Arizona State Defeats Grand Canyon in Showdown at Footprint Center
PHOENIX — In an exciting matchup held at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns, Arizona State University powered past Grand Canyon University, securing an 87-76 victory on Thursday night. The game was part of the Hall of Fame series featuring high-profile matchups at neutral venues.
Freshman Joson Sanon shone brightly as he recorded a career-high 21 points, sinking five 3-pointers and leading the Sun Devils (3-1) through a close contest that showcased thrilling moments from both teams. Sanon significantly influenced the first half, contributing 13 points and helping ASU take a narrow 41-40 lead into halftime.
Basheer Jihad also had a strong performance, adding 18 points, including 13 in the second half. Alston Mason complemented the scoring with 16 points, helping to solidify the Sun Devils’ advantage.
For the Antelopes (2-1), Tyon Grant-Foster, last season’s Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, made his season debut with a solid 19 points. However, the team’s efforts fell short, particularly in the second half where they shot only 40%. JaKobe Coles and Ray Harrison chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively.
ASU took control with a key 3-pointer from Sanon late in the game, stretching the lead to 67-56. The Antelopes struggled to close the gap, never getting within seven points after that. Arizona State showcased an impressive overall shooting performance, hitting 54% from the field, including 11 of 25 from beyond the arc, and going 18 of 21 from the free-throw line.
Next, Arizona State will return home to face St. Thomas on Saturday, while Grand Canyon prepares for a game against UC Davis on Wednesday.
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