ASU rolls into Berkeley California this Friday for a Pac-12 matchup against the California Bears, a game in which the Sun Devils will attempt to improve upon their perfect 4-0 conference record, while extending their 11-game winning streak.
Yep, since losing to an underdog Green Bay team in the Gulf Coast Showcase, Arizona State hasn’t even come close to receiving a notch in the loss column.
Since December started, ASU seemed to forget how to lose, outscoring their opponents by an average of 22.2 points per game during that stretch.
But while Arizona State is rolling, it’s important that they don’t lose their focus during this precursor to their showdown with Stanford. Considering that Cal was the pre-season media pick to win the conference it’s unlikely the Sun Devils take this game lightly. If they’re going to go into the game against the Cardinal with their undefeated conference record still in tact, they’ll need to take into account these three keys to the game.
Keys To The Game
Brunner won POTW for a Reason
The sophomore forward took home the Pac-12 Player of the Week for her dominating performance over the course of ASU’s last three contests. She averaged 17.0 points and 7.7 rebounds over that stretch while shooting a blazing hot 67% from the field. In basketball it’s important to feed the player with the hot hand, and right now Sophie Brunner is as hot as they come.
Take it One Game at a Time
After this contest, ASU will travel south along the California coast to take on the perennial Pac-12 powerhouse Stanford Cardinal. ASU currently ranks just one spot behind Stanford in the polls, so this game has the potential to be a classic. But the Sun Devils will have to avoid looking ahead in the schedule if they hope to come out of Berkley with an unscathed conference record. The Bears are no joke, they rank third in the Pac-12 in both scoring offense and field goal percentage, boasting one of the best offensive attacks ASU will see all year.
Don’t allow Brittney Boyd to Dominate the TO Game
Speaking of Player of the Week, Cal’s Brittney Boyd received the honor earlier in the season. Boyd recently eclipsed the 300-steal mark for her career and already has amassed 50 so far in this campaign. She is an absolute ball hawk and ASU’s primary distributers, Elisha Davis and Katie Hempen, will have to be extremely mindful of where Boyd’s location on the court at all times.
