Sitting at a record of 13-12, 7-7 in conference play, suffice to say that Arizona State is not having what its fans would describe as a boastful season, seeing their NCAA tournament hopes lie squarely on winning the upcoming Pac-12 tournament. Nonetheless, records, past, and future go out the window when it comes to an in-state rivalry. On Saturday night, the Sun Devils will embark on their toughest test of the season, visiting Arizona (19-5, 10-3) this weekend as the Wildcats are ranked fifth in the nation and hold a perfect 12-0 record this year at the McKale Center.
Leading up to the matchup, Arizona will have been on a week rest while the Sun Devils picked up their second straight win beating Oregon State at home. The Sun Devils took down the Beavers 79-61 this past Wednesday, avenging a loss in Corvallis while compounding on the win at Utah last weekend.
“I was very nervous about tonight’s game because there’s a tendency to overlook your opponent even though they beat us pretty soundly on their home court,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said. “This is the Arizona game week, and guys are maybe thinking past this game, so I’m happy we were able to deliver a good performance in the second half. We got to play better in both halves when you’re playing teams like Arizona, though.”
The Sun Devils' performance against the Beavers featured an eye-popping but 57% shooting from the field, as they also outrebounded Oregon State 31-28 and posted a 75% mark from the free throw line. Yet, to beat a team that leads the Pac-12 in points per game (90.1), free throws made per game (17.4), scoring differential (16.6), rebounding (39.9), assists per game (18.9), and steals per game (8.8), those stats will have to be repeated to try and secure their second consecutive road win in Tucson.
“You can’t afford, we would have to cut our turnovers by in half,” Hurley stated. “From 15 to like single digits. You know we can’t allow a team like that to get live ball turnovers and get out in the open court with that crowd and their talent on the offensive end of the floor.”
The talent is spread on the Wildcats roster, but three players in particular might be on their way to some postseason honors. Between senior 7’ 0” center Oumar Ballo, 6’ 4” senior guard Caleb Love, and 6’ 6” senior guard Pelle Larson, the Wildcats have been stout in wins over Duke, Wisconsin, Alabama, and Michigan State.
The 260-pound Ballo is the enforcer of the team and was named pre-season Pac 12 Player of the Year, according to ESPN. Ballo averages 13 points and 9.8 rebounds and leads the conference in field goal percentage at 60.5%. Ballo has also attained 10 double-doubles this season.
North Carolina transfer Love is the firecracker of the team leading the team with 18.9 points while shooting 43.1% from three. Love leads the conference in points in a game with 36 scored against Oregon, as he is the true definition of a trigger-happy shooter. Although an overall scorer of 20+ points in losses, Love was 10-25 against Washington State and 8-25 against FAU. Even in wins with double digit points, Love was 7-20 vs. MSU, 5-16 v Stanford and 5-20 at Utah last week.
Larson, who rounds out the bunch, is a former sixth man of the year in the Pac-12 while averaging 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and shoots 54.6% from the field. The native Swede a great all-around player also shooting 42.6% from three and is a 78.9% free throw shooter coming off his best road trip of the season. Larson scored a season-best 27 at Utah and 18 at Colorado.
When offering his thoughts about the upcoming contest, Hurley knows that even with the current confidence his team is exhibiting, the matchup 107 miles southward down the I-10 is one that can certainly put the differences between both teams in perspective.
“I mean there’s no guarantees, you got to feel good about how you’re playing right now but this is an enormous challenge in front of us on Saturday,” Hurley acknowledged. “Against a team that rarely loses on their home floor and is a number-one seed in the NCAA tournament right now. We have our work cut out for us on Saturday, that’s for sure.”
As much of a threat Arizona is from a personnel perspective, playing at home in the McKale Center has been the biggest advantage for Arizona. Head coach Tommy Lloyd is 80-16 overall in two and a half seasons at Arizona, and just two of those defeats have come in Tucson during the 2022-23 season. In fact, the last team to beat Arizona at home is the Sun Devils, who won an 89-88 contest on a Desmond Cambridge Jr. halfcourt buzzer-beater, also known as the “Miracle at McKale.” on Feb. 25, 2023.
ASU only holds three scholarship players from last year’s roster, so it is imperative the newcomers realize the challenge ahead and the hostile atmosphere they are about to encounter.
“Honestly, words can’t even describe it,” junior guard Jamiya Neal said. “You’ll know once you’re in the game. You feel it as soon as you walk in the gym, the fans are already going to be there, whole student section is going to be right there yelling at you. If they dunk, if they score, you’re not going to be able to hear anything. If you guys score, it’s going to get quiet. So, I think everyone has been in a rivalry game, it’s just going to be at a different volume.”
With any rivalry game, you’re going to be in a dogfight as emotions, environment, and the aura of the game come into play. Basketball is a game of runs, and a key for ASU in this one is limiting Arizona’s tendency to score points in chunks and hoping their defense can turn into some volume scoring of their own.
“I think that when you catch a run, you’ve got to hold onto those runs in these games,” junior guard Adam Miller said. “Whoever punches the team in the mouth first will have a good feel for the game because, sometimes, you can put teams out in that first five minutes. I’ve seen it done; it’s happened to us. Most of the time, teams punch back, and whoever can stay up the longest and keep their head on and roll with the punches the most is going to have the best chance of winning.”
ASU’s focus and connectivity have been doubted at some points this season following multiple dry stretches. Arizona State will have to limit Ballo and Love’s impact while also curbing Larson. A daunting task for sure but, Sun Devil point guard Frankie Collins as well as Neal, were part of the Arizona State squad that got it done. If ASU can trust its preparation and rediscovered cohesiveness, Miller thinks ASU is right there to get it done again.
“Just lock in in, just focus. The reads will be there. If you put yourself in good positions, you’ll make easy reads,” Miller explained. “It all comes from practice and showing your work. We’ve all made those reads we need to make in games, we’ve ran these sets plenty of times. Maybe too many times, but just practice and trust in your work."
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