Arizona State 85-82 New Mexico (November 28, 2024) Game Recap

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Basheer Jihad scored 20 points, Joson Sanon added 19 and Arizona State blew a 13-point lead before the Sun Devils defeated New Mexico 85-82 in the Acrisure Classic on Thursday night.

BJ Freeman scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half for Arizona State (6-1). Alston Mason made 4 of 4 from the free throw line in the final 23 seconds and finished the game with 11 points.

Donovan Dent had a season-best 30 points and seven assists for New Mexico (5-2) and Mustapha Amzil scored a career-high 28 points. CJ Noland added 13 points.

Jihad hit a 3-pointer and after a New Mexico turnover, Freeman made another 3-pointer to give Arizona State a five-point lead with 1:25 to play.

Arizona State, which has won four straight games since an 88-80 loss and was ranked No. 1 at the time. 6 Gonzaga on Nov. 10 plays Saint Mary’s in the championship game on Friday. New Mexico will face Southern California, which lost to the Gaels early Thursday, in the consolation game.

Sanon hit a 3-pointer that gave Arizona State a 13-point lead with 5:48 left in the first half. Noland answered with a 3 – New Mexico’s first field goal in nearly six minutes – to spark a 19-3 run to end the first half as Arizona State remained scoreless in the final five-plus minutes.

Freeman hit a pair of free throws to cap Arizona State’s 11-2 run that made it 62-2 at 7:53, the first of seven ties and five lead changes along the way.

Sanon converted a three-point play to give the Sun Devils the lead for the first time in the second half, 66-65, with 6:24 left.

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