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MORGANTOWN, W.V. – Sun Devil Men’s Basketball picked up a vital road victory at No. 23 West Virginia on Tuesday night.

 

Arizona State (11-7, 2-5) went into WVU Coliseum and did what No. 3 Iowa State could not, defeating the Mountaineers (14-4, 4-3) on their home court. For the 13th time in the Bobby Hurley era, the Sun Devils were victorious over a ranked team. This was only the third time they did so on the road, as this moment joins legendary triumphs at No. 2 Kansas in 2017 and No. 7 Arizona in 2023.

It was a complete team effort that allowed the Sun Devils to earn a critical Quad 1 victory that will greatly enhance their postseason resume. Four different players finished in double figures led by the front line of Basheer Jihad (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Jayden Quaintance (15 points, 12 rebounds). Quaintance added three blocks to bring his season total to 57, making him the new single-season program record holder for blocks by a freshman. BJ Freeman (14 points) and Adam Miller (10 points) each made key contributions to the 65-57 victory. Shawn Phillips Jr. (7 points, 6 rebounds) provided valuable minutes off the bench. Freshman guard Trevor Best made his Sun Devil debut and gave Alston Mason a well-deserved rest during a brief first half stint.

 

Head Coach Bobby Hurley’s team was not phased despite playing in one of college basketball’s best atmospheres and once again missing one of their top players (Joson Sanon). Arizona State jumped out to an early lead thanks to an outstanding start defensively. However, West Virginia found their groove, building an early 17-11 advantage in the first half. That was as large as the deficit would get, as the Maroon and Gold managed to limit the influence of the crowd by preventing any Mountaineer momentum from building. The Sun Devils grinded through a low possesion first half and found themselves in front 24-23 at the break.

The adjustments made by the coaching staff paid off in the second half for the second straight game. After scoring 38 points following the break last game against Cincinnati, ASU once again turned things around offensively tonight. They looked in sync on the way to scoring 41 points on 61.5% FG (16-of-26), as ASU built on their halftime lead. The Sun Devils extended their lead to as many as 13 points, stifling the Mountaineers offensive attack all game. It was clutch ball-handling and smart decision making down the stretch that allowed Arizona State to handle the West Virginia press and secure the massive road victory.

 

Road Tests

Arizona State has played in some of the toughest road environments in the nation, which prepared them for games like Tuesday. In their exhibition matchup with Duke, Head Coach Bobby Hurley and his squad experienced Cameron Indoor Stadium to start the year. Their third game of the season was at ‘The Kennel’, home of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Their first Big 12 Conference game was in front of 16,000+ at the Marriott Center against BYU. ASU then made their return to Allen Fieldhouse to take on Kansas. The three programs are a combined 156-17 (90.2%) over the past four years at home. This was the second of two straight road games, as the Maroon & Gold just played at Cincinnati on Saturday. Hurley had his team ready for the challenge, picking up a Quad 1 win in one of the toughest atmospheres in the country.

Getting Defensive

Arizona State held No. 23 West Virginia to just 30.8% (18-of-58) shooting from the field, the lowest by an opponent in a conference road game since it held Washington State in Pullman to 30.5% (18-of-59) on Feb. 13, 2022. The Mountaineers were held under 60 points for just the third time this season. The Sun Devils allowed only 23 points at halftime, the third-fewest points by an opponent during a half this season.

 

Shutting Down Small

West Virginia guard Javon Small was voted as Big 12 Player of the Week after his 27-point performance in the 64-57 win over then-No. 2 Iowa State on Saturday. He scored 27 points, including 12 in the last two minutes. He averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists this past week. Arizona State managed to limit his effectiveness tonight, forcing him into one of the least efficient performances of his career. He finished 2-of-11 (18.1%) from the field and 0-of-8 from three. Small did not make his first field goal until the 8:53 mark in the second half and converted his only other made shot with 53 seconds left in the game.

 

Boost on the Boards

The Sun Devils put together a great effort on the glass for the second straight game on this road trip. After finishing with a +9 advantage (42-33) against the Bearcats, including a season-high 16 offensive rebounds, Arizona State improved upon that effort on Tuesday. ASU boasted a 46-28 (+18) edge on the glass. They dominated their opponents on the backboard, winning the category by a combined 88-61 (+27) in the two games on the road trip.

 

One of One

Freshman forward Jayden Quaintance has proven to be one of the nation’s most unique and versatile athletes. He is currently the ONLY PLAYER IN THE NATION averaging at least 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks. He produces at that high of a level while playing 31.5 minutes per game. Quaintance is averaging exactly 10.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks with room to spare on each qualifier.

 

Buying Stocks

Quaintance added three more ‘stocks’ and has combined for 78 ‘stocks’ (57 blocks + 21 steals) so far this season. He was the only player in the nation to boast these numbers (50+ blocks and 20+ steals) coming into the game. The next closest Power 4 + Big East player is Creighton senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner with 61 stocks (49 blocks + 12 steals).

 

Block Party

Freshman Jayden Quaintance has recorded 57 blocks thus far in the 2024-2025 season and averages the second-most blocks per game (3.2) of any player in the nation. He added three more blocks in the win over No. 23 West Virginia, making him the new single-season record holder by a freshman in program history. He now has 57 blocks and has done it in only 18 games. He has two or more blocks in 16 of 18 games this year, including eight 4+ block performances