Zylan Cheatham left the T-Mobile Arena court with his face hidden beneath his jersey. His emotion appeared as he sat in his locker. He knew Arizona State (22-10) had the chance to play Washington in Saturday’s Pac-12 Championship game. Instead, it’ll be the Oregon Ducks (22-12) playing for their NCAA tournament hopes against the Huskies.
“A hundred percent,” he said.
The Sun Devils, led by their senior leader in Cheatham, had a mission in Las Vegas. Win the whole thing. But, after a tension filled contest, they’re headed back to Tempe without the hardware.