ASU Men’s Basketball: Sun Devils look to remain undefeated as tough weekend looms

(Photo: Tyler Rittenhouse/WCSN)

The Arizona State Sun Devils look to keep their perfect season alive as they hit the road this weekend for two tough match-ups, one agaisnt one of the top teams in the nation.

The first takes place in Los Angeles on Friday, as they take on St John’s in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. The Devils will then travel to Lawrence where they’ll take on the No. 2 ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Both teams are a combined 15-2 on the season.

The Sun Devils (7-0) climbed to No. 16 in the latest AP poll. Playing only one game this past week, ASU defeated the San Francisco Dons 75-57. Only nine unbeaten teams remain in the country. If the Devils have any hopes of remaining one of them at the end of the weekend, they’ll have to play their best.

St John’s

The Devils and Red Storm will battle it out at Staples Center in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic on Friday evening. St John’s (8-1) is coming off a close 68-60 victory over Grand Canyon University.

The Red Storm are led by sophomore guard Shamorie Ponds, who is averaging 20 points, six rebounds and five assists per game. He scored 28 against GCU, and has scored at least 21 points in six of his nine games this season.

St John’s averages 75 points per game, putting them at 185th in the nation. Their defense is an entirely different story. The Red Storm boast one of the best defenses in the country. They allow only 60 points per game, which is seventh in the nation. Their defense hasn’t gone unnoticed by head coach Bobby Hurley, who called them “one of the best defensive teams I’ve watched play this year.”

They are also 10th in steals and 11th in blocks, respectively. Opponents only shoot 36 perecent against them, which is the fourth-best in the country.

“They’re a good shot-blocking team,” senior guard Tra Holder said. “We got to be smart when we drive to the basket. If we play to our strengths and move the ball and shoot open three’s, we’ll be fine.”

Kansas

This will without a doubt be Arizona State’s biggest test of the year. Kansas (7-1) comes into the game ranked second in the country, however, they are coming off of a loss. This past week, the Jayhawks were handed their first loss of the season, courtesy of the Washington Huskies.

This is bound to be a high-scoring affair, with the Devils averaging 93 points per game, and the Jayhawks averaging 89 points per game, respectively. Both teams are shooting 53% from the field.

The Devils will be adding an extra man, as Mickey Mitchell will be playing in his first game with the team. After transferring from Ohio State, Mitchell sat out last season.

“You just said it, sitting out,” Mitchell said when asked what the most difficult part of this process has been. He isn’t the only one excited to get back on the court. Hurley is eager to add another body into the rotation.

“Mickey is very versatile,” Hurley said. “He’s easy to play with. He’s a willing passer, and has a great feel for the game. I know our guards are going to appreciate how tough he plays.”

For the Sun Devils, a team who hasn’t made the tournament since 2014, they are treating this weekend like an NCAA tournament situation.

“Playing a team like St. Johns, who has the talent and the defensive mindset to be an NCAA Tournament team,” Hurley said. “Then, if you’re fortunate enough to advance in that game, you’re looking at an opponent like Kansas, who always has something to say about who advances in the tournament.”

Friday night’s game versus St John’s can be seen on Pac-12 Network at 6 p.m. MT. Sunday’s game against Kansas can be seen nationally on ESPN at 12 p.m. MT.

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