A Moe Odum masterclass leads ASU over ‘Trap Game’

(Photo: Madison Sorenson/ WCSN)

TEMPE — Criticism in sports is a powerful tool. It can lead to an athlete’s struggles avalanching, or it can help an athlete back on the right track.

For senior guard Maurice Odum, it was the latter.

Following Arizona State men’s basketball’s 77-62 loss against then-No. 19 Gonzaga, Friday night, Odum had to reflect on his output.

“After every game, I go watch film and I’ll send a text out to the coaches and tell them what I did wrong,” Odum said. “All criticism is good criticism if it’s coming from the right place.”

Odum finished the game against Gonzaga with 12 points and seven assists, but was 4-of-15 from the field and turned the ball over five times.

After watching the tape, Odum responded with 24 points and nine assists in a 75-62 win over Georgia State (1-4) Monday night, rounding out ASU’s (3-1) four-game homestand to open the season.

Against Gonzaga, Odum went 4-of-11 from three. Three days later, Odum lowered his output but raised his efficiency, knocking down 2-of-5 three pointers.

“I felt like I was taking too many threes, too many bad shots, forcing the game and not letting it come to me,” Odum said. “That was my game plan to come out here and let the game come to me, take what the defense gives me.”

Through the opening three games of the season, Odum was 3-of-15 on two-point attempts. On Monday night, Odum was 8-of-14 on two-point attempts. According to Odum, he let the game come to him.

Odum also opened the game hot, nailing his first six shot attempts.

“They were playing out of a big drop in ball screen, so they were not up at all,” Hurley said. “It was his night to be more offensive-minded. He was getting those shots almost anytime he wanted – those mid-range pull-ups, the floaters, and then a couple threes as well.”

The holes in Georgia State’s defense led to Odum being the only player in double figures at halftime, as he had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the opening 20 minutes.

“He’s older, he knows who he is,” Hurley said. “He could take over a game, scoring the ball. He did it in the WCC tournament last year.”

In the opening frame, Odum made up just shy of half of ASU’s point total, as his teammates struggled to find their own rhythm.

“The first half, the energy was low,” Odum said. “I said some things to them in the locker room and they responded really well.”

The theme of criticism turned from Odum facing the criticism, to being the one dealing it. This time it didn’t just spark Odum – it sparked the whole team.

In the second half, the Sun Devils went on a 20-1 run to take the lead and never let go from there.

Unlike the game against Gonzaga, Odum wasn’t nearly as tired once the game finished. He played only 31 minutes, compared to 37 minutes, Friday night.

“I was telling the coaches, ‘this is not going to be the whole year, me playing 37, 38 minutes,’” Odum said. “That’s not what I want to do. Also, because that doesn’t give us a good chance to win, because I want to be at my full potential on the court.

A large part of Odum’s decrease in minutes was the season debut of sophomore guard Noah Meussen. In 17 minutes, Meussen finished with only two points, an assist, and a pair of steals, but his presence took part of the load off Odum.

“I know he only had two points, but if you could watch the film and realize what Noah was doing, they are going to say ‘that boy played really good today,’” Odum said.

Odum’s criticism of both himself and his teammates helped power ASU to victory in a game that otherwise looked to have been an upset.

From here, the Sun Devils head to O’ahu for one game against Hawaii, before hopping islands to Maui for a three-game slate in the Maui Invitational.

“(Hawaii’s) a mid-major. They may have transferred from high majors, they may have transferred from D2s,” Odum said. “We don’t underestimate nobody. We came into the game, underestimating Georgia State, and almost got our head blew off.”