ASU Men’s Basketball: Sun Devils ride strong second-half effort to come away with a win over UNLV on the road

(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)

Without its leading scorer and rebounder, Arizona State overcame poor first-half shooting to take down UNLV on the road 66-56.

ASU was without junior forward Savon Goodman, who did not travel with the team due to personal reasons. However, the Sun Devils were still able to jump out to a 6-0 lead before UNLV answered with a 7-0 run of its own. After back-to-back shots from sophomore guard Tra Holder, the Sun Devils went 2-for-its-next-13 shots as UNLV stretched its lead.

The Runnin’ Rebels racked up seven blocks in the first half and held ASU to 10-for-34 shooting in the first half. Meanwhile, the Rebels shot 14-for-24 (58.3 percent) to lead 37-25 by halftime.

ASU opened the second half on a 10-0 run and went into a 2-3 zone that stifled the Rebels. The Sun Devils continued their strong play with a 24-5 run over a 10-minute stretch to put them up 55-50 with six minutes remaining. The Sun Devils would keep the lead from that point forward.

ASU ramped up its defense to hold UNLV to 5-for-26 shooting in the second half, and despite being vastly undersized, the Sun Devils outrebounded UNLV 43-40, led by senior guard Gerry Blakes who had a double-double with 13 points and 11 boards.

Player of the game: Tra Holder

Holder started the game with the first two buckets and came out just as quickly in the second half, racking up 13 second-half points to help ASU pull away from the Rebels. His play in the high pick-and-roll gave UNLV fits on defense. His ability to draw fouls led to foul trouble for several of UNLV’s post players.

Biggest concern: Shooting

While the Sun Devils played a scrappy game, they were once again unable to convert from deep shooting just 4-for-19 from beyond the arc. To that point, the Sun Devils did well to be selective in the second half and take mid-range and inside shots.

Unsung hero: Willie Atwood

With Goodman out, senior forward Willie Atwood got the start at the 4 and played well, particularly in the second half. A pair of threes helped ASU on its big second-half run, and his overall play stabilized the Sun Devils in the paint. While he had just three rebounds, his 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting proved vital to get ASU going on offense.

Stat of the night: Offensive rebounds

While UNLV boasted a much bigger frontcourt, the Sun Devils did well to gang rebound and stay physical on the glass. At one point, the Sun Devils held a 10-0 advantage on the offensive boards and finished with a 16-7 advantage overall. UNLV was out-hustled on several occasions, including one sequence when Holder snagged two offensive boards on one possession despite being the shortest player on the floor.

What’s next?

ASU hosts Houston Baptist at Wells Fargo Arena on December 19.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post