Arizona State Edges Georgia State in Thriller

Arizona State Survives Scare Against Persistent Georgia State

In a game that looked like it might be a blowout early on, the Arizona State Sun Devils found themselves in a tight battle against the Georgia State Panthers on Monday night. Despite being favored by 18.5 points, ASU needed a second-half comeback to secure a 75-62 victory at home.

The Sun Devils, coming off a tough 9 p.m. tipoff against Gonzaga less than 72 hours earlier and facing a 5 a.m. flight to Hawaii the next morning, looked sluggish early on. Head coach Bobby Hurley called it "as much of a trap game as possible," and his team nearly paid the price.

Georgia State Takes Control Early

Georgia State came out with energy and purpose, asserting themselves on both ends of the court. The Panthers disrupted Arizona State's offensive rhythm and moved the ball effectively to create open looks.

"We underestimated them," admitted ASU point guard Moe Odum. "They were more aggressive, and we almost got our heads blew off because of it."

The Panthers built a lead as large as 11 points in the second half and maintained control for more than 30 minutes of the game. They relied heavily on three-point shooting, making nine triples on 25 attempts (36%). Malachi Brown led the way with 15 points, while Jakai Newton contributed 11 points and nine rebounds.

The Turning Point

With the deficit growing to 11 points with 14:20 remaining, Arizona State needed a spark. That spark came from forward Pig Johnson, who answered with seven straight points, including a highlight-reel dunk. This jump-started a crucial 20-1 run that gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the game.

Noah Meeusen, making his ASU debut after missing the first three games with an ankle injury, made an immediate impact. The 6-foot-5 Belgian point guard came up with a crucial steal on an inbounds play with 10:25 left, helping to tie the game.

"I know he only had two points," Odum said of Meeusen, "but if somebody could watch the film and realize what Noah was doing like they gonna say 'That boy played really, really good today.'"

Odum Shines in Victory

Despite his team's early struggles, Moe Odum put on a show, finishing with a game-high 24 points to go along with career-highs in assists (9) and steals (5). His performance was the catalyst for Arizona State's comeback.

"I felt an enormous sense of relief playing with another creator," Odum said of sharing the court with Meeusen. "His size and shooting capabilities add a different dimension to our offense."

Arizona State's shooting from three-point range was a concern, as they made just four of 19 attempts (21.1%), their lowest of the season. However, their ability to lock down defensively during the decisive run proved to be the difference.

What's Next?

For Arizona State, this victory was a character-building win that came in difficult circumstances. They now head to Hawaii for their first road game of the season on Saturday before competing in the Mau'i Invitational, where they'll face Texas and former coach Sean Miller.

Georgia State, meanwhile, will continue their month-long road swing at South Dakota State for game one of the Cancun Challenge on Friday. Despite the loss, their performance against a top-100 opponent should provide momentum as they look to build on this strong showing.

The game served as a reminder that in college basketball, no opponent should be taken lightly, especially when facing a well-coached team playing with confidence.