No. 24 Arizona Aims to Extend Arizona State’s Struggles in Rivalry Rematch

The last time Arizona State and No. 24 Arizona met, emotions boiled over in the final minute. Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley pulled his team off the court after double technical fouls and ejections were handed out to BJ Freeman and Arizona’s Caleb Love in a heated contest. Arizona ultimately won 81-72 on Feb. 1 in Tempe, and as the rivalry shifts to Tucson for Tuesday night’s rematch, the Wildcats have a chance to add to the Sun Devils’ mounting struggles.

Arizona State enters the game reeling, having lost eight of its last nine games, a stretch that began with the February loss to Arizona. The program is dealing with injuries, suspensions, and uncertainty about Hurley’s job status, which has become a major topic of discussion in Phoenix media circles.

Meanwhile, Arizona is also searching for consistency. The Wildcats have lost four of their last six, including an 84-67 blowout loss at then-No. 9 Iowa State on Saturday. But despite their recent struggles, they have a prime opportunity to regain momentum against an ASU squad missing key players.

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Arizona State’s Turmoil Continues

The Sun Devils are playing short-handed, and their depth has taken a significant hit. BJ Freeman, one of their top scorers, was dismissed from the team last month for conduct detrimental to the program, leaving a major void in the lineup. Adding to the challenges, Southern California transfer Brandon Gardner has been suspended for most of the season, and injuries have only worsened the situation.

Arizona State was without Jayden Quaintance (knee) and Adam Miller (hip) in Saturday’s 99-73 loss to Utah, further complicating an already difficult season. Despite the adversity, Hurley praised his players for continuing to fight through tough circumstances.

“It’s not easy,” Hurley said. “I give our guys a lot of credit, a lot of respect for not mailing it in, not putting their head down or feeling sorry for themselves.”

One bright spot has been Joson Sanon, who had a career-high 28 points against Utah, including four three-pointers. The freshman has shown flashes of offensive potential, scoring 18 points in the previous game against BYU, though he had struggled earlier in the season while dealing with an ankle injury.

Arizona State desperately needs Sanon and others to step up if they want to have any chance of upsetting their in-state rival.

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Arizona Searching for Offensive Rhythm

The Wildcats are also trying to shake off recent struggles. Their loss to Iowa State on Saturday exposed some of their season-long weaknesses, particularly their perimeter shooting.

Arizona shot just 4-for-22 (18.2 percent) from three-point range against the Cyclones and continues to rank No. 311 in the country in three-point shooting percentage (31.2 percent). Caleb Love has been the biggest contributor to those struggles, making just 30.8 percent of his three-point attempts this season. Against Iowa State, he went 2-for-10 from deep and 2-for-15 overall from the field, continuing a frustrating shooting slump.

Head coach Tommy Lloyd acknowledged the team’s shooting woes but remains focused on the Wildcats’ gritty style of play.

“We’re not the best 3-point shooting team you’ve ever seen,” Lloyd said. “This is not the 2017 Golden State Warriors. We’re a gritty team, and it’s a little bit ugly sometimes, but that’s just how we ended up being built. We’ve won a lot of games doing that.”

Arizona does have one reliable three-point shooter in Anthony Dell’Orso, a transfer from Campbell who leads the team at 40.4 percent from deep (40-for-99). But overall, their success will likely depend on their ability to control the tempo, dominate inside, and play tough defense.

Who Has the Edge?

Arizona enters this game as the clear favorite, playing at home against a depleted Arizona State squad that has struggled to find its identity. However, rivalry games often bring out unexpected performances, and if the Sun Devils can get hot from beyond the arc, they could at least make things competitive.

Arizona, despite its shooting struggles, still has the better overall roster, stronger defense, and home-court advantage. If the Wildcats can tighten up their offense and take advantage of ASU’s lack of depth, they should be able to complete the season sweep.

Can Arizona find its rhythm and make a strong push toward the postseason, or will Arizona State pull off a shocking upset despite its adversity? The rematch in Tucson will provide the answer.