(Photo: Brooke Faber/WCSN)
With a 15-game winning streak and the top spot in the Pac-12 on the line, the No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devils will face off against the No. 9 Oregon State Beavers on Monday night at 9pm.
ASU (18-3, 9-0 Pac-12) is coming off a victory against Oregon on Friday night in which the Ducks gave the Sun Devils all they could handle. The win was ASU’s 15th straight, tied for the longest such streak in program history. With a win over the Beavers, ASU would set the new school record.
Kelsey Moos had an explosive performance against Oregon, contributing a career-high trio of three pointers to go along with a season-high 17 points.
Last year, OSU swept ASU in the regular season series, dropping both a game at home and on the road. In both of those matchups the Beavers shot over 50 percent, something the Sun Devils will look to change Monday night.
OSU (17-3, 8-1 Pac-12) has had a stellar season thus far, with its three losses coming to teams currently ranked in the top 20. The Beavers suffered an early conference loss to No. 15 UCLA, but have since won seven straight games.
Keys to the Game:
Control the Boards
OSU is leading the nation in defensive rebounds, averaging 33 per game. Center Ruth Hamblin is the Beavers’ leading rebounder, averaging just over eight rebounds per game. ASU scores a lot of their baskets off of second chance opportunities, so the team’s leading rebounders, Quinn Dornstauder and Sophie Brunner, are going to have to make sure they get into position to box out Hamblin early.
The three-point shot
OSU is shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc so far this season, second best in the Pac-12. On the defensive side, the Beavers have only allowed 12 three-pointers in their last seven games. Because OSU is so good at both hitting the long ball and defending it, ASU’s ability to perform from long range will be huge in this game. The Sun Devils are going to have to be on defensive lockdown, especially along the three-point line, while also knocking down some three-pointers of their own.
Body up Ruth Hamblin
The 6-foot-6 OSU senior center has been named to the Naismith trophy watch list, the award given to the top player of the year. She is averaging 17 points per game this season to go along with her eight rebounds, as well as leading the Pac-12 in blocked shots. Most of what OSU does on both ends of the court revolves around Hamblin, so bodying her up and keeping her in check is vital to ASU’s chances.
X- Factor:
In their last game, ASU’s bench is what propelled them to a close win over Oregon. Their bench outscored the Ducks 20-0, and the Sun Devils will need a similar type of performance from their role players if they want to beat the Beavers and maintain the top spot in the Pac-12.
Prediction:
It is going to come down to the wire, but ASU will pull it out. With their experience playing in tough atmospheres against solid opponents, the Sun Devils have all of the tools necessary to finally get over the hump and beat OSU. The Beavers may test them in the first half, but they will adjust in the second and claim a program-best 16th straight win.
