With 7:28 remaining in the second-half, Tra Holder missed a layup. This was a layup Holder makes 9 of out 10 times. This, was that one time. The basket would have given the Devils a 65-64 lead. It would have capped a 15-2 run by ASU, and given them momentum going forward. Instead, the Wildcats grabbed the rebound, pushed it down court, and knocked down a jumper to give them a three-point lead. The rest is history. ASU fell to 12-1, and ended their 12-game winning streak to start the season. Had the Sun Devils won the game, they likely would’ve been the No. 1 team in the country.
Fast forward nearly two months later. ASU (19-6, 7-6) currently sits at No. 25 in the polls. After starting conference play off to a rocky start, they appear to have figured things out. They’ve won three in a row, including a sweep of the LA schools, and are above .500 in the Pac-12. The Arizona Wildcats (20-6, 10-3) currently sit a top of the conference. Though, they have been slumping as of late, losing two of their last three games.
“I know that they’ll be ready,” coach Hurley said ahead of the match-up. “If anything, they’ll be over the top ready to play, in terms of their enthusiasm, excitement to play. I want them to get to a comfortable place where they can just play basketball and try and do it at a good level.”
The Wildcats, currently sitting at No. 17, are led by Allonzo Trier and Deandre Ayton. Trier, their junior guard, is averaging nearly 20 points a game. More impressively, he’s shooting 54 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep. Ayton, the freshman phenom, and likely No. 1 overall pick in this years upcoming NBA Draft is having an even better season. The big man is averaging 19.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. ASU had no answer for him in the last match-up, as Ayton finished with an astonishing 23 points and 19 rebounds. On the year, the Wildcats are averaging 82 points a game, but are making more than half their shots, shooting 51 percent on the year.
The Sun Devils are arguably playing their hottest basketball since conference play began. They’ve won three in a row, and got their first two-game sweep in the Bobby Hurley era. Over the last three games, they’ve been averaging 85 points, an amount they haven’t seen since their non-conference slate. Aside from their close loss to Washington, ASU has won four of their last five. Tra Holder discussed the Devils’ early season struggles, and attested it to their poor shooting. “We’ve been in every game,” Holder said. “We haven’t shot the best that we can. I feel like that one day, hopefully Thursday, is going to bring the best out of us. I’m excited because I know the day is coming, and we’re all confident it will be.”
It appears the best has been brought out of them as of late, as the Devils have been finding the basket more frequently. The Devils’ scoring has been coming via the guards, who have seen moments of struggle during conference play. During the winning streak, Tra Holder is averaging over 21 points per game, including a game-winning jumper versus USC. Shannon Evans is averaging over 22 per game, and has knocked down 14 3’s over the last three games.
Tonight’s game at Wells Fargo Arena is the arguably one of the more anticipated games in recent memory. Both teams are ranked, and more than bragging rights are on the line. The Wildcats are trying to keep their top spot in the Pac-12, and the Devils are trying to inch their way higher and higher in the rankings. Leading up to the game, Hurley joked about his relationship with Wildcat fans. “I don’t always appreciate the heat I get from their fan base,” Hurley said. “I think it’s more of the social media blitz, and those attacks. It’s fine, I’m a big boy. I can handle it. I’ll read it all, too. I’m such a great guy, I’m such a low-key guy. I keep my composure on the sideline. They should love me, just like our fans do.”
Tempe will be rocking, as it has already been announced as a sell-out. The game can be seen on ESPN at 7 p.m.
