Arizona State Sun Devils men’s basketball (1-1) hung with a top-five opponent in Villanova (2-0) in the early going, but a clear inability to move the ball offensively and secure rebounds defensively cost the Devils a shot at the victory. Villanova controlled the second half with their patented team-first system under Jay Wright on the way to an 83-74 victory.
Statistically speaking, the Sun Devils performed just around level par in most vital categories with the Wildcats. Villanova shot 48% from the field to the Devils 43%, and the Devils would actually outshoot the Wildcats from three-point range on the night.