Arizona State Offense Goes Cold Late in Loss to WVU

The Sun Devils moved to 1-5 in league play with Wednesday's defeat, and now seem to be in must-win territory moving forward.

Jan 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Bryce Ford (4) controls the ball against West Virginia Mountaineers guard Chance Moore (13) in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-9 ,1-5 Big 12 ) dropped their third consecutive contest in their lone game against the West Virginia Mountaineers (13-6, 4-2) by a score of 75-63 on Wednesday night in Tempe.

The Sun Devils came into the game on a two-game losing streak, although the two games were against a pair of top teams in the country, while West Virginia defeated Colorado in their last game on January 17.

Follow key happenings in the game that was below with Arizona State on SI.

First Half

The Sun Devils were able to get off to a quick 11-4 advantage at the under-16 timeout behind an incredible start from center Massamba Diop, while guard Noah Meeusen knocked down a three-point look to continue his standout shooting stretch.

Arizona State was able to extend the early lead to 11 at the halfway point of the first frame - as point guard Moe Odum and combo guard Anthony "Pig" Johnson flashed three-point marksmanship in their own right - capping off possessions in which beautiful ball movement was displayed.

The Mountaineers began to cut into the deficit that they found themselves in as the result of a string of efficient offensive possessions, but the Sun Devils continued to respond with intentional offensive trips on their own end.

West Virginia brought the ASU lead down to a singular point at different points of the latter parts of the half, but the Sun Devils remained ahead by a score of 37-35 going into halftime.

Second Half

Arizona State's exceptional offensive showing in the first half waned a bit over the first nine minutes of the second period, as West Virginia built up a five-point lead at the 11:24 mark following a three-point play.

Jan 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Noah Meeusen (15) celebrates a three point shot against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona State deficit built up to seven points, but timely plays from both Diop and Meeusen cut it back to two. The Mountaineers responded with a 5-0 run to retake a seven point lead, forcing a Hurley timeout at the 7:11 mark of the second half.

The Mountaineer lead expanded to as much as 10 points in the latter parts of the half, as the Sun Devils went into the final media timeout down 66-56.

Key Contributors

• Massamba Diop - 14 PTS, 5 REB, 2 BLK

• Moe Odum - 17 PTS, 8 AST, 6-14 FG

• Noah Meeusen - 11 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST

What's Next

The Sun Devils are set to conclude the two-game homestand on Saturday night by welcoming the recently surging Cincinnati Bearcats to Tempe.

Jan 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Noah Meeusen (15) controls the ball against West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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