The emotion of Senior Night, and the tension of another 蜜柚直播-ASU matchup that on Tuesday produced three technical fouls, 43 personal fouls and 70 free throws, can make it all seem like a lot to process.
But the math is still the same, the way UA coach Tommy Lloyd looks at it: You just need to score more than the other guys.
So while giving up 100 points to the shorthanded Sun Devils on Tuesday night, 蜜柚直播 threw in 113 of its own. It was the most points the Wildcats had scored since their 2023-24 opener against Morgan State, when they won 122-59, and Tuesday鈥檚 game was also the first UA-ASU matchup in which both teams scored in triple digits since 1973.
鈥淚f you (get) 95, you better not give up more than 94,鈥 Lloyd said, referring to the fact that the Wildcats did just that 10 days earlier at McKale, losing to BYU 96-95. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not more complicated than that.鈥
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蜜柚直播 forward Trey Townsend (4) gets fouled by 蜜柚直播 State forward Basheer Jihad (8) on his way to the basket in the first half of their Big 12 game in 蜜柚直播 on March 4, 2025.
While the loss to BYU threw the Wildcats out of the Big 12 title race, Tuesday鈥檚 win at least clinched a double-bye in the Big 12 Tournament for the Wildcats, who are now assured of not having to play until March 13 in the quarterfinals.
蜜柚直播鈥檚 win also moved the Wildcats to 20-10 overall and 14-5 in the Big 12, where they are in a loss-column tie with Texas Tech for second place heading into their regular season finale at Kansas on Saturday. The Red Raiders are scheduled to host Colorado on Wednesday.
ASU, meanwhile, dropped to 13-17 overall and 4-15 with a shorthanded roster that, coach Bobby Hurley indicated, was compromised defensively.
With a core of just six scholarship players for most of the game, Hurley said he couldn鈥檛 afford to have his guys extend themselves defensively, for fear of picking up fouls that would send them out of the game.
As it was, ASU starters Basheer Jihad and Shawn Phillips both fouled out, while Hurley was prompted to play his walk-son son, Bobby, as well as guard Trevor Best, who reclassified from the high school class of 2025 into 2024 and didn鈥檛 suit up until January.
All that may have helped the Wildcats shoot 58.0% from the floor, while they also hit 31 of 39 free throws and committed only six turnovers, the fewest they have had all season.
ASU shot 46.3% and hit 26 of 31 free throws 鈥 while the Sun Devils turned the ball over only four times.
鈥淚 think it was just the lack of turnovers,鈥 Lloyd said of the high scores on both sides. 鈥淣either team turned the ball over, and both shot the ball pretty well and shot a lot of free throws, and that makes for a high scoring game."
Neither team鈥檚 defense was at its best, either, of course. While ASU backed away defensively, the Wildcats allowed ASU to hit 12 of 23 3-pointers to stay in the game, an effort somewhat reminiscent of how Iowa State went 11 for 21 on Saturday against the Wildcats 鈥 and how BYU went 14 of 31 from 3 on Feb. 22 at McKale in that 96-95 game.
UA center Tobe Awaka said part of UA's problem Tuesday defensively was a lack of communication that affected 鈥渟chematic and logistical things,鈥 and Lloyd didn鈥檛 argue with that.
鈥淭obe鈥檚 on the floor so I'm gonna trust he's right, but we'll go back and watch it,鈥 Lloyd said. 鈥淥bviously, that鈥檚 three out of four games where teams have played pretty well offensively against us.
"So we've got to figure out: Is there a code that's been cracked? Is it a little bit the code being cracked and a little bit of bad luck? Sometimes they just make the shot, right? So we鈥檝e got to dig a little deeper and look into it.鈥
ASU guard Alston Mason did the most damage against the Wildcats, hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers while totaling a game-high 33 points. Former UA commit Joson Sanon, who flipped to the Sun Devils after Caleb Love returned to the Wildcats late last spring, added 19 points while fellow freshman Amier Ali hit 3 of 5 3s. Even Best hit 2 of 4 from long range.

蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5), left, works his way past 蜜柚直播 State guard Joson Sanon (3) and to the basket in the first half of their Big 12 game at McKale Center on March 4, 2025.
But the Wildcats, again, had plenty of their own scorers, three of whom surpassed 20 points. Henri Veesaar set a career high with 22 points and KJ Lewis tied his career high with 21. Love also had 21 points while Awaka had 15 points and nine rebounds.
While UA led 55-47 at halftime and by up to 14 points in the second half, the Sun Devils often pulled within a possession or two by hitting 3s. They gave the Wildcats their last scare with 6:12 to go, when Mason hit a 3-pointer to cut UA鈥檚 lead to just 89-86.
But the Wildcats followed that with an 8-0 run that featured a layup and two free throws from Lewis and, perhaps more importantly, foul outs to both Jihad (with 5:12 to go) and Phillips (3:59) of ASU.
Phillips was called for the game鈥檚 third technical foul after being called for a foul on Lewis with four minutes left. That allowed Love to hit one of two free throws, while Lewis hit both of his free throws.
In the first half, Hurley and UA guard Jaden Bradley were both assessed technicals for disagreeing with officials. Hurley had picked up a similar technical against UA in Tempe on Feb. 1, when Bradley also picked up one for a gesture to the ASU bench 鈥 and when both Love and then-ASU guard B.J. Freeman were ejected near the end of the game after Freeman head-butted Love.
Freeman has since been dismissed, so he wasn鈥檛 around Tuesday, while Lloyd said the Wildcats handled their emotions better than they did in Tempe.
鈥淚 talked to our guys about being classy and understanding that it's not about showing someone up, or anything like that,鈥 Lloyd said. 鈥淟isten: Jaden is such a classy, quiet guy that if he's complaining to an official in a way that the official feels he should T him up, my assumption is he probably got fouled. Now, I have not seen the play, so that's just me knowing JB the way I know him, but it happens. It鈥檚 an emotional game.鈥
The emotion started before the game, when UA鈥檚 six seniors trotted through the Zona Zoo student section and made their way to center court to join Lloyd and their families for senior celebrations.
Lloyd wound up putting one of those seniors back in the starting lineup, forward Trey Townsend, though he opted not to start any of his four senior walk-ons in part because he said they didn鈥檛 want to with so much on the line.
"They said 'Hell, no,'" Lloyd told the McKale Center crowd afterward, when he and his seniors briefly took the mic.
Townsend responded by scoring seven of his eight points in the first half, including a corner 3-pointer, though the Wildcats鈥 most efficient players weren鈥檛 seniors: Veesaar scored his 22 points on 8 for 12 shooting, Lewis was 7 for 13 and Bradley had just 12 points but didn鈥檛 miss any of the four field goals or any of the four free throws he took.
They just kept scoring. Just enough for the Wildcats this time.
Photos: 蜜柚直播 wraps their home schedule with a 113-100 win over arch-rival ASU, Big 12 basketball

蜜柚直播 forward Henri Veesaar (13) gets fouled putting up a shot under basket by 蜜柚直播 State center Shawn Phillips Jr. (9) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 State head coach Bobby Hurley has some questions about a call the Sun Devils didn鈥檛 get in the second half of their Big 12 game against 蜜柚直播, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Tobe Awaka (30) snares a rebound and draws a foul from 蜜柚直播 State forward Basheer Jihad (8), his fifth of the night, in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Carter Bryant (9) celebrates a three-pointer from teammate guard KJ Lewis (5), the final dagger in a 113-100 win over 蜜柚直播 State in their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5) tries to keep 蜜柚直播 State guard Alston Mason (1) from a getting a hand off on the key in the second half of their Big 12 game in 蜜柚直播 on March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5) runs down a rebound between 蜜柚直播 State guard Alston Mason (1), left, and forward Basheer Jihad (8) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Henri Veesaar (13) swats away a short jumper from 蜜柚直播 State forward Basheer Jihad (8) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Henri Veesaar (13) lets out a yell after his block late in the second half against 蜜柚直播 State in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Henri Veesaar (13) knocks away shot 蜜柚直播 State guard Joson Sanon (3) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 State guard Alston Mason (1) picks up a foul stopping 蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5) on a fast break in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Caleb Love talks to the crowd after his final game on the McKale Center floor after the Wildcats beat 蜜柚直播 State 113-100 in their Big 12 game on March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5) scoops his way to the basket around 蜜柚直播 State center Shawn Phillips Jr. (9) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Tobe Awaka (30) tries to get off a put-back in a crowded lane against 蜜柚直播 State in their Big 12 game on March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 head coach Tommy Lloyd and his family pose for photos with his son, senior guard Liam Lloyd, during a pre-game ceremony before the matchup against 蜜柚直播 State at McKale Center on March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Will Menaugh (33) walks through the Zona Zoo student section during his pre-game senior ceremony before taking on 蜜柚直播 State, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Caleb Love (1) hugs head coach Tommy Lloyd at center court in a pre-game ceremony for the team鈥檚 seniors prior to tip off against 蜜柚直播 State, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Trey Townsend (4) gets a piece of 蜜柚直播 State forward Basheer Jihad (8) trying to reel in a rebound in the first half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Trey Townsend (4) uses a lot of body English to get his three from the corner to finally drop during the first half against 蜜柚直播 State in their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 head coach Tommy Lloyd has a word or two with one of the game officials after the Wildcats picked up foul in the first half of their Big 12 game, against 蜜柚直播 State, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Jaden Bradley (0), left, and forward Tobe Awaka (30) try to keep 蜜柚直播 State from putting up a shot under the basket in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Jaden Bradley (0) manages to get off a shot between 蜜柚直播 State forward Basheer Jihad (8), left, and 蜜柚直播 State guard Jose Perez (12) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Caleb Love (1) finishes off a drive past 蜜柚直播 State guard Jose Perez (12) with a dunk in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5) muscles his way through 蜜柚直播 State guard Amier Ali (5) in the second half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

A fan in the Zona Zoo student section holds up a sign imploring 蜜柚直播 State coach Bobby Hurley鈥檚 continued place on the sideline during a break in the second half of the Sun Devil鈥檚 game against 蜜柚直播, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Caleb Love (1) floats a bit putting up a shot against 蜜柚直播 State guard Alston Mason (1) in the first half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 forward Trey Townsend (4) gets fouled by 蜜柚直播 State forward Basheer Jihad (8) on his way to the basket in the first half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard KJ Lewis (5), left, works his way past 蜜柚直播 State guard Joson Sanon (3) and to the basket in the first half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Jaden Bradley (0) finishes a Wildcat offensive thrust with a dunk in the first half against 蜜柚直播 State in their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Caleb Love (1) manages to knock the ball out of the hand of 蜜柚直播 State guard Joson Sanon (3) in the first half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.

蜜柚直播 guard Jaden Bradley (0), top, and forward Tobe Awaka (30) double team 蜜柚直播 State guard Alston Mason (1) near the top of the key in the first half of their Big 12 game, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 4, 2025.