Arizona State men's basketball opens season with close win over Tarleton State

Arizona State men’s basketball opened its season against Tarleton State Monday with a close 62-59 win at Desert Financial Arena.

The Sun Devils weren’t getting much going offensively in the beginning of the first half and fell into a hole. ASU struggled with its shooting and went 21-of-62 from the floor.

Burning questions: Can Arizona State men's basketball rebound from a subpar season?

In the final minutes of the game, ASU gained control of the game and seized the lead on Marcus Bagley’s layup that included an and-one with 18 seconds remaining. Devan Cambridge’s dunk following a turnover from Tarleton State’s Shakur Daniel added insurance.

Standout performers

Guard Frankie Collins was the energizer for ASU’s slow offensive effort in the first half. Collins had 10 points in the first half and finished with 21 points.

Guard Devan Cambridge was key contributor on defense with four blocks.

Key plays

Collins knocked down two-straight 3s and then set off ASU on a 12-0 run over three minutes during the first half.

Desmond Cambridge Jr. stole from Tarleton State’s Jakorie Smith, which then resulted in Alonzo Gaffney’s dunk at 17:17 in the second half.

Devan Cambridge delivered a massive block on Tarleton State guard Javontae Hopkins and ended fast break opportunity at 11:13 in the second half.

Key quotes

“I think the biggest positive was our ability late in the game to create some turnovers and at the end of the game, find a way to win,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said.

“It was a choppy game and not a lot of flow to it with the fouls” Hurley said. “It wasn’t appealing to watch, I would imagine. It wasn’t a pleasing game on the eye, I would say.”

"We shot the shots we wanted, I think the ball just didn't go in the rim," ASU guard Frankie Collins said.

"I started off the game, I felt like I was struggling a little bit," Marcus Bagley said. "I got in my head, but once you see one (3-pointer) go in, I feel like the pressure is off your back."

Up next

ASU will host Northern Arizona on Thursday. The Lumberjacks lost 73-55 at Michigan State on Monday.

Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz. 

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU men's basketball opens season with close win over Tarleton State