(Photo Courtesy: Steve Rodriguez/ASU Athletics)
Two straight losses and a 2-3 start to conference play is what the Arizona State Sun Devils face Thursday night against the Utah Utes
It’s been exactly one week since the Sun Devils played and 18 days long days since they last played at home in Wells Fargo Arena.
One could say, “there’s no place like home.” Then again there is no way to know whether or not the red slippers Dorothy used to return home were a display of her Utah Utes fandom.
ASU had trouble with Utah last season narrowly emerging victorious in their first meeting with a 55-54 overtime win, and losing their second matchup in Salt Lake City 60-55. The good news for the Sun Devils is that Jason Washburn has graduated, the Utah center annihilated ASU last season for outings of 19 points with 18 rebounds and 26 points with nine rebounds.
What the Utes will bring with them to Tempe Thursday is a trio of balanced scoring led by sophomore forward Jordan Loveridge who is averaging 16 points and eight rebounds. Although Loveridge leads the team in points averaged, guard Delon Wright has the highest single game scoring total of the trio with 27 points earlier this season against Washington.
Wright is accompanied in the backcourt by Brandon Taylor who is the last player averaging double digit points with ten a game. The guard has provided bursts of scoring when the Utes have needed it most.
ASU needs to slow the ball down, swing it around the perimeter and wait until it can find Jordan Bachynski on the block. This strategy will keep Utah from being able to turn the game into a shootout and give the Sun Devils more energy on defense that will be tested by a Utah team that shoots blindingly efficient from the field at 51 percent.
Utah has lost four games by a combined nine points. The team makes its free throws and score a lot of points averaging 75.3 percent from the line and 81 points per game. Therefore, it is up to Jahii Carson to get ASU into its offense Thursday rather than bailing out the defense with three-point attempts. If they don’t, it will lead to easy buckets in transition where the Utes will not have to deal with the height of Jordan Bachynski.
Matchup to watch
Jordan Bachynski vs. Dallin Bachynski
Were you expecting anything else? The two brothers will get some time to interact with each other in this game. Utah’s Bachynski is averaging 16 minutes this season, compared to the six minutes he totaled against ASU last season. Jordan definitely has the upper hand in this matchup with experience, talent, and playing time. However it will be the matchup to look out for nevertheless.
You can reach this reporter via email caneely@asu.edu or on twitter @CammeronNeely
