PHOENIX — In front of a roaring crowd of 13,705 fans at the Footprint Center, Arizona State University secured an 87-76 victory over Grand Canyon University in the Hall of Fame Series Phoenix on Thursday night. The high-energy matchup felt less like an early-season game and more like a March Madness thriller, showcasing both teams’ potential as postseason contenders.
For ASU, it marked their dominance in the budding rivalry, improving to 3-1 on the season and 3-0 against GCU in the last five years. The Sun Devils’ shooting and size proved too much for the shorthanded Lopes, whose 2-1 record now reflects a team grappling with injuries and chemistry challenges.
“That environment is better than an NCAA Tournament game,” said GCU coach Bryce Drew. “It was fun to coach. Fun to play in. Hopefully, next time we’ll have a full roster.”
ASU’s Depth and Shooting Shine
ASU’s freshman guard Joson Sanon electrified the Sun Devils’ offense, leading the team with 21 points off the bench. Sanon’s sharpshooting from beyond the arc (5-for-7) included a personal 13-point run late in the first half, keeping ASU afloat in a closely contested opening period.
“Coach put me in, drew up a play for me, and I was on fire,” Sanon said, his confidence indicative of ASU’s depth.
The Sun Devils shot 53% from the field, including 11 of 25 from 3-point range, their second-best showing this season. Forward Basheer Jihad added 18 points, while guard Alston Mason and others contributed crucial stretches of scoring and playmaking.
“We were pretty good against Santa Clara, and we’ve got that kind of potential every game,” ASU coach Bobby Hurley said.
GCU Struggles Without Full Roster
Despite the loss, GCU showed promise, particularly from Tyon Grant-Foster in his season debut. The reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year led the Lopes with 19 points, seven rebounds, and four steals, though his rust after an eight-month hiatus was evident with five turnovers.
JaKobe Coles, a key scorer in the Lopes’ first two games, chipped in 17 points but battled illness and foul trouble throughout the night.
Adding to GCU’s woes, the absence of 6-foot-10 center Duke Brennan, sidelined with a shoulder injury, weakened their interior defense and rebounding. Brennan, a WAC top-10 rebounder, would have been crucial against ASU’s size and efficiency.
“It hurts a lot,” Drew said of Brennan’s absence. “We’re still finding our rhythm, but by game four or five, we’ll look much different.”
A Rivalry in the Making?
While GCU’s short-handed roster struggled to defend ASU’s length and precision, the game’s intensity highlighted a potential annual rivalry between the two programs. Both coaches praised the atmosphere as something unique in college basketball.
“This was the kind of atmosphere you hope for as a coach,” Hurley said. “It felt like March out there.”
GCU may not have walked away with a win, but their energy, talent, and ability to compete with a high-major program earned the respect of ASU and solidified their position as a program on the rise.
“(GCU has) arrived as a legitimate threat in college basketball,” Hurley said. “They’re built to go far this season.”
As both teams continue to refine their play, this early-season matchup stands out as a testament to the growing strength of basketball in Arizona.
