Zylan Cheatham ended his Sun Devil career with 22-point performance while
Romello White and
Luguentz Dort added 12 each, but Buffalo (32-3) turned a 14-13 deficit at the 12:02 mark in to a 44-31 halftime lead and never looked back as it advanced to play Texas Tech on Sunday in the NCAA Round of 32 with a 91-74 over ASU in Tulsa.
Buffalo outrebounded ASU 42-26 and shot 31-of-60 (.517) from the the field and held ASU to 3-of-22 (.136) from the three-point stripe.
"I'm super proud of my guys and the effort and the season that they have had," said Bobby Hurley, leading ASU to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time since 1980-81. "They have taken another big step for Arizona State basketball, and in the process, they've poured their heart and soul into our culture, which is going to filter through future Arizona State basketball teams."
The Sun Devils led 14-10 early, but Buffalo went on a 14-2 in three minutes. Buffalo outscored Arizona State 10-5 over another three-minute stretch to push the advantage into double digits.
"They were quicker to the ball than we were in the first half and their pressure is disruptive," Hurley said. "Their guards get after you and pressure you, so they take you out of your offense."
Arizona State trailed 44-31 at halftime and pulled within 46-37 early in the second half before Buffalo's 7-0 run pushed its lead to 16 with 16:13 remaining.
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POSTGAME NOTES
--ASU had been to four NCAA Tournaments (1995, 2003, 2009 and 2014) in 26 seasons (1992-2017). Five guys who saw the floor against in the 2019 Tournament -- Remy Martin, Kimani Lawrence, Romello White, De'Quon Lake and Vitaliy Shibel -- earned trips to the past two NCAA Tournaments.
--Four seasons after Bobby Hurley arrived in Tempe, ASU removed itself from a long-standing chart. ASU had the fifth-longest active streak of a NCAA Tournament back-to-back drought among Power Six teams, as it had not made March Madness in back-to-back years since 1980-81, when Byron Scott, Fat Lever and Alton Lister were wearing short shorts. Four years after his arrival, ASU is the only Pac-12 school to make the NCAAs the last two seasons.
IN THE NCAAS: This was ASU's 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and it is now 14-17 in the Big Dance. (Note: ASU lost in a regional consolation game which is why it has 17 losses in 16 appearances). It reached the final eight on three occasions (1961, 1963 and 1975) under Ned Wulk. It last reached the Sweet Sixteen under Bill Frieder in 1995. In 2014, it fell to Texas on a buzzer beater in Milwaukee while in 2009, sixth-seeded ASU beat Temple 66-57 in Miami before falling to Syracuse 78-67 in James Harden's second and final season. Last year ASU fell in the First Four to Syracuse 60-56, as ASU led 49-42 with 7:05 left before it was outscored 18-7.
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN THREE-POINTERS MADE
76, Ty Abbott, 2007-08
66, Ron Riley, 1992-93
64, Christian Polk, 2006-07
57, Eddie House, 1996-97
54, Lu Dort, 2018-19
53, Jonathan Gilling, 2011-12
44, James Harden, 2007-08
44, Gee Gervin, 1996-97
44, Jeremy Veal, 1994-95
40, Taeshon Cherry, 2018-19
40, Stevin Smith, 1990-91
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN GAMES STARTED
35, Jahii Carson, 2012-13
34, Ty Abbott, 2007-08
33, Luguentz Dort, 2018-19
33, James Harden, 2007-08
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN MINUTES PER GAME
37.2, Jahii Carson, 2012-13
34.1, James Harden, 2007-08
32.7, Ty Abbott, 2007-08
32.3, Byron Scott, 1979-80
32.2, Ike Diogu, 2002-03
31.5, Luguentz Dort, 2018-19
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN MINUTES PER GAME
647, Jahii Carson, 2012-13
607, Ike Diogu, 2002-03
605, James Harden, 2007-08
547, Luguentz Dort, 2018-19
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN MINUTES
1,303, Jahii Carson, 2013
1,158, James Harden, 2008
1,112, Ty Abbott, 2008
1,030, Ike Diogu, 2003
1,072, Luguentz Dort, 2019
