ASU hopes to make history in Los Angeles to close out the season

(Photo: Alyssa Buruato/WCSN)

Arizona State men’s basketball season’s heartbeat seemed to be slowing to its final drum against No. 7 Arizona, with hopes for a bid to the NCAA Tournament dwindling. However, a 60-foot prayer from fifth-year guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. acted as a defibrillator to bring a jolt of electricity back into the heart and spirit of the program.

The miracle at the Mckale Memorial Center saved more than just that game. It saved ASU’s (20-9, 11-7 Pac-12) chances at making an at-large bid for March Madness. It saved the program from falling outside the top-4 of the Pac-12 to keep the first-round bye in the conference tournament. And it might have saved the job of head coach Bobby Hurley because of the team’s recent struggles.

The victory did all of that, for now. ASU bought itself some time, but that can all change after this weekend with its last two games at No. 4 UCLA and USC.

The Pac-12 tournament seeding process is complicated. If ASU wins against UCLA, it secures the fourth seed and the bye, all but punching its ticket for March Madness. But a loss to the Bruins would create a whirlwind of possibilities for the Sun Devils. Even if ASU beats USC, Oregon could still swoop in and steal the fourth seed by winning its two final games, dropping ASU to the fifth seed.

A Ducks loss in either of their last two games means the Sun Devils will just need a single win to clinch the fourth seed. However, if ASU were to lose both of its games in Los Angeles, it could fall to the sixth seed, with Oregon winning one out of its final two and Washington State beating Washington.

There’s also a possibility that the Sun Devils could be the third seed by winning out and the Trojans losing out. If ASU were to win out, it would be the first time in program history that it has swept the state of California.

The probability of the Sun Devils pulling off a historic feat like that seems unlikely. However, Hurley has commended the fight and will of this year’s club all season, so heading into the penultimate game of the season, ASU is ready to make history.

Thursday UCLA (25-4 Pac-12 16-2) 7 p.m. AZ

The Bruins are riding high on an eight-game winning streak, where they continue to boast one of the best defenses in the nation. UCLA allows 59.7 points a game, ranks seventh in the country, and is tied at 17th with turnovers forced per game with 16.2. In the Pac-12, the Bruins lead both categories by a wide margin, and it’s because of the stellar defense from junior guard Jaylen Clark and freshman forward Adem Bona.

The duo handles their respective assignments every night on the defensive end. Clark is in the top five in the nation with 72 steals by hounding opposing ball handlers past the 3-point line. At the same time, Bona protects the interior and swats away any shot near the rim. His raw athleticism and 6-foot-10 frame have tallied the freshman 45 blocks.

During its eight-game winning streak, UCLA has forced teams to shoot 38% from the field. Clark and Bona are the marquee names for the Bruins’ defense, but the entire lineup has helped produce those numbers. Senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and redshirt senior guard Tyger Campbell are significant in making the program’s defense what it is today.

Jaquez Jr. and Campbell are the vocal leaders of an experienced and active defense squad. They have been rocking the blue and gold together for over four years. That history with each other has made the Bruins’ defense a hive mind, making mistakes on that end rare. Jaquez Jr. is second in steals and blocks, an essential piece of his club’s defense, but he also has a massive impact with the ball in his hands.

The former Pac-12 first-team member leads UCLA with 17.2 points per game. This a career-high for Jaquez Jr., and he looks to be getting better, averaging 22.2 points in his last five games. The 6-foot-7 forward is only one of two players in the Pac-12 in the top five in scoring and rebounding. Jaquez Jr. has led the Bruins to the second-best scoring offense in the Pac-12 with 73.7.

In UCLA’s Jan. 19 matchup against ASU, Jaquez Jr. struggled immensely because of the ferocious defense by senior guard Devan Cambridge. It is only the third time the Camarillo, California native has scored in single digits, and the Sun Devils will need a repeat performance to pull up the upset.

Despite holding Jaquez Jr. to nine points, ASU lost the meeting because of other explosive offensive weapons that UCLA possessed. Campbell, the usual floor general for the Bruins, tied his season-high with 22 points shooting 7-for-11 from the field. While under 6-feet, Campbell doesn’t let that affect him from making a tremendous difference on the court, whether it’s his playmaking or scoring.

Another killer for the Sun Devils is senior guard David Singleton, who lit it up from beyond the arc, shooting 4-for-6 en route to 21 points. UCLA is top three in the conference in three-point shooting percentage and was one of the determining factors in its Jan. 19 win in Tempe.

Freshman guard Amari Bailey didn’t play against ASU during its last matchup but should be taken with grave concern as, since returning from injury has showcased his ridiculous shot-making. The Bruins guard rotation with Bailey, Clark, and Campbell possesses control and maturity with the ball, leading to the lowest turnover mark in the Pac-12 with 10.2.

The Sun Devils hung with the Bruins for the first 34 minutes in their first meeting before they were on the wrong side of a 14-2 run to lose the game. ASU has some of the best on-ball defenders in the conference to control the scoring prowess of UCLA’s scoring option. However, the Bruins’ defense will cause considerable concern heading into Los Angeles on Thursday.

Saturday USC (21-8 Pac-12 13-5) 9 p.m. AZ

ASU laces up for the final game of the 2022-2023 regular season in the Galen Center against a revived USC program. The Trojans started the season losing to Florida Gulf Coast at home, which was the beginning of a 4-3 stretch. Since then, the program has gone 17-5 and hasn’t lost a home game since that fateful loss to the Eagles.

14-straight home victories for USC make ASU’s job of stealing one on the road seem nearly impossible. Scoring is a crucial contributor to that streak, as it is 14-0 in games when they score 73 points or more. Senior guard Boogie Ellis is at the forefront of that offensive success averaging 17.2 points per game.

Ellis has two 30-point performances, most notably against the previously mentioned best defense in the conference UCLA. The 6-foot-3 guard can get buckets against anyone and by any means. Ellis is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, shooting 38.4% and 81% from the free-throw line. The former Tiger’s willingness to embrace contact at the rim has him tied for fifth in the conference in free throws made per game with 3.5.

The San Diego native is dangerous from any part of the court, and his running mate, senior guard Drew Peterson, has taken advantage of Ellis taking a bulk of the opposing team’s attention. Peterson has scored in double figures in his last 13 games, including a 19-point outburst against ASU and a 30-point onslaught against California.

Despite his 6’9 frame, Peterson has guard-like abilities. He acts as the facilitator for the Trojans, leading the club with 4.7 assists per game, and has 11 instances of 6 or more assists in a game this year. Peterson’s playmaking has directly connected to USC’s success, as the program is 18-2 when it records 12 or more assists in a game.

Sophomore guard Kobe Johnson has recently emerged as a reliable third option for the Trojans. In his past seven games, Johnson has averaged 12.9 points and morphed into one of the few shooters on the roster.

Starting the season as a reserve till eventually promoted to a starter, Johnson has become an anchor for the Trojans’ defense, leading the club in steals with 65, which is top 15 nationally. The length of the 6’6 guard has made Johnson a vital part of the USC defense. Johnson has recorded a steal in every game except one since Nov. 30th against California. That one game was against ASU.

The clear enforcer in the paint area is redshirt junior Joshua Morgan. The Long Beach State transfer has helped move USC to the upper echelon of defenses in the conference. Morgan’s 6’11 frame has led the big man to swat away 58 blocks this season, far and away the most productive rim protector on the roster.

In the Pac-12, the Trojans’ 38.9% opponent field goal percentage ranks at the top. However, its main weaknesses lay within that side of the ball with its defensive rebounding. USC ranks No. 11 in offensive rebounds allowed per game with 12.6.

Against the Sun Devils on Jan. 21, the Trojans allowed 17 offensive rebounds, equating to 16 second-chance points. ASU would end that game on a 16-0 because of Hurley’s late game implementation of a full-court press. USC struggled immensely to score late and turn the ball over frequently, giving away 25 points off turnovers.

The Sun Devils let the game get away from them midway through the second half but found their footing near the end because of the press. Heading into Saturday’s matchup, Hurley will likely implement those same defensive strategies against the Trojans to escape Los Angeles with the win.