Another game. But the same old script.
It seems Arizona State (16-8 overall, 7-5 overall) just can’t stand prosperity.
The Sun Devils failed to capitalize on the momentum of last week’s win against Washington and fell 77-73 at Colorado on Wednesday night.
The loss continues a season-long trend for ASU, who has made a habit of dropping games after some its biggest wins of the season: Princeton (after beating Kansas), Washington State (after beating Arizona) and now Colorado.
Let’s be clear, losing to the Buffaloes wasn’t a terrible loss—Colorado currently sits at No. 77 in the NET rankings—but it signifies a bigger issue for the Sun Devils.
ASU has squandered too many opportunities throughout the season, and Wednesday’s game was no exception.
Colorado was banged up, didn’t have much depth, and outside of McKinley Wright and Tyler Bey, didn’t pose a major threat on offense. And yet, the Sun Devils could not come away with a much-needed victory.
Despite leading for a large portion of the contest (nearly 19 minutes compared to 13 from Colorado), ASU’s rebounding and defense—typically two areas of strength—faltered down the stretch.
The Sun Devils were out-rebounded for only the fifth time this season and allowed the Buffs to shoot 49 percent from the field, which was the third-highest percentage from an opponent in 2018-19. ASU simply had no answer for the duo of Wright and Bey, who combined for 46 points on 18-of-25 shooting.
The loss pushed the Sun Devils dangerously close to the cut-line in the latest bracket projections from Joe Lunardi and Jerry Palm. With the regular season in its home stretch and the hope of an at-large bid slowly slipping away, ASU needs to re-build trust with the NCAA selection committee.
One way to build faith—and strengthen your tournament résumé—is to win on the road. Luckily (or not) for the Sun Devils, four of its six remaining games are away from Tempe, including a Saturday showdown against the surging Utes.
Utah (14-10, 8-4) enters the contest as one of the hottest teams in the Pac-12 – they have won three straight and seven of its last nine. After defeating Arizona 83-76 on Thursday night, the Utes grabbed sole possession of second place in the conference standings.
It’s quite an achievement for Larry Krystowiak and his Utah squad, who was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 media’s preseason poll. The Utes’ ascent into second place shouldn’t surprise anyone, though.
It speaks to the brilliance of Krystowiak, who maximizes the potential of his players as well as any coach in college basketball. Even in a season when the talent level is down, he has found a way to win.
The 2018-19 Utes, however, have used a different approach.
Unlike most Krystowiak-led teams that are built around a stingy defense, this year’s squad is highlighted by a precision-like offense. In fact, Utah’s adjusted offensive efficiency ranks first in the conference (and 25th nationally), according to KenPom.
Leading the way for Utah’s offense is senior Sedrick Barefield. The 6-foot-2 guard is one of the most dynamic scorers in the Pac-12. Barefield, who averages a team-high 16.2 points per game, can be streaky at times but when he has it going -- watch out. He exploded for 33 points against ASU in the first meeting of the season.
Both Gach, a freshman, has been starting alongside Barefield in recent games. The versatile 6-foot-7 wing is long, athletic and can affect the game in a myriad of ways. Gach attended his senior year of high school at Arizona Compass Prep (in Chandler).
In the frontcourt, the Utes have been led by freshman Timmy Allen, who was a local prep standout at Red Mountain H.S. in Mesa. The 6-foot-6 forward has enjoyed an impressive rookie season for Utah -- he ranks second on the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists.
Another freshman, Riley Battin, has quietly had an impressive rookie campaign as well. The 6-foot-9 forward has a high basketball IQ and is a capable three-point shooter who can stretch the floor. He is averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18 starts this season.
Rounding out the Utes’ starting five is junior Jayce Johnson. He was slowed by a foot injury at the beginning of the season, but the 7-foot center has come on strong in recent weeks. In the last five games, he’s averaging 11.8 points and 11.2 rebounds.
Utah has settled on nine-man rotation in Pac-12 play, with a bulk of the bench minutes going to sophomore Donnie Tillman and senior Parker Van Dyke.
Tillman, a 6-foot-7 forward, is the team’s third-leading scorer and rebounder. He scored a season-high 22 points against ASU in the first meeting.
Van Dyke, a 6-foot-3 guard, is one of the best three-point shooters in the conference (42.7 percent). He is coming off a career-high 23 points against Arizona on Thursday, and in the game prior to that, he hit this game-winning shot at the buzzer to cap a 22-point comeback against UCLA.
Novak Topalovic, a senior center, and Charles Jones, a junior guard, round out Utah’s rotation.
Probable Starters:
G – Remy Martin (12.9 PPG, 5.1 APG) G – Sedrick Barefield (16.3 PPG, 4 APG)
G – Luguentz Dort (16.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG) G/F – Both Gach (8 PPG, 2.3 RPG)
G – Rob Edwards (10.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG) F – Timmy Allen (11.6 PPG, 5 RPG)
F – Zylan Cheatham (11.5 PPG, 11 RPG) F – Riley Battin (7.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG)
F – Romello White (9.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG) C – Jayce Johnson (7.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG)
Why ASU Can Win: As good as Utah is on offense, they have had their fair share of issues on the defensive end. In fact, the Utes’ adjusted defensive efficiency is ranked 10th in the conference (and 253rd nationally), according to KenPom.
If the Sun Devils can take care of the ball and exhibit good shot selection, the league’s highest-scoring offense could have a big night against the Utes.
Another thing to watch: Luguentz Dort has regained his swagger on offense. After hitting the ‘freshman wall’ midway through the season, Dort has come alive in recent weeks. In the last four games, he is averaging 18.3 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 45 percent from the field.
Why Utah Can Win: The Utes shoot a league-best 47 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc. And when they have it going, like they often do, Utah’s offense is a thing of beauty.
They take (and make) more three-pointers than any team in the Pac-12, which ASU learned the hard way in the first meeting of the season in Tempe. In that game, the Utes absolutely torched the nets, shooting a ridiculous 16-of-30 from three-point range.
They also have a distinct home-court advantage at The Huntsman Center, which is one of the rowdiest environments in the Pac-12.
Key Stat: ASU was out-rebounded only three times in the first 21 games of the season. In the last three contests, however, they have been out-rebounded twice (and both games resulted in a loss).
X-Factor: Can ASU effectively guard the three-point line? The Sun Devils failed in the first meeting of the season, and Utah made them pay dearly – to the tune of 16 (!) three-pointers. If ASU wants to escape SLC with a road win, they can’t allow the Utes to have another shooting display like that.
Prediction: Utah 82, ASU 80
Game Info:
When: 8:00 pm MST
Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center – Salt Lake City, Utah
TV/Radio: FS1 / 98.7 FM
