Arizona State rolled into the Huntsman Center on Saturday night in Salt Lake City and handed the Runnin’ Utes a 63-61 loss, sweeping the season series.
Marreon Jackson made a driving layup with six seconds left to break a 61-61 tie, and Utah’s Rollie Worster missed a heavily defended shot at the buzzer that would have forced overtime.
The Sun Devils took a 33-30 halftime lead and never trailed in the second half in picking up their eighth Pac-12 win.
Utah overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half and tied the game with 1:14 left when Branden Carlson hit a 3-pointer.
After Jalen Graham hit two free throws to regain the lead for ASU, Marco Anthony tied it again with a dunk from a feed from Branden Carlson.
Here are 3 keys to ASU’s win:
• Arizona State broke open a close game with an 11-1 run midway through the second half to go up by 14 points, but Utah used a wicked full-court press to get back in the game.
• The Utes got back-to-back 3-pointers from David Jenkins Jr. and Gabe Madsen to climb back in it, but Jay Heath answered with a couple triples of his own. Heath finished with a game-high 20 points for the Sun Devils.
• Utah shot 48% in the first half, but trailed 33-30 at the break thanks to six costly turnovers. Jalen Graham, who hit the game-winner for ASU in the game in Tempe, had 10 points in the first half for the Sun Devils and finished with 15.