scored 22 points and Kodi Justice added 20 points to help Arizona State escape with a 80-77 win over Utah on Sunday night.
The No. 4 Sun Devils (13-2, 1-2 Pac-12) snapped a two-game losing streak to open league play after going ahead for good on a pair of free throws from Mickey Mitchell with 21.7 seconds remaining.
Justin Bibbins had a shot at knocking down a go-ahead 3-pointer, but it rimmed in and out with six seconds to go.
Bibbins scored 22 points, Sedrick Barefield added 21 points and David Collette chipped in 16 points to lead the Utes. Utah (10-4, 2-2 Pac-12) dropped its second straight home game and second straight league game.
Tra Holder, the Pac-12's leading scorer, totaled just 11 points after being held to two in the first half.
Arizona State committed 31 fouls and had three players foul out. The Utes went 29-of-36 from the line.The Sun Devils overcame it by dominating on the glass. They edged Utah 32-25 on rebounds.
Arizona State scored on its first three possessions before the Utes even got on the board. The Sun Devils used the hot start to build up a double-digit lead. They went up 19-8 over Utah after Kodi Justice turned back-to-back steals into a dunk and a layup.
The Utes battled back behind a 16-4 run. Utah finally took its first lead on a second chance hook shot from Collette, going up 24-23 with 4:49 remaining before halftime.
Just like in the first half, Arizona State charged out of the gate in the second half. Holder buried a go-ahead 3-pointer to ignite another 8-0 run and put the Sun Devils up 43-36.
Utah rallied again. The Utes claimed a 54-53 lead after Collette scored on three straight possessions, culminating in a reverse layup. Collette's burst on offense came after he briefly went to Utah's locker room after suffering an apparent abdominal injury.
The game featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties.
--Field Level Media