ASU men’s basketball returns to the bay

Men’s Basketball | February 7, 2023

TEMPE – Arizona State Men’s Basketball is back on the road as they continue Pac-12 Conference play in the Bay Area, taking on Stanford on Thursday and facing Cal on Saturday.

The head coach Bobby Hurleyn’s team (16-8, 7-6) has seven games left in the regular season, five of which will come in enemy territory. ASU is looking to add to its conference win total, which already includes wins over Oregon, Colorado and Oregon State.

HOW TO FOLLOW

The Sun Devil Men’s Basketball game against Stanford will be broadcast FS1on Thursday, February 9 at 8 PM MST. Tim Neverett (pxp) and former ASU & Lakers assistant coach Dave Miller (analyst) will be there. When the Maroon & Gold take on California on Saturday, February 11th at 6:00 PM MST, Ted Robinson (pxp) and Don MacLean will be on the Pac-12 Network. All 31 of Arizona State’s games this season will be televised, with Coach Hurley’s team appearing on ESPN, FOX, CBS and the Pac-12 Network, in addition to several major network affiliates. Listen to Gareth Kwok and Kyle Dodd play both gamesons Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (KMVP). The activity can also be monitored via live statisticshere.

THE LAST MEETING

In the first meeting of the teams this seasonDesmond Cambridge Jr.scored 19 points and led three Sun Devils in double figures en route to a 68-64 victory at Desert Financial Arena in December.Warren Washingtongrabbed 10 rebounds and scored seven points for ASU.Devan Cambridge(12) andFrankie Collins(11) were the other two Sun Devils to score in double figures. Arizona State held a double-digit lead in the first half before Stanford installed Arun’s lead. ASU regained control in time to defeat Stanford for the ninth time in the last 13 games.

TURNOVER MANAGEMENT

The Sun Devils are one of only six of 76 Power 6 teams (P5 + Big East) to have double-digit turnovers in every conference game this season. Of these six teams, four are ranked, two in the top ten and five others at least received votes in this week’s AP poll. The other teams are #9 Kansas, #10 Marquette, #11 Iowa State, #17 TCU and RV Mizzou. In fact, the Sun Devils have committed double-digit turnovers in 16 consecutive conference games dating back to last season, the most in the Pac-12 over that span. The Oregon game marks the 22nd time in the last 23 games that ASU has committed double-digit turnovers, and they have done so in 49 of 55 since the start of last season.

TRAVEL

ASU has held its last two road opponents to less than 40% from the floor (Washington 39.3%, Washington State 36.9%). The Sun Devils grabbed more offensive rebounds than their opponents in three of five road conference games this season. ASU hasn’t lost a game in Pac-12 road games this season, winning four and even tying one.

BROTHERLY LOVE

The Cambridge brother has led ASU in scoring in 14 of 24 games, including seven of 13 conference games. Desmond Cambridge Jr. scored 19 in last game against Stanford. Both have also led ASU in blocks in three contests, tied for third most on the team. The brothers have the two highest +/- in ASU league play, Desmond Jr. +41 and Devan +32. . The Sun Devils are 11-0 when Devan scores in double figures.

dominant DEZ
Desmond Cambridge Jr. has scored at least 15 points in seven of his last eight games. It’s just the second time in his five-year career that he’s dropped at least 15 in seven of eight. He did it in eight straight contests between 12/1/18 and 1/8/19 at Brown. The Cambridge Jr. has paced the Sun Devil offense in six of the 13 conference games and eight of the 22 games this season. He has led ASU in scoring in five of the last eight games.

POWER SERVICE FOR A MOMENT

Fifth year guardDesmond Cambridge Jr.reached a major milestone in a win against Washington earlier this season. She surpassed 2,000 career points, becoming the 10th active player in the NCAA to reach the mark. His 2,140 points rank 9th among active NCAA players and his 352 threes rank 6th among active players. He is one of four active players with more than 2,140 points and 580 rebounds in a career. Cambridge Jr. also ranks 38th in career steals (171) and 43rd in career blocks (139) among active players.

LOCKING

Arizona State has been one of the best defensive teams in the country through 24 games, making it difficult for opponents to score. The Sun Devils ranked 10th in the nation, and opponents shot just 39.1% from the field. ASU is 7-0 this season when giving up less than 60 points.

SHARING THE PAIN

Arizona State has recorded at least 20 assists five times this season. That’s the most such incidents in 20 games since James Harden’s Sun Devils had six in 2008-09.

GOAL START

Against Stanford at home earlier this year, ASU scored 38 of its 68 points, which is 52.94% of its indoor total. That’s the second-highest percentage for ASU this season and the only time over 50% on the road. This season, the Sun Devils have won the battle in goal in 16 of their 24 games. In fact, ASU has outscored its opponents in four of five road conference games and six of eight road games. Arizona State has scored 40.7% of its points this season.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEASON

RECORD: 16-8
CONFERENCE RECORDING: 7-6 (T5.)
BEST WINS: #20 Michigan (Neutral Site) VCU (Neutral Site) at Colorado Creighton (Neutral Site) Oregon
ROAD FLOWS (4): at Colorado (1/12), SMU (7/12), Oregon (1/12), Oregon State (1/14)
DOUBLE NUMBER SYSTEMS (7): vs. NAU, #20 Michigan (neutral site), vs. Grambling State, vs. Alcorn State, SMU, vs. San Diego, Oregon, vs. Oregon State
NET: 67
REAL TIME RPI: 79
ESPN Power of Record: 57
KEN-POM: 65
UPCOMING GAME TO WATCH: at Stanford (Feb. 9) vs. Colorado (Feb. 16)

Arizona State is currently ranked 67th in the NET and is currently ranked higher than other NCAA Tournament bids…

Michigan (68), Wake Forest (70), Texas Tech (71), Cincinnati (74), Wisconsin (77), Dayton (81), BYU (86)

BRACKETOLOGY

Arizona State is pegged for a spot in the NCAA Tournament by several experts nationwide. See where the top national name Sun Devils are seeded in their latest predictions.

Andy Katz (NCAA): 10 seed
Bracket Matrix: 11 seeds
MichaelDeCoury (Fox Sports): 12 seed
SB Nation: First Four Out
Bleacher Report: First Four Out

Collins is BALLIN

Transfer point guard Frankie Collins has added a new dimension to the Sun Devils offense. Not only can he score at a high level, but he has emerged as one of the best pitchers in the conference. He has tied or topped ASU’s passing grade in 18 of the 23 games he has played in this season. Collins’ 4.7 assists per game are fifth in the Pac-12. He is one of two players in the Pac-12 averaging at least 10 points, 4.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He is tied only with USC’s Drew Peterson. Peterson averages 35.7 minutes while Collins averages 28.7 minutes. He is one of six Pac-12 players to score more than 200 points and dish out more than 100 assists this season, and the only one to do so in less than 700 minutes.

BALANCED SCORE

A signature of Arizona State’s offense has been stepping up different individuals on the offensive end. The Maroon & Gold are averaging 71.3 points per game (fourth in the Pac-12) and four different Sun Devils have scored at least 10.3 points per game (DJ Horne, Frankie Collins, Desmond Cambridge Jr., Devan Cambridge). No one on the team averages more than 30 minutes, with 10 players averaging at least 9.0 minutes per game. Arizona State has had three players – Desmond Cambridge Jr., Frankie Collins and DJ Horne – Score at least 20 points twice. 11 different Sun Devils have scored 10 or more points in at least one game this season.

VEIN PROTECTION

Arizona State remains near the top of the national rankings in blocks and rebounds per game. 12 players have recorded at least one block this season, tied for the lead of Warren Washington 46. ​​Washington’s 1.92 blocks per game ranked him 30th in the country and 3rd in the Pac-12. Washington leads the Pac-12 with 22 games with at least one block. Washington and Alonzo Gaffney have combined for 15 blocks in their last five conference games. That’s the second-most blocks among a Pac-12 tandem (Oregon, 17) in that stretch.

HIDE U

Arizona State is one of three Pac-12 teams to hold opponents to less than 40 percent from the field this season and is one of only two teams ranked in the top five in blocks, steals and margin of victory. Sun Devil defense stymied, Oregon State 20 field goals. That’s tied for the fewest in conference games this season by Arizona State. They have held opponents to 20 or less FGM in 11 conference games over the last two seasons. The Sun Devils’ 43% two-point field goal defense percentage ranks sixth in the nation, per KenPom. Overall, ASU’s FG% defense is 10th in the nation. Additionally, ASU has a 45% effective field goal percentage, good for 19th in America.

COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY ARE CLOSED

Coach Hurley’s team has played in two possessions in 10 of their first 24 games, and the record is 7-3. The Sun Devils are 31-16 in two possession games over the past four seasons, trailing only Wisconsin for the most Division I wins over that span.

1. Wisconsin 32
2. Arizona State 31

3. Providence 30
4. Kansas 29
Western Kentucky 29
5. Miami (FL) 28

DON’T COUNT US OUT

Trailing 35-31 at halftime against Oregon State, Arizona State made its 38th halftime comeback. Bobby Hurley era. In fact, the Sun Devils now have five halftime comebacks this year and three on the road (OSU, Colorado and SMU). Four of the five comebacks have come away from home, the other being a neutral contest against VCU in the Legends Classic held in Brooklyn, NY. In both of ASU’s road Pac-12 comeback wins (Colorado, Oregon State), the opposition has combined to shoot 14-48 (29.1%) from the field, including 7-26 (26.9%) from three in the second half. Of Coach Hurley’s 37 halftime comebacks, 18 have come in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils trailed by as many as 16 against Oregon State, making it their biggest comeback since overcoming a 22-point deficit against Arizona on the 25th. Feb. 2020. The win was also ASU’s biggest road comeback since Dec. 18 at Georgia. 15, 2018.

START 5

Current starting lineup Frankie Collins, DJ Horne, Desmond Cambridge Jr., Devan Cambridge and Warren Washington is 13-4 on the season (3-4 with other lineups).

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