(Photo: Alli Cline/WCSN)
Bethune-Cookman University makes the long trip from Daytona Beach, Fla., to Tempe to take on Arizona State in their second game of the season. The Sun Devils are riding high after a convincing victory over Chicago State last Friday by a score of 86-50, and they look to carry that momentum forward.
In their victory, senior forward Shaquielle McKissic led the way for the Sun Devils with 20 points, and juniors Gerry Blakes and Willie Atwood contributed 11 points each in their ASU debuts. Despite ASU coming off of a big victory, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats had quite the victory of their own, beating Trinity College 91-69. The Wildcats had four players in double figures, led by redshirt senior guard Mikel Trapp’s 26 points and sophomore guard Clemmye Owens’ 19-point effort.
Keys to the Game
– Continue to spread the wealth
The Sun Devils had seven players score at least seven points in their season opener, and they should keep it that way as they are still trying to find their identity. Until ASU head coach Herb Sendek can construct a solid and consistent gameplan through his players’s tendencies, each player needs to do their part in showing Sendek just what they can bring to the table in a real-game situation.
– Contain Mikel Trapp
Trapp led the team in scoring last season for the Wildcats, and he likes to get a majority of his points from beyond the three-point line, considering he is ninth in school history in three-pointers made with 121. But with plenty of athletic guards Sendek has to choose from, ASU should be able to find a way to keep fresh legs in front of Trapp all game.
– Keep up with the unselfish play
One of the most impressive aspects of the Sun Devils’ win over Chicago State was the team’s ball movement and pursuit of the best possible shot each possession. Although at times they were maybe too unselfish, it is a good problem to have for a team that lacks experience and doesn’t have that one standout scorer.
Prediction
Bethune-Cookman finished 12th out of 13 teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, and only won two games on the road a season ago. Traveling across the country and playing a major-conference team is a challenge for a mid-major team that has had recent struggles. ASU shouldn’t be faced with much of a challenge in this game, but there is always the possibility with a team that has a lot of new faces and is searching for an identity on the court.
