Jihad leads Arizona State to 78-62 win over UMass

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Basheer Jihad scored 20 points and Jayden Quaintance scored 19 points and Arizona State took control in the second half to beat UMass 78-62 on Saturday.

Alston Mason scored 13 points and BJ Freeman contributed 11 for Arizona State (9-2) which won for the seventh time in its last eight games.

Rahsool Diggins scored 24 points for the Minutemen who saw their two-game win streak end.

Jihad’s 3-pointer with 11:46 left to play gave the Sun Devils a 47-46 lead and the basket started an 11-0 run that put ASU ahead for good. Freeman’s 3 with 8:14 left gave the Sun Devils their first double-digit lead of the game.

Jayden Ndjigue made two foul shots to cap a 7-2 UMass run to get the Minutemen within 62-56 but they never got closer. UMass led 33-31 at halftime.

UMass (5-8) starts Atlantic 10 Conference play when it travels to face Saint Joseph’s on New Year’s Eve. The Sun Devils next play BYU on New Year’s Eve to start Big 12 Conference play.

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