(Photo: Brady Klain/WCSN)
Thanks in large part to Tra Holder’s career-high 40 points, ASU men’s basketball took home the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational on Friday, running away from No. 15 Xavier 102-86.
The Sun Devils (6-0) will almost certainly break into the Top 25 after squeaking past Kansas State 92-90 on Thanksgiving and, fittingly, trampling the Musketeers on Black Friday. ASU showcased its offensive firepower and put together the most impressive two-game stretch of the Bobby Hurley era.
That stretch began with an intriguing matchup against the previously undefeated Wildcats. The Sun Devils came into Thursday’s tilt with one of the top scoring offenses in the country while Kansas State boasted one of the top scoring defenses.
The game was played at ASU’s pace, and Kodi Justice thrived.
Justice finished with a career-high 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting (4-of-4 from three). His intensity — whether he was pumping up his teammates or celebrating a deep three by putting his arms up like Russell Crowe in Gladiator — was contagious.
The Sun Devils maintained their composure in an intense game, keeping up the offensive production and staving off Kansas State’s attempts at a comeback. By the time the final buzzer sounded and ASU could exhale, Hurley and company turned their attention to Xavier.
Friday marked the biggest test of the Sun Devils’ season. The No. 15 Musketeers, fresh off an Elite Eight berth last season, are a physical team with a talented and athletic backcourt. Things appeared grim for ASU with 3:16 left in the first half as Xavier took a 44-29 lead.
But Holder wasn’t having it.
ASU’s star point guard carried his team back from the brink, fueling a 15-2 run to end the half that allowed the Sun Devils to seize momentum. From that point in which his team trailed by 15, Holder rattled off 38 of his 40 points.
Holder’s stellar play opened up the floor for the rest of ASU’s backcourt. Shannon Evans poured in 22, Justice tacked on 16 and Remy Martin contributed 13 of his own. As backcourt-heavy as the scoring load was, though, it’s clear this team’s balance is what makes it so dangerous.
The ability to toss the ball down low to Romello White and De’Quon Lake has been integral in the Sun Devils’ offensive explosion. While neither ASU big man had his best game of the season, their mere presence makes a world of difference for this group on both ends.
This ASU team is for real. With No. 2 Arizona faltering after two consecutive losses to unranked teams, Sun Devil men’s basketball is (at least temporarily) the best sports team in the state of Arizona. They should be ranked this week for the first time this season.
There are plenty of areas in which the Sun Devils can improve, particularly when it comes to defending in transition and the pick and roll. But the fact that ASU is playing like this — all without Kimani Lawrence and Mickey Mitchell — is remarkable. Riding this wave of momentum will be crucial until those two come back in a few weeks’ time.
Next up for the Sun Devils is a home game against University of San Francisco on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. After that, they head to Los Angeles to face St. John’s on Dec. 8 before traveling to Lawrence, Kansas for a date with the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks on Dec. 10.
