(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
After having relative success in their nonconference schedule, the Arizona State Sun Devils have struggled mightily in conference play and dropped to 1-5 in the Pac-12 after their loss to the California Golden Bears in their previous outing.
ASU was down big to Cal throughout the game, losing by as many as 14 points in the second half. The Sun Devils then mounted a comeback, tying the game up with 2:25 to play before clutch free throw shooting by the Golden Bears sealed the deal down the stretch.
Looking for a chance to turn around their conference woes, ASU heads on the road to Stanford to take on the Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. Stanford is sitting at 10-7 with a 3-3 record in conference, good for the middle of the pack. In their last time out, the Cardinal suffered a defeat at the hands of the Arizona Wildcats.
Both ASU and Stanford are aiming to gain some ground on their conference opponents and a win would do wonders for either teams chances. Stanford would move to 4-3 in the Pac-12 and into the upper half of the standings, while ASU would secure its second win on the long uphill battle to catch the conference leaders.
Keys to the Game
Take Advantage on Defense
Coming into the game, Stanford is last in the Pac-12 in scoring offense at 70.3 points per game. When the Cardinal lose games, it is oftentimes because they fail to generate enough scoring opportunities to compete. ASU will need to take advantage of this by making sure they execute its defensive game plan.
Stanford has a balanced offense as it has five players that average over 10 points per game. Its only issue is that it lacks a dominant scoring threat that can score at will when the offense is lacking. The Sun Devils will need to exploit this weakness to hold the Cardinal to a lackluster scoring performance.
Avoid costly mistakes
Although Stanford is not great at scoring, it excels at forcing turnovers and protecting the ball. The Cardinal is number one in the conference in turnover margin. They generate a lot of mistakes with their defense and capitalize on the opportunities.
Ball security will be a priority for ASU in this game. Guards Tra Holder and Gerry Blakes will need to make sure they protect the ball and make smart passes on fast breaks and in the post. If the Sun Devils can hold on to the ball and not give up easy points to Stanford, they should have no problem outscoring them.
Execute on offense
In its loss to Cal and many of its other losses this season, ASU had an abysmal shooting night. ASU shot 38 percent from the field and 28 percent from three-point range. The Sun Devils oftentimes find a way to score in games, whether it is off turnovers, offensive rebounds, etc. Their only issue is consistent shooting.
Stanford and Washington are the only two teams in the conference that shoot a worse percentage on offense and it just so happens that Stanford is the upcoming opponent for the Sun Devils. This is a game where ASU should capitalize on the other teams lack of offensive productivity and channel it into their own.
Stanford misses a lot of shots and ASU should have a chance to leak for a few fast break opportunities. Couple that with the natural scoring ability of Holder, and the Sun Devils should be able to pull out a win over the Cardinal in California on Saturday.
