UC Riverside

TEMPE, Ariz. - JP Moorman II drained a buzzer-beating three to lift UC Riverside to its third win over a Power 5 opponent in the last three years, taking down Arizona State 66-65 at Desert Financial Arena on Thursday. 

The Temple transfer hit the game-winner just hours after longtime friend Chris Paul stopped by to give the Highlanders a pregame chalk talk. 

"JP is a pro and has been such a fantastic addition to our culture, our team, our program and our university," head coach Mike Magpayo said. "He had Chris Paul come talk to our guys this morning, and I thought that was the highlight of the day until he made that shot. He deserves it. He's bought in completely to our boxing, bricks, and style of play and adds a lot to our team."

A hot UCR offense jumped out to an 8-3 lead with six points from Flynn Cameron. Dominick Pickett's long--range three to go ahead 11-5 made it a perfect 3 for 3 from deep for the Highlanders to start the evening. 

The Highlanders engaged in a second straight boxing match to start the season, but a 3-for-3 start from deep from Cameron helped UCR create separation as the half wound down. The New Zealand native finished the half with 12 points in eight minutes and finished the night with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including going 6 of 8 from deep.

"Flynn was fantastic," Magpayo said. "I judge our offense by how many threes he's getting up, and today he got a bunch up and they went in. He has the ultimate green light."

The three-point connection only got better for UC Riverside. Quinton Ford's triple with three and a half minutes left in the half gave UCR its 10th and final triple of the half on a 50 percent clip.

Arizona State caught momentum in the second half, but a fastbreak layup from Ford at the 13:00 mark helped UCR stop a three-minute cold streak and Callum McRae's inside presence again provided a needed spark for the Highlanders. 

McRae found a wipe open Zyon Pullin down low for the easy two before muscling himself inside for the layup and UCR's fifth basket in their last six attempts to pull the Highlanders within 56-55 at the under-eight media break. Pullin drove inside to tie the contest at 57 with just over six minutes remaining.

McRae wasn't the only big inside presence for the Highlanders in Tempe. Moorman II continued to find his legs in a UCR uniform with a team-high 11 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. Moorman's offensive work may have been sparse, but a clutch triple from the transfer with two and a half minutes remaining gave UCR the 62-61 lead. On the defensive end, UC Riverside held the Sun Devils without a field goal in their previous five minutes. 

ASU hit a layup with second remaining to break a 63-63 deadlock, but jubilation inside Desert Financial Arena sank quickly when Moorman II sank a full-court buzzer beater to give UCR the win.

UC Riverside will host its home opener on Sunday, November 14 hosting La Sierra at 2:00 p.m. from the SRC Arena, Sunday's contest will be broadcast on GoHighlanders.com and tickets can be purchased on GoHighlanders.com or by emailing highlandertickets@ucr.edu.