(Photo: Tyler Rittenhouse/WCSN)
ASU finished non-conference play undefeated for the first time in program history and entered Pac-12 play looking like the team to beat out West.
One humbling three-game road trip later No. 11 ASU (13-2) holds a losing Pac-12 record, falling behind a step early in the race for a conference title.
“We can’t focus on where our season’s going to be a month from now or what we did last week,” coach Bobby Hurley said. “We just got to really lock in every day to get better and take these games one at a time.”
The Sun Devils take on the Oregon Ducks tonight (11-5) in their first home game of conference play and 2018 overall.
Oregon is nine months removed from a trip to the Final Four, but like ASU has gotten off to a 1-2 start in Pac-12 play giving tonight’s game a must-win feel for both sides.
“They’re a program that is expecting success and is used to winning and going to the tournament- going deep in the tournament,” Hurley said. “They’re going to have a winning mindset coming in.”
The Sun Devils will too, especially after struggling in their most recent road trip.
Wins against the Ducks have come at a premium in the Bobby Hurley era though. ASU’s current six-game losing streak versus Oregon is its longest active one against any conference opponent.
The skid has had its share of close calls, including ASU’s 71-70 loss at then No. 13 Oregon a season ago. The Ducks also ended ASU’s 2016-17 campaign, a 23-point beatdown in round two of the Pac-12 tournament.
The Ducks are a shell of the team that lasted longer than anyone else in the Pac-12 a season ago and have few impressive wins to speak of thus far.
They still have plenty of talent on their roster though, and much like Colorado will look at tonight’s game as an opportunity to prove themselves.
It’s hard to know what to expect out of tonight’s matchup other than that it should be close throughout.
On one hand, Oregon’s has a strong post presence, tied for 18th in the nation averaging 5.6 blocks per game. Kenny Wooten’s 3.1 bpg are the most in the Pac-12.
ASU’s post duo of De’Quon Lake and Romello White, second and fourth in the conference in field goal percentage shooting 73.8 percent and 65 percent, respectively, will have to pick their battles against a deep Ducks frontcourt.
In addition to Wooten, the Ducks feature freshman Troy Brown as well as juniors Paul White and Mikyle McIntosh down low. White and Brown average double figures, while McIntosh adds 5.4 rebounds per game and Brown adds 7.6.
In fact, Brown ranks third behind Romello White (8.2) and Deandre Ayton (11.6) for rebounding amongst Pac-12 freshmen.
White’s scored 15 points over the three-game road trip, dropping his scoring average to 12.8 points per game. It certainly won’t get any easier for him and Lake tonight.
ASU’s backcourt now features three of the Pac-12’s top 20 scorers in Tra Holder (21.4- 1st), Shannon Evans II (16.9- 10th) and Kodi Justice (13.7- T-20th) and will be expected to carry ASU to a win like they have all season.
They face a tough guard duo in Peyton Pritchard and Elijah Brown, averaging 15 and 12.9 ppg respectively.
Pritchard is the bigger concern, as he shoots better from the field that ASU’s top three guards (47 percent) and a team best 42 percent from three.
Brown shouldn’t be overlooked either though, especially with ASU’s recent propensity for foul trouble. Brown is a 94.3 percent free throw shooter, the best mark in the Pac-12.
Tonight’s game tips off at 8:15 and will be televised nationally on FS1.
