TEMPE, Ariz. — Bo Barnes scored 18 points, including a key 3-pointer late, and Arizona State pulled off a second straight home upset over its rival by holding off No. 6 Arizona 81-78 on Saturday.
Arizona State (12-1, 4-6 Pac-12) shook off a lopsided loss to Arizona a month earlier by out-scrapping the Wildcats and playing a solid offensive game against one of nation’s best defensive teams.
The Sun Devils hit 7 of 15 from 3-point range and made 22 of 28 free throws, including some big ones down the stretch, to set off a court-storming in Tempe for the second straight season.
Savon Goodman had 15 points and nine rebounds for Arizona State. Tra Holder added 15 points and eight assists.
Arizona (20-3, 8-2) was inconsistent offensively and struggled to keep the Sun Devils from getting to the basket.
T.J. McConnell had 25 points and Stanley Johnson added 16 for the Wildcats.
Arizona State had an upset in the Territorial Cup series a year ago in Tempe, pulling out a 69-66 win in double overtime.
But that team had Jahii Carson and Jordan Bachynski, and was headed to the NCAA Tournament.
This year’s team is without those two key players and may need a huge late-season push to get into the bracket.
Arizona State already played the Wildcats once this season and didn’t fare too well, blown out 73-49 in Tucson to open the Pac-12 season on Jan. 4.
The Sun Devils looked more like the team that beat Arizona last season, going right at the Wildcats.
Holder, who had two points in 12 minutes the first game, was the catalyst, repeatedly beating Arizona defenders off the dribble.
The freshman had a hand in every point during a 9-0 run, finishing the first half with 10 points and five assists. The Sun Devils hits 15 of 29 shots, including 4 of 9 from 3-point range, and led 41-34 at halftime after a steal led to a last-second putback by Willie Atwood.
Arizona was good offensively early, but became a bit discombobulated when McConnell went to the bench with his second foul midway through.
Goodman helped Arizona State keep its cushion early in the second half, bulling his way to the rim for eight points in the opening 4 1-2 minutes.
Arizona chipped away at the lead as the game became more chippy, getting it within a single possession with just under 4 minutes left.
The Sun Devils kept them at arm’s length from there.
Gerry Blakes, who had 14 points, hit a 3-pointer to put Arizona State up 68-63 and Barnes helped seal the upset, hitting a fadeaway 3-pointer with just under a minute left.
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