palm feathersCALIFORNIA – Sun Devil Men’s Basketball won the Acrisure Classic Championship by defeating Saint Mary’s on Friday night at Acrisure Arena.

Head coach for the second time in a row Bobby Hurley’s The team prevailed in a close game and proved to be a different team after halftime. Arizona State (7-1) trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, but showed resiliency throughout the night and secured a 68-64 victory over the previously unbeaten Gaels (7-1).

A key to the win was that the Sun Devils limited Saint Mary’s to just 17 of 43 (39.5%) shooting from inside in the game and a total of 11 of 30 (36.7%) in the second half. An intense and strategic effort after the break made the difference as the Maroon & Gold got past a Saint Mary’s side that had won 26 or more games in three consecutive seasons. Arizona State wins fourth non-conference tournament championship in the Bobby Hurley era (2024 Acrisure Classic, 2022 Legends Classic, 2018 MGM Resorts Main Event, 2017 Continental Tire Invitational).

Freshman guard Joson Sanon of Fall River, MA was named MVP of the 2024 Acrisure Classic after the game. In the win over the Gaels, he led all scorers with 19 points, making 8 of 16 shots from the field and 3 of 4 from deep. Sanon averaged 19 points in the two games and continues to prove himself as one of the best freshmen in the country. Fellow newbie Jayden Quaintance made his impact felt in many ways, totaling ten points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Veterans BJ Freeman (11 points) and Adam Miller (11 points) provided timely scoring down the stretch, allowing the Sun Devils to claim one of the program’s biggest non-conference victories.

When winning the MVP Sanon was fantastic in helping Arizona State defeat New Mexico and Saint Mary’s. Sanon averaged 19.0 points on 14 of 25 (56%) shooting and 5 of 9 (56%) from distance in just 30 minutes per game. He was the Sun Devils’ leading scorer in their win over Saint Mary’s in the championship game, scoring 19 points and making three of his four three-pointers.

“I’m very proud of the boys and the way they fought,” Coach Hurley said after the game. “This is a fantastic and talented Saint Mary’s team, but we showed strength down the home stretch. Several guys stepped up on both ends of the floor to help us secure the win.

Arizona State returns home to face San Diego in its final non-conference home game and only game at Desert Financial Arena in December. Come cheer on Arizona State as they take on the Torreros on Tuesday, December 3rd at 7:00 PM MST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+