Just five undefeated teams remain in college basketball after Saturday’s most surprising result.
After escaping a number of close calls in its first 10 games, No. 1 Kansas finally tasted defeat in game 11.
The Jayhawks led for the first 37 minutes and 37 seconds of Saturday night’s game, but it was Arizona State which controlled the final 2:23, securing an 80-76 win that marked the first home victory over a top-ranked opponent in school history.
Bobby Hurley’s team secured its most significant victory of 2018-19 thanks to a balanced attack that featured five players in double figures. Junior reserve guard Rob Edwards led the way with 15 points, his most in a Sun Devil uniform.
TEMPE WE LIT pic.twitter.com/geNTwHumJ4
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) December 23, 2018
The loss spoiled another spectacular evening from national Player of the Year candidate Dedric Lawson, who scored 30 points and snared 14 rebounds. Lagerald Vick chipped in 14 points, but as has been the case too often in recent weeks, the supporting cast behind Lawson and Vick was lacking. Backcourt starters Quentin Grimes and Marcus Garrett combined to shoot 4-of-17 from the field. Freshman point guard Devon Dotson scored 12 points, but his turnover issues were once again on display as he gave the ball away five times.
Though Kansas was a preseason No. 1 team with 10 wins in its first 10 games, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the Jayhawks. Junior center Udoka Azubuike has missed the team’s last four games because of an ankle injury, and KU has struggled to find adequate post production without him. Despite the sparkling record, Bill Self’s team has also had to eek out closer than they should have been calls against Stanford (90-84 in OT), New Mexico State (63-60) and Villanova (74-71).
For 18th-ranked Arizona State, which had been coming off a humbling 81-65 loss at Vanderbilt on Monday, this marks the second straight season they’ve stunned the bullies of the Big 12. On Dec. 10 of last year, the Sun Devils went into Allen Fieldhouse and walked away with a 95-85 upset of the second-ranked Jayhawks.
Kansas’ loss leaves just four remaining undefeated teams in college basketball — No. 4 Michigan (12-0), No. 5 Virginia (11-0), No. 6 Nevada (12-0), No. 21 Houston (11-0), and St. John’s (12-0).