It is Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and the Arizona State Sun Devils are not playing. Rather, the show is riding on one of its best acts of the season and will take the next step on the stage on Saturday, February 21.
Win Over a Ranked Opponent
Texas Tech Red Raiders lost to Arizona State in a signature win on Tuesday night, 72-67. The victory gave ASU an overall record of 14 12, and a mark of 5 8 in Big 12 competition, the most significant victory the program had attained since entering the Big 12.
The Sun Devils were led by Maurice Odum, who scored the game-high of 23 points, with Massamba Diop scoring 14 points and providing one of the defining moments of the game.
The first half was closely fought. ASU entered the half with a narrow, 3736, lead, with much of the credit going to Diop after hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer with the last possession of the first half. Odum scored 10 points before the break, early pacing the Sun Devils.
Defensive Pressure Changes the Game
Arizona State’s full-court press defined the second half. The Sun Devils also created a 57 47 lead halfway through the period by forcing a record 17 turnovers and transforming them into 21 points.
Texas Tech made a quick rally, reducing the lead to 5956, but ASU responded with an 80-run to take the lead back. Red Raiders narrowed the margin down to 70-67 in the last seconds, but Arizona State secured the victory after a critical defensive stand and free throws by Odum.
The loss had not only given ASU confidence, but also given the Sun Devils momentum as they head to their next game later this week.