After its decisive loss on Thursday, Arizona State (6-9 overall, 3-6 in conference) is hoping to bounce back in a Sunday evening matchup against Oregon State.
Thursday’s 75-64 loss to Oregon, in which the Sun Devils trailed from start-to-finish, was the latest example of Murphy’s Law getting the best of the Sun Devils…yet again.
ASU was already short-handed with forward Pavlo Dziuba out (COVID protocols). Then, 24 hours before the game, the team learned they’d also be without forwards Marcus Bagley and Chris Osten, who both suffered ankle injuries in Wednesday’s practice.
If that wasn’t bad enough, guard Josh Christopher, who was already playing with a lower-leg bruise, injured his back in the first half of Thursday’s loss when he landed awkwardly after a blocked shot. He would miss most of the second half as a result of the injury.
Despite missing multiple players, ASU showed tremendous grit, especially early in the game. They competed hard on the defensive end of the floor and even won the rebounding battle (43-42).
However, the Sun Devils could not overcome another slow start and lackluster shooting performance. In the first half, they shot a woeful 29 percent, including 3-of-14 from beyond the arc. For the game, ASU managed to shoot only 33 percent from the field.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record (sorry), many of ASU’s bad habits were on full display in the first half of Thursday’s contest. The team’s shot selection was questionable; the ball movement was stagnant, and the team opted for too much 1-on-1 basketball in the half-court set.
“I’m not disappointed with the effort we put forth,” Bobby Hurley said after Thursday’s game. “…[However], we had a few possessions where we just went too quick without passing the ball at all, and when we do that, it generally doesn’t result in anything positive.”
The team’s offensive struggles overshadowed an impressive night from Remy Martin, who almost single-handedly kept ASU within striking distance. The senior guard finished with a game-high 30 points.
“It was a gutsy performance,” Hurley said of Martin’s play. “[He was] flying all over the court, doing whatever he could. The kid’s got a huge heart, just trying to make plays, trying to keep us in the game. No quit, no give-up. Just a tremendous individual performance for us.”
The Sun Devils also got substantial contributions from forwards Kimani Lawrence (3 points and career-high 12 rebounds) and Jalen Graham (8 points, 9 rebounds). Unfortunately, it was enough for ASU, which has now lost four of its last six.
Sunday’s game could be an uphill battle for the Sun Devils, especially if they are short-handed once again. At the time of publication, the status of Bagley, Christopher, Dziuba, and Osten had not been updated. However, don’t be surprised to see ASU without some of these players.
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Oregon State (10-9 overall, 6-7 conference) enters Sunday’s contest after suffering a 70-61 loss at Arizona on Thursday night. The Beavers have lost two in a row and four of its last six.
However, Oregon State did win the first meeting of the season between these two teams in Corvallis on Jan. 16.
A defensive breakdown from ASU in the waning moments of the game led to a wide-open dunk from Warith Alatishe with 4 seconds remaining, which proved to be the difference in the Beavers’ thrilling 80-79 victory.
The win seemed to be a turning point for Oregon State, who has seemed to gel over the last month of the season. Picked to finish last in the Pac-12 preseason media poll, the Beavers have far exceeded the pundit’s expectations.
They are currently tied for 7th place (with Utah) in the conference standings.
Much of the team’s success results from a steady and productive backcourt, which is led by senior Ethan Thompson. The 6-5 guard is the unquestionable leader of this team and one of the best all-around guards in the conference. He is among the league’s top-10 in scoring, assists, and steals.
He gets plenty of help from his backcourt mate, sophomore Jarrod Lucas. The 6-2 shooting guard has emerged as the Beavers’ number-two option on offense this season. Lucas, who shoots 41 percent from beyond the arc, has also established himself as one of the Pac-12’s most lethal 3-point shooters.
The glue that holds everything together in the Beaver backcourt is senior Zach Reichle. Despite not being overly athletic or quick, the 6-5 guard makes up for it with his basketball IQ and hustle. Reichle has quietly had a solid year, playing a more significant role in Oregon State’s attack this season.
In the frontcourt, the Beavers lean heavily on junior Warith Alatishe. The athletic 6-7 forward is one of the better two-way players in the Pac-12. Alatishe, who averages 8.1 boards per game, is also one of the top rebounders in the conference. With a relentless motor and nose for the ball, he always seems to be in the middle of the action.
Oregon State’s starting five is usually rounded out by senior Roman Silva or sophomore Dearon Tucker. Neither is overly productive, but they provide size and an intimidating presence in the middle.
The Beavers’ second unit is not nearly as formidable ever since Lucas became a full-time starter (about a month ago). However, Oregon State still gets decent production from its reserves.
The bulk of the bench minutes go to sophomore guard Gianni Hunt and junior forwards Maurice Calloo and Rodrigue Andela.
Probable Starters:
ASU
G Remy Martin, 6-0, Sr. (18.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 4 APG)
G Alonzo Verge, 6-3, Sr. (12.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG)
G Josh Christopher, 6-5, Fr. (14.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG)
F Kimani Lawrence, 6-8, Sr. (4.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.5 APG)
F Jalen Graham, 6-9, Jr. (7.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG)
Oregon State
G Ethan Thompson, 6-5, Sr. (15.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.8 APG)
G Jarod Lucas, 6-3, So. (12.6 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 41% 3PT)
G Zach Reichle, 6-5, Sr. (8.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.5 APG)
F Warith Alatishe, 6-7, Jr. (8.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG)
C Roman Silva, 7-1, Sr. (4.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 66% FG)
Key Stat: Each of the last seven contests between ASU and Oregon State has been decided by six points or less, including the last meeting on Jan. 16, which resulted in an 80-79 loss for the Sun Devils.
X-Factor: Which team can dictate the tempo? Sunday’s game is a matchup of contrasting styles, and the outcome could be decided by which team controls the tempo. It’s no secret that ASU would prefer a track meet, while Oregon State is perfectly content to grind it out and make it a half-court game.
According to KenPom, the Sun Devils average 73.1 possessions per 40 minutes, which is the 14th-fastest tempo in the country. Conversely, the Beavers average only 65.3 possessions, which ranks 317th nationally (out of 357 teams).
Prediction: ASU 73, Oregon State 68
Game Info:
When: 5:00 pm MST
Where: Desert Financial Arena – Tempe, Ariz.
TV/Radio: ESPN / 620 AM
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