(Photo: Brady Klain/WCSN)
It all comes down to this.
No. 11 seed Arizona State (20-11, 8-11 Pac-12) takes on No. 11 seed Syracuse (20-13, 9-11 ACC) tonight in a First Four matchup that will decide the final team in the NCAA tournament’s field of 64.
The Sun Devils last broke the field in 2014, and last won a March Madness contest with James Harden leading the team in 2009.
As for the Orange, they are only two years removed from their improbable run to the Final Four as a 10-seed. This is the team’s second tournament appearance in the last four years, but ‘Cuse had a run of six consecutive tournament appearances prior to that stretch.
Although the Orange may be the more established basketball program with a head coach that’s won over 900 games in Jim Boeheim, the two teams have taken a similar path to get to this point in the season.
Both teams started 12-2, although ASU played a much more challenging schedule to that point, and both teams finished multiple games below .500 in their conference.
The two teams both come into the tournament on a cold streak as well, as ASU has lost five of its last six and ‘Cuse has dropped four of its last six.
But for all the similarities in how their schedules played out, Boeheim’s and Bobby Hurley’s squads are very different on the court.
Even with the struggles of the last two months, the Sun Devils are still one of the nation’s top 15 scoring teams, averaging 83.5 points per game. The Orange average 67.5 per contest and aren’t even among the country’s top 300 teams in scoring.
On the contrary, ‘Cuse allows just 64.5 points per game, which does rank in the top 15 nationwide. The Sun Devils allow 75.3 per game, which is just outside the top 250 teams.
As the numbers suggest, the intrigue in this game will be the matchup of ASU’s three-happy offense against Syracuse’s stingy zone defense, something the Devils struggled against in conference play.
The Orange don’t have as big of a size advantage over ASU as most Pac-12 teams do, but center Paschal Chukwu could challenge ASU all night in the paint. The 7’2 freshman averages 2.7 blocks (2nd in ACC) and 6.8 rebounds and has four inches on ASU’s tallest player- forward De’Quon Lake.
In addition, the Orange will challenge a Sun Devils team that is tied for the 8th fewest turnovers (332) in college basketball. Guards Frank Howard and Tyus Battle average 1.9 and 1.6 steals per game, respectively, leading a team that’s third in the ACC with 7.24 steals per game.
Stopping the duo will be one of the defensive challenges for ASU as well, as Battle is a top 50 scorer with 19.8 per game while Howard averages 15.
Of course, ASU will look to its senior leaders in Tra Holder (18.4 ppg), Shannon Evans II (16.6) and Kodi Justice (12.6) to lead the way on offense, although they’ve gotten a lot of help lately from the bench.
Specifically, freshman guard Remy Martin has scored 34 points over his last two games and has scored in double digits in four of his last six, all while coming off the bench.
The youngster is constantly compared to the “energizer bunny,” as he’s known for his speed and hard-nosed defense. He’s playing great basketball at the right time and will be looked upon just as much as the senior trio to lead the team on both ends of the floor.
The individual matchup to watch will be the battle of freshman forwards down low- Romello White against Oshae Brissett.
The latter is Syracuse’s third-leading scorer (14.7 ppg) and top rebounder (8.8 rpg) and also averages 1.2 steals per game.
On the other hand, ASU’s big men have struggled as a whole lately, accounting for one double-digit scoring performance over their last five losses.
White is the one who must step up though, as he plays unparalleled minutes in ASU’s frontcourt and still averages 10.7 points and a team high 7.2 rebounds on the season.
He’s only scored double-digit points once in the last eight games though, and has shot 10-22 at the free throw line in that time.
Brissett has played great in his last eight though, scoring double digits in all but one game and notching three double-doubles.
White proved early in the season he’s capable of playing well against teams currently in the tournament; scoring in double-digits and rebounding well against San Diego State, Kansas State and Kansas.
Him breaking out of his funk and contributing on both ends of the floor could be what ASU needs to get over the hump into the win column in what’s the biggest game of most of these players’ careers.
Tonight’s matchup tips off at 6:10 and can be seen nationally on TruTV.
