No. 3 Villanova proved why it is a title contender during their primetime matchup with Arizona State on Thursday night. The Wildcats suffocated the Sun Devils and pulled away in the second half, finishing the Thanksgiving evening with an 83-74 victory over Bobby Hurley’s squad.
After a 26-point outburst in his first game, Remy Martin finished with just five points. If there was one bright spot for ASU, it was that of freshman phenom Josh Christopher, who finished with 28 points in just his second collegiate game, tying the game-high.
Josh Christopher making it look easy in his second game 😤
💥 28 Pts
💥 11-17 FG
💥 4 Reb
💥 2 Ast pic.twitter.com/cAvXEuuTMQ— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 27, 2020
Christopher scored in a variety of ways, both off the dribble, in the lane, and with his shot, proving why he was such a highly-touted recruit.
Altogether though, there wasn’t too much to read into with this game. The third-ranked Wildcats were the favorites and they played like it.
ASU went cold from three-point range, going just 10-28 from downtown. Shots didn’t fall, the offense got stagnant in the second half. That wasn’t going to cut it, and despite the offensive deficiencies, the Devils were just one offensive burst away from making this one a game.
It was a good measuring stick, and it’s now on to greener pastures. ASU returns home for its first game at Desert Financial Arena this Sunday, when Hurley’s team hosts Houston Baptist.
