TEMPE, ARIZONA -- The SUU Men's Basketball team opened the 2025-26 season in Tempe, Arizona, taking on Big 12 opponent Arizona State. Despite having the advantage on the glass and with points in the paint, the Thunderbirds fell to ASU 81-64.

Head Coach Rob Jeter said

"In the first real game of the season you are trying to feel out how your team will respond when adversity hits, and I thought we did a pretty good job tonight. We need to be better in transition, both offensively, with some of our shot selections, and defensively, stopping the ball."

Top T-Birds

• True freshman point guard Elijah Duval proved that he is ready for the DI level, leading all scorers with 17 points on an efficient 8-14 from the field.
• Isaiah Cottrell, Jaiden Feroah, and Cale Barclay all topped the team with seven rebounds each.
• Cottrell was the only other Thunderbird in double-digits scoring with 11

HIGHLIGHTS

Game Recap

Elijah Duval scored four of the Thunderbirds first six points, and at the under 16 media timeout, the T-Birds trailed the Sun Devils 6-9.

The teams exchanged 4-0 runs out of the media timeout, but then ASU went on a quick 7-0 run to push the lead to 10 with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

The Thunderbirds made three of their four three-pointers within a four-minute stretch in the first half, but ASU always answered with a bucket of their own. After a bucket and a foul from Logan Stephens, the Thunderbirds trimmed the Sun Devil's lead to 22-27. 

A 6-0 run to close out the half from the Sun Devils and the T-Birds trailed 40-28 heading into the break.

SUU opened the half by forcing a turnover and Duval getting a fast-break layup, and then forcing another turnover, but a missed three-pointer by the Thunderbirds lead to a made three-pointer from the Sun Devils, and the lead was up to 13 for ASU.

SUU kept the deficit around 10-14 points for most of the second half, but back-to-back three-pointers from ASU, which sparked a 12-2 run, saw the lead balloon to 22 points with just under seven minutes remaining.

SUU went on a 7-0 run in one final push and cut the lead to 12 with two minutes left, but a transition three-pointer from ASU proved to be the dagger.

Statistical Recap

The Thunderbirds shot just 37% from the floor and an abysmal 4-25 from three. The team was 8-8 from the line and had 11 more field goal attempts than the Sun Devils.

SUU won the rebounding battle 40-39, including 16-11 on offensive rebounds. The T-Birds also won the battle in the paint, outscoring ASU 44-36.

The biggest difference in the game was ASU making five more three-pointers and outscoring the Thunderbirds 24-11 on the fast break.

Jaiden Feroah and Isaiah Cottrell lead the team with two blocks each, and six different Thunderbirds recorded a steal.

Up Next

The Thunderbirds will be back in action on Saturday, November 8, for their home opener against UTRGV in the America First Event Center. Tipoff will be at 6:30 p.m.

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