ASU Men’s Basketball: Sun Devils look to bounce back after first loss

(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)

The consolation game of the CBE Classic will feature the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Alabama Crimson Tide, both of whom suffered their first losses of the season Monday night.

For the Sun Devils, their loss to Maryland was especially disappointing given the performances they saw from senior forwards Jonathan Gilling and Bo Barnes. The two combined for 38 points off the bench, going a collective 12-for-17 from beyond the arc. However, ASU still committed 14 turnovers that disrupted their offensive flow.

Alabama faced a formidable opponent in the No. 13 Iowa State Cyclones, and they had a senior contribute greatly to their cause. Rodney Cooper racked up a team-high 27 points and grabbed five rebounds to pace his team, but they could not keep pace with the Cyclones. Senior guard Levi Randolph continued his strong start to the season, tallying 18 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Keys to the Game

– Take care of the basketball

At their best, ASU is a team that swings the ball from one end of the floor to the other, making extra passes that eventually lead to a high-quality shot. Through their four games this season, the Sun Devils have assisted on 72 percent of their made shots. However, their assist-to-turnover ratio sits at 1.07 thus far, and for a team that aims to share the ball as much as ASU does, being smart with the ball is a must.

– Get McKissic involved

Coming into the season, many expected senior forward Shaquielle McKissic to be the go-to guy for the Sun Devils. After putting up a career-high 20 points against Chicago State in the season opener, all signs pointed toward that assumption coming true. Since that game, however, McKissic has tallied just 16 points in ASU’s last three contests. He remains efficient, shooting 50 percent from the field, but a player with his ability to get to the rim needs to do so more frequently.

– Contain Levi Randolph

Randolph was recently named SEC Player of the Week and is averaging 19 points per game this season. He is the only player on Alabama who averages over 26 minutes per game, so expect ASU head coach Herb Sendek to rotate his plethora of long-range perimeter defenders on Randolph.

Prediction

ASU had trouble containing Maryland freshman guard Melo Trimble, who finished with 31 points on the night. Randolph is even more of a diverse scoring threat, and I expect that to shine through in this matchup. His presence combined with ASU still searching for their offensive identity makes for a favorable situation for Alabama, who will likely come away with a victory.

You can reach Zac Pacleb on Twitter @ZacPacleb or via email at zacpacleb@gmail.com

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post