(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN)
If there’s anything that can describe Arizona State’s season in a nutshell, it’s two simple words: surpassing expectations.
As it stands right now, the Arizona State Sun Devils are at 18-1 overall with a 6-0 Pac-12 record and a no. 13 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, a ranking that is sure to improve even more following a successful weekend in the bay area where ASU took down Cal and Stanford, the conference’s preseason top two, in back-to-back games. It’s the best start to a season in program history and has ASU tied for first place in a very deep Pac-12 conference.
The media preseason poll had the Sun Devils at sixth in the conference, a two-spot drop from where they finished at the end of last season’s campaign. It’s apparent that not many people had faith that this ASU squad would compete in this conference, especially to the level that they have thus far.
The departure of All-Conference point guard Deja Mann as well as two other seniors left Promise Amukamara as the lone senior on the roster to lead a stable of young returners, so how does it make sense that the Sun Devils would actually improve from last season?
“I knew who we had coming back,” Amukamara said. “After last season’s finish, we were back in the weight room getting stronger and faster and really just getting tougher, so I knew that we’d be able to matchup with anybody in the Pac-12. We’re unselfish and we all just play for each other.”
Amukamara is the obvious on-court leader for Arizona State this year and has done an incredible job propelling this team forward against tough competition, but one has to look to Coach Charli Turner Thorne as the ultimate reason for ASU’s success.
After a tough 2012-13 campaign in which Arizona State went 13-18 overall, Turner Thorne’s squad was able to show vast improvement in 2013-14, and the trend has continued in a big way so far this season.
“I just knew that this team had worked very hard this offseason and that they were better than the year before” said Turner Thorne of her team’s performance. “We’re playing more consistent basketball. We’re fouling less, we’re turning the ball over less, we’re playing better defense, our offense has looked better in a lot of areas. So you know, it’s been fun.”
The Sun Devils have indeed improved in almost every area including a rise in rebounds as well as forced turnovers which has led to an impressive improvement in overall scoring margin.
Last season, Arizona State scored 69.8 points per game while giving up 65.7 points per game, an average scoring margin of +4.2. So far this year, they have scored 73.6 points per game while allowing only 55.4 points per game, an average scoring margin of +18.2. This speaks to the consistent play and stout defense ASU has exhibited all season and is an obvious factor in why the Sun Devils have seen so much success.
“You reap what you sow,” Turner Thorne said. “They have it all. The physical toughness, the mental toughness, and just the connectedness that you need to have a great team. They’re a special group.”
Arizona State continues to bully their way through the Pac-12 and gain national recognition in the process. Thanks to their grit and togetherness, the Sun Devils have positioned themselves to take sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 when they face the Oregon State Beavers on Sunday.
With a team like this, it just might be time to believe.
