ASU’s season ends as Nebraska pulls ahead late for Crown tournament win

Arizona State was well in control before a potential win over Nebraska slipped away, 86-78, in the first round of the College Basketball Crown tournament on Monday.

The Sun Devils struggled with ball security in a big way (16 turnovers to 12 assists) while shooting well below form from distance (6-for-20). Adam Miller, who was a 44.4% 3-point shooter on the season coming into the game, was just 1 of 7 from deep.

Miller was coming off a combination of injuries from the last time he suited up, including hip, oblique and arm ailments. Just six other scholarship players were available and only five got rotation minutes with Bobby Hurley, the son of coach Bobby Hurley, playing just two minutes.

Basheer Jihad was a free throw machine in the first half, scoring eight of his 15 first-half points at the line. He was a big reason why ASU was in position to capitalize with a 14-4 run over the final 4:10 of the half to take an eight-point lead.

The 30 first-half points ASU allowed was a promising total, given how it was 9-1 this season in games it allowed 70 points or fewer.

The Sun Devils kept the pressure on to start the second half as the lead reached double digits, but Shawn Phillips Jr. picked up his fourth foul with 11:58 left, and it was upgraded to a flagrant foul for how he pushed down Nebraska big man Braxton Meah.

Holding onto a five-point lead, Phillips’ foul trouble put ASU in a predicament. The Cornhuskers put together a run to inch closer to a lead, but Alston Mason had a steal-and-score to slow Nebraska’s momentum.

Without ASU’s rim protector on the floor, Nebraska was manufacturing looks in the paint with ease and kept chipping away at the lead.

Connor Essegian hit a 3 to knot things up with 8:49 remaining. His first points came at the 10:29 mark, starting a run where he scored 13 of Nebraska’s next 16 points while it turned a six-point deficit into a two-point lead.

Phillips was back in with 6:42 left as the Sun Devils trailed by one but he fouled out just 20 seconds later, playing just 18 minutes in the contest. The Cornhuskers finished on a 26-19 run.

Mason and Jihad combined for 44 points in the loss, while Brice Williams led all scorers with 30, including 11 of Nebraska’s last 15.

With the season-ending loss, Arizona State (13-20) finishes the season on a six-game losing streak having lost 11 of its last 12 after an 8-1 start.

Nebraska (18-14) will play the winner of Washington State-Georgetown in the second round of the tournament on Wednesday.

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