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Basheer Jihad helps ASU basketball nearly upset Gonzaga

ASU men's basketball has made progress in each of its first three games to start the season, nearly defeating No. 6 Gonzaga 88-80 in its home opener on Sunday.

Forward Basheer Jihad led the Sun Devils with 22 points and 10 rebounds, both of which were his most as a Sun Devil since transferring from Ball State. He made seven of the team's 11 free throws.

ASU's experienced transfers made an impact in the hostile environment known as the Kennel, as Jihad, Alston Mason (19 points) and BJ Freeman (12 points) were the three Sun Devils in double figures.

It was a back-and-forth game like every game so far, as neither the Sun Devils nor the Bulldogs were able to build a double-digit lead at any point, with ASU's 7-1 start representing their largest lead.

However, Jihad suffered a costly and unforced loss when the Sun Devils trailed by two with four minutes left. Gonzaga responded with a 7-3 run to take a six-point lead with 1:51 left, enough to seal the win.

Gonzaga's Braden Huff (21 points) and Khalif Battle (19 points) contributed five of the seven points in the clutch run, with more points down the stretch that secured the victory for the top-10 team, which just completed a 101-63- Win over No. 8 Baylor.

ASU (2-1)'s next game is Thursday at 7:00 p.m. MST at the Footprint Center in a cross-valley matchup against Grand Canyon University (2-0). National Player of the Year hopeful Tyon Grant-Foster is expected to make his season debut for the Lopes.

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