The senior guard eventually returned, and by now you see where this is going. Slightly hobbled, Abbott on Saturday buried a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to lift the Sun Devils to a 69-66 win, their first of the season.
"(Abbott) has such an enormous heart," ASU coach Herb Sendek said.
Two games in, and much is still unknown about this team. Sendek is breaking in seven newcomers, trying different combinations. Before Saturday's game he wrote out possible rotations on an index card, but because of Ruslan Pateev's foul trouble and Abbott's injury, those did little good.
Abbott returned with 7:27 left. He hit a 3-pointer, producing the game's 10th tie at 55-55, but he wasn't moving well. At every dead ball, Sendek and his assistants debated removing Abbott for good.
"He wouldn't let us take him out, basically," Sendek said. "He kept telling us he was OK, and I'm sure glad I made that decision."
The Sun Devils, getting strong play from newcomers Carrick Felix and Kyle Cain, built a six-point lead. They promptly gave it up. With 21 seconds left and the score tied, Sendek called timeout.
The plan was simple. Get the ball to Trent Lockett.
"They weren't stopping him the whole game," Abbott said. "I don't know how many (times) he went straight to the hoop, uncontested."
Abbott dished to Lockett, who had scored a team-high 19 points, near the foul line, but this time Alabama-Birmingham was prepared. Coach Mike Davis had put 5-foot-8 point guard Aaron Johnson on him. Davis was the quickest player on the court. Lockett tried to drive left but was cut off.
The sophomore turned and found Abbott alone from behind the arc. Abbott had reason to hesitate. Besides, the pain in his knee, he had yet to find his shooting touch, missing 7 of 9 from 3-point range to start the season.
But with room to shoot, Abbott fired, sinking Alabama-Birmingham, which had led by as many as eight in the second half. The Blazers (2-1) missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
"No doubt," said Cain, a freshman who had 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. "If (Abbott) wants to take that shot, we're going to live and die with it."
Abbott finished with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. The Sun Devils (1-1) shot 56.7 percent in the second half, 45.9 overall. They also had 18 assists and just eight turnovers, signs of progress from their opening loss at New Mexico.
"A gut check for our team," Sendek said. "Our guys were down, but I thought they showed tremendous heart and resiliency in continuing to battle."
No one more than Abbott.
Sun Devils report
Key player: Ty Abbott hit the winning shot, but Trent Lockett kept ASU alive. The sophomore wing had 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists, all team highs.
Key moment: Even without his usual elevation, Abbott hit the winning 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left. It was just the Sun Devils' third 3-pointer in 17 attempts.
Key number: 5. Lockett has five dunks in two games, all coming in the half-court possessions, a sign of his aggressive mind-set.
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