Arizona State basketball can only advance to the NCAA Tournament by going on a miraculous run in what could be the most arduous conference tournament in the country. Achieving this seemingly insurmountable feat will be a bit more manageable if the Sun Devils enter Kansas City, Missouri's T-Mobile Center with some momentum. They should be much more confident after earning a 70-60 upset win versus No. 14 Kansas on Tuesday.

Already in desperation mode, Arizona State shut down possible No. 1  overall draft pick Darryn Peterson and outlasted the Jayhawks in an ugly offensive matchup. Despite shooting 32 percent from the field and getting out-rebounded by 12, Bobby Hurley's squad was able to get to the free-throw line and grind its way to a second straight victory over a ranked opponent. The veteran head coach's future in Tempe remains murky amid another mediocre campaign, but he can still create a magical moment on occasion.

Sun Devils fans swarmed the court inside Desert Financial Arena following this stunner.

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Arizona State continues to look like a completely different team at home. The former Pac-12 member stunned Texas Tech on Feb. 17 before falling on the road to Baylor and TCU. The Sun Devils have now bounced back after besting Utah and Kansas in their building. They must find a consistent form immediately and figure out how to bring it with them to the Big 12 Tournament. Winning a rock fight against a superior squad could be just what this program needs in the month of March.

Arizona State basketball does not possess the talent to win the league crown. Only toughness and fundamental soundness can lift this group over Arizona, Houston or Iowa State on a neutral floor. The Sun Devils embodied those attributes on this night.

Moe Odum scored a game-high 23 points on 5-of-12 shooting to go along with six assists, four rebounds and two steals (also had six turnovers). Freshman center Massamba Diop totaled 19 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. The team's top two players made an undeniable impact, but the biggest difference of all was arguably the charity stripe. The Sun Devils sunk 24 of their 30 free throw attempts, which was twice as many as the Jayhawks took.

Still, this group had to dig deep to secure the W. Bill Self-coached squads do not miss 50 field goals in a single contest. Arizona State must stay aggressive and feed off the heightened excitement that is palpable in the lead-up to and during March Madness. If the Maroon and Gold can topple Iowa State in Ames this Saturday afternoon, then bedlam will officially ensue in Tempe.