It was in Las Vegas a season ago that Arizona State began its surge to the epicenter of college basketball, knocking off eventual No.1 NCAA Tournament seed and then-No. 15 Xavier 102-86 to win the Continental Tire Invitational.
But forward Kimani Lawrence could only celebrate from the sideline, mid-recovery from a foot injury that derailed his first year at ASU.
Back in Sin City with another chance to unseat a ranked team, the sophomore was prepared for his moment and seized the opportunity.
Lawrence caught a pass from guard Remy Martin in the right corner, gathered and connected from 3-point range to break a 65-all deadlock inside the final minute of Monday’s game.