New-look ASU men’s basketball loses season opener to Mississippi State
Nov 8, 2023, 10:35 PM | Updated: Nov 9, 2023, 4:47 pm
CHICAGO (AP) — Junior college transfer Trey Fort hit six 3-pointers and scored 21 points to lead Mississippi State men’s basketball to a 71-56 victory over Arizona State on Wednesday night in a season opener for both teams.
Fort hit three straight 3-pointers to kick off a 16-4 first half-ending run for a 39-18 lead. The lead reached as many as 25 points in the second half.
Arizona State, with seven Division I transfers joining the roster this season, was led by Louisville transfer Kamari Lands with 13 points and Frankie Collins adding 10 points and five steals. The Sun Devils shot 32% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc.
Returners Jamiya Neal and Collins started alongside three newcomers: Lands, Jose Perez and Shawn Phillips Jr.
West Virginia graduate transfer Jimmy Bell added 13 points for the Bulldogs, who shot 40%.
The Bulldogs were the worst 3-point shooting team in Division I last season at 26.6% but made 10 of 26 (38%) from the arc against the Sun Devils, who missed all nine of their first-half 3-point shots and finished 5 of 21. ASU started 2-for-17 from deep.
Fort was 4 of 8 on 3-pointers in the first half, scoring 14 points.
The game was played at a neutral site at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Arizona State is home against Texas Southern on Saturday.
