Sometimes, the difference between winning and losing can be razor thin. For Arizona State, it came down to 24 seconds.
Up one in Saturday’s clash with USC, the game rested in the hands of senior Zylan Cheatham. With two made free throws, his team would likely secure its first conference road sweep since 2010. If he didn’t, chaos would have its chance.
Shooting the front end of a one-and-one, Cheatham took a few dribbles, locked on the rim and released his foul shot. ASU had made 22 of its previous 24 attempts, but this one misfired, landing in the arms of the Trojans’ Derryck Thornton.