(Photo: Rebecca Striffler/WCSN)
So far in the 2022-23 season, the Arizona State men’s basketball (14-3, 5-1 Pac-12) has looked like one of the best defensive teams in the country, ranking 28 in Kenpom’s ranks, but the offense has struggled, sitting at 86 in Kenpom’s metrics.
But, in Thursday night’s 90-73 win over the Oregon Ducks (9-8, 3-3 Pac-12), the Sun Devils put it all together with great performances on both ends of the famous forest court, winning back-to-back games in Eugene for the first time since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
“We were able to get stops,” head coach Bobby Hurley said. “Then, we were just clicking on offense. … We were spreading the wealth, different guys were making shots and making plays, assisting baskets, coming in the half court and in transition. But, our defense was rock solid again.”
With four double-digit scorers, the Sun Devils put up 90 points for just the second time this year. Coming into the game, the Sun Devils only shot 30.6 percent from three, but in Thursday night’s contest, ASU shot 44.8 percent from 3 on 29 attempts. Junior guard DJ Horne scored all 15 points from beyond the arc ending the night five of nine from deep.
Continuing their recent success, fifth-year guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. and senior guard Devan Cambridge provided the Sun Devils with scoring early. Desmond scored ASU’s first five points, but not to be outdone by his older brother, Devan scored the team’s next five points.
Desmond finished the game with 21 points, adding three rebounds and three assists. While Thursday night wasn’t quite as impressive as Devan’s dunk show against Washington, the Auburn transfer was once again a consistent and efficient scoring option, scoring 14 points on 66 percent shooting and adding five rebounds.
“Oh, yeah,” Desmond said when asked if the brothers feed off each other. “You can’t, you can’t even describe. That is a brother-to-brother connection.”
While he was the only starter that did not crack double-digit points, scoring nine, sophomore guard Frankie Collins made his presence felt everywhere else. The Michigan transfer continues to be the true point guard he was advertised as, dishing out eight assists while adding six rebounds.
The offense stole the show, but the ASU defense was again spectacular. So far this season, the Sun Devils have ranked sixth in opponent field goal percentage (37.1 percent). In the first half, while the offense smothered the Ducks for 46 points, the defense swarmed Oregon, limiting them to 26 points on 37.9 percent shooting.
Senior guard Will Richardson gave the Sun Devils trouble scoring 16 points, including a self-generated 9-0 run at the end of the first half, hitting three straight 3-pointers that gave the Ducks some momentum going into the break. But by opening the second half on an 8-2 run, the Sun Devils once again grabbed the momentum and never looked back.
The Sun Devils move to 5-1 in the Pac-12 for the first time since the 1980-81 season and have impressed since their two-game skid before the New Year, winning three straight so far in 2023.
“This was a big game,” Hurley said. “We’re playing Oregon and we’re having a great season, so this takes it up a notch. When you’re able to come in here and play the way we did, it kind of sends a message about what we’re about.”
