Sun Devils fall short vs. No. 6 Cougars

Postgame talk centered around the final play. A play the team drew up and executed to near-perfection by getting the ball in James Harden’s hands with seconds remaining and the Arizona State men’s basketball team in dire need of one more basket for a victory.

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Harden drove to the basket and sandwiched himself between two Washington State defenders but his shot attempt never got close — contact or not — and the Sun Devils’ 56-55 loss to No. 6 Washington State at Wells Fargo Arena will end a two-week stay in the Top 25 rankings.

If the scene played out eerily familiarly, it’s because this was the second straight buzzer-beater to go against Arizona State at home against WSU. The Sun Devils’ final 3-point try a year ago also was off the mark.

This one, however, left a more bitter aftertaste, as a team off to a scorching start now finds itself stumbling entering a three-game road swing of UCLA, USC and Arizona.

Did Harden think he was fouled?

“Yeah, I did,” he said.

Partially fearing of reprimand by the league, ASU coach Herb Sendek wouldn’t touch the question.

“You saw what I saw,” he said.

Even Washington State coach Tony Bennett noted instances he’s been on the Sun Devils’ side in similar circumstances.

“Make sure he doesn’t beat us,” Bennett said of Harden’s final minute.

To a man, however, the Sun Devils players hanging around the arena afterward didn’t lament the officiating as much as missed defensive assignments and woeful outside shooting.

The Sun Devils (14-4, 4-3 Pac-10) went 2-of-14 from behind the arc, with Ty Abbott making both of those treys. Harden finished with a game-high 25 points, or one fewer field goal (10) than all his teammates combined.

Washington State (17-2, 5-2) double-teamed Jeff Pendergraph whenever he touched the ball and held the 6-foot-9 forward to five shot attempts.

He wore a brace on his left wrist afterward but said he’d be fine.

Harden was his old self most of the night, driving hard to the basket with a couple of tomahawk dunks in the early going. He helped the Sun Devils to an early 11-point lead, then helped bring the team back from a double-digit deficit in the game’s final seven minutes.

It wasn’t enough, as Washington State sharpshooter Derrick Low hit six 3-pointers, several coming when he was wide open while running from baseline to baseline.

“We lost him too many times,” Sendek said.

The Sun Devils had one more push in them. The Cougars missed on four consecutive possessions in the final three minutes.

Abbott made three free throws and Harden’s up-and-under move pulled ASU within one in the final minute.

Washington State missed again.

“I wanted the ball,” Harden said.

He got it and made his move, but there was no last-second gift. Only an empty feeling.