ASU Stumbles Against Kansas in 74-55 Defeat

LAWRENCE, Kan. — In a compelling matchup, No. 11 Kansas defeated Arizona State 74-55 on Wednesday night. Zeke Mayo led all scorers with 23 points, while Hunter Dickinson contributed significantly with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

After a rocky first half, where Kansas trailed 42-36, the Jayhawks surged ahead early in the second period. A pivotal 20-3 run turned a six-point deficit into an 11-point lead. Kansas dominated after halftime, outscoring the Sun Devils 38-13.

Arizona State struggled, with ASU’s Alston Mason leading the team with 19 points. BJ Freeman contributed 10 points, and Jayden Quaintance recorded nine points and 11 rebounds. With the absence of co-leading scorer Joson Sanon, who averages 13.5 points per game, Arizona State’s offense faltered during critical moments.

The Jayhawks capitalized on Arizona State’s struggles, forcing turnovers and applying pressure. ASU failed to score its 10th point of the half until 3:09 remained, a clear testament to Kansas’ defensive prowess.

Key moments marked the game’s turning point. Early in the second half, Dickinson’s impressive dunk tied the game. A subsequent free throw following a foul on Quaintance shifted the momentum permanently in favor of Kansas.

Despite shooting 46.7% in the first half, Arizona State collapsed in the second, managing just 21.7% from the field, including only 1 of 11 from three-point range. This dramatic decline seems to have stemmed from the team missing its rhythm without Sanon.

Next up, Arizona State will return home Saturday to face Baylor, while Kansas prepares for a matchup against Cincinnati.