Arizona State’s Collins finishes game-winner vs. UMass Lowell

Arizona State men’s basketball guard Frankie Collins finished a driving left-handed reverse layup with two seconds remaining to beat Massachusetts Lowell 71-69 on Thursday at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

ASU (2-1) overcame a 12-point second-half deficit and trailed by as many as 11 points with under three minutes remaining. It scored 17 in the final five minutes, seven from Collins who finished with 11 points and a career-high eight steals.

Jose Perez hit a fall-away jumper on a drive to take a 69-67 lead with 13 seconds left, ASU’s first lead since it was 3-0. Perez led ASU with 20 points but was helped to the bench after his last shot. After a River Hawks game-tying free throw, ASU opted to not call a timeout, and Collins drove hard right down the hatch to the cup.

The difference between the two squads seesawed between six and 12 points for most of the second half until ASU cut the deficit to 58-54 with 5:21 remaining on a fast break 3-pointer by Kamari Lands after a behind-the-back pass by Collins.

The River Hawks responded with a 7-0 scoring run, and ASU bounced back with a 13-2 stretch over the course of a minute. Collins and Jamiya Neal hit clutch 3s to get the game back in reach, with Collins pulling up from way downtown.

A steal by Alonzo Gaffney set up a Collins transition layup (goaltending) to tie the game 67-67 with 1:06 on the clock.

UMass Lowell turned the ball over 21 times with 16 in the second half. ASU scored 27 points off turnovers.

A potential momentum changer occurred with 10:22 remaining.

Neal fed Collins on a 2-on-1 fast break, and the guard rose high and threw down an emphatic slam with his right hand to get a rouse out of the fans in Tempe. Collins grimaced and limped to the bench to get treatment. He returned to the floor soon after.

UMass Lowell still managed to keep ASU at arm’s length for the time being.

It took nearly 15 minutes for ASU to reach a dozen points to start the game, as it shot 8-for-30 from the field in the opening half. UMass Lowell led 31-22 at the break.

The Sun Devils hit the road for the Vegas Showdown next week. They will face BYU on Thursday and either Vanderbilt or NC State.

Follow @AZSports