Arizona State Sun Devils' Paint Struggle at Marriott Center as BYU Cougars Dominate

The Arizona State Sun Devils faced a challenging encounter against the BYU Cougars at the Marriott Center, resulting in a 104-76 loss. This outcome leaves the Sun Devils with a record of 0-1, while the Cougars improve to 1-0.

First Half

The first half saw both teams battling for control. The Sun Devils managed to score 30 points, with Anthony Johnson leading their efforts by contributing significantly on offense. However, they struggled defensively as the Cougs capitalized on their opportunities, scoring 45 points and establishing an early lead.

Second Half

In the second half, Arizona State attempted to close the gap but was met with fierce resistance from BYU's defense. Despite Massamba Diop's commendable performance in securing rebounds and adding crucial points in the paint for Sparky, it wasn't enough to counteract BYU's offensive prowess. The Y extended their lead further by scoring an additional 59 points.

Final Thoughts

The game highlighted some areas of concern for Arizona State, particularly in defending against fast breaks and managing turnovers. The Cougs' ability to convert turnovers into points proved decisive in this matchup. As part of our Arizona State Sun Devils vs BYU Cougars recap, it's clear that while there were moments of promise from players like Maurice Odum and Andrija Grbović who contributed offensively, overall team efficiency needs improvement.

Looking ahead, fans can catch Sparky back on home turf when they face Kansas State Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena on January 10th at 3:00 PM EDT. The game will be available for streaming via Peacock.

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