Sun Devils upset Wildcats
TEMPE, Ariz. — Jermaine Marshall scored eight of his 29 points in the second overtime and Jordan Bachynski blocked T.J. McConnell’s layup attempt with 6 seconds left, sending Arizona State to a 69-66 victory over No. 2 Arizona on Friday night.
With both teams struggling offensively most of the night, Arizona State (19-6, 8-4 Pac-12) turned to Marshall when it counted. He went over 20 minutes without a field goal, but hit consecutive 3-pointers and scored on a drive with 14 seconds left to put the Sun Devils up 67-66.
McConnell then tried to drive the lane, but Bachynski swatted his shot away, leading to Jahii Carson’s breakaway dunk.
Arizona State’s fans rushed the court, had to be cleared because there was 0.8 seconds left, then poured out of the stands again after Nick Johnson missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
McConnell led Arizona (23-2, 10-2) with 17 points and five rebounds.
Kaleb Tarczewski had 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Aaron Gordon had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats, who shot 35 percent and went 4 of 14 from 3-point range.
Carson finished with 17 points and six assists. Bachynski had 13 points, seven rebounds and blocked eight shots.
Arizona turned the first desert rivalry game into a rout, racing away from the Sun Devils for a 91-68 win in Tucson on Jan. 16.
A lot has changed in a month.
Arizona lost one of its best players in its only loss of the season when forward Brandon Ashley injured his right foot against California two weeks ago.
The Wildcats managed to win their first two games without the versatile sophomore, against the two Oregon schools last week, but had to rejigger their lineup to compensate for his absence.
Arizona State has been on a roll since that loss, winning five of its past six games to get back into the NCAA tournament picture.
The Sun Devils also had Marshall, their second-leading scorer, back in the lineup after he missed the first game with a groin injury and Bachynski has been playing better after missing all three of his shots in Tucson.
Marshall made a huge difference in the rematch after an ugly start that featured more combined fouls (11) than points (nine) the opening eight minutes.
