Devils in Detail
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ASU MBB: Holder Sinks Two Late Free Throws and USC

By Zach Pekale

Feb 26, 2017; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Kodi Justice (44) makes a three point basket over USC Trojans guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) during the second half at Wells-Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils won 83-82. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2017; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Kodi Justice (44) makes a three point basket over USC Trojans guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) during the second half at Wells-Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils won 83-82. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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ASU Basketball made a furious rally in the final minutes to stun USC 83-82. With the win, the Sun Devils improved to 7-10 in Pac-12 play.

Guard Tra Holder made two free throws with 6.9 seconds to play and Arizona State (14-16, 7-10)    breathed a sigh of relief as a Bennie Boatwright three-point shot was off target in the final seconds as ASU handed USC (21-8, 8-8) its fourth straight loss.

The Trojans held a 81-71 lead with 3:55 remaining and Arizona State had only made two of its previous 12 shots at that point. The game was all but over. But no one told the Sun Devils that.

“We just kept finding ways. Every time we come together as a team and we stay together, even though it seems we might be out.  We always, for some reason, it clicks and we all just come together, we make big plays and got a great win,” said Kodi Justice

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USC went scoreless over the final 2:08 while ASU finished on a 12-1 run, capped by Holder’s heroics for the second time in conference play. The junior also made two late free throws to win the team’s conference opener over Colorado on Jan. 5.

“I actually wasn’t thinking about the free throws…I was in that situation before and I knew I was going to make it,” said Holder.

Prior to the game’s final points, all eyes were on Justice and his career performance. The junior made six threes and finished with a career-high 22 points which included a fall away three-pointer to close the deficit to one with 15 seconds left.

“Kodi was awesome today. He does everything that we need him to do,” said head coach Bobby Hurley. “Forget about the point total… He’s got so much heart.”

Justice was additionally comended for his season-long efforts for matching up to bigger players despite a clear disadvantage in size.

Boatwright led USC offensively with 22 points while point guard Jordan McLaughlin finished with 10 assists. The Trojans fell flat in the final four minutes, scoring just one free throw after the final media timeout.

With the win, Arizona State is likely to secure the No. 7 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament as they hold a tiebreaker over Colorado and Stanford. For USC, the loss hurts the program’s chances at consecutive NCAA Tournament bids as they have played themselves onto the bubble with a four-game losing streak.

“I’m thrilled except probably the few weeks or days that have just been taken off my life,” said Hurley. “But what a great feeling.”

Next: ASU Basketball: Marathon Rotation Runs out of Gas vs. UCLA

Next, the Sun Devils have several days off before their regular season finale against No. 4 Arizona. That game will be played on March 4 at 2:00 p.m. MST from Wells Fargo Arena. The game can be seen on CBS.

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