(Photo: Alyssa Buruato/WCSN)
When watching Arizona State men’s basketball, it’s hard not to notice head coach Bobby Hurley anxiously moving inside his coach’s box, sometimes daring to go past the restrictions of his zone and even stepping onto the playing area. His coaching style is hands-on and aggressive, resembling his playing style. If Hurley disagrees with a call, the New Jersey native isn’t afraid to plead his case to the officials.
But from time to time, his efforts bring trouble to his team.
With 2:25 left in the first half against No. 4 UCLA on Thursday, Hurley erupted in frustration at a no-call on redshirt senior Tyger Campbell’s screen — which Hurley believed was set illegally — resulting in sophomore guard Frankie Collins’s shooting fouling on senior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who also appeared to travel before the foul.
Hurley exchanged words with the officials, yielding a technical foul and a pair of free throws for Campbell, who drained both shots. After Campbell’s trip, action resumed with Jaquez drilling two more free throws, punctuating a four-point UCLA swing.
Before the technical, the Sun Devils were leading 28-25 and led by as many as 10 points early in the game. The Bruins took a 29-28 lead — their first since a 2-0 lead to open the contest — and one that would last the rest of the way, as the Bruins (26-4, 17-2 Pac-12) dismantled the Sun Devils (20-10, 11-8 Pac-12) 79-61 in Pauley Pavilion.
Here are five takeaways from Thursday night.
Jaquez dominates first half
Jaquez has been effective as almost any player at the Division I level this year, averaging 17 points and eight rebounds, assembling a resume worthy of consideration for the Pac-12 Player of the Year award.
Over the course of the past five games, Jaquez has increased his performance and efficiency, compiling 22.2 points on 50.6% shooting and 8.4 rebounds per game. The recent hot streak continued against ASU, as the 6-foot-7 guard/forward finished the first half with 19 points, accounting for 52.7% of UCLA’s 36 first-half points, and four of his five rebounds coming on the offensive boards in 20 minutes of action.
Jaquez would eventually cool off, scoring seven points with the majority of his points coming from the charity stripe, as his efficiency fell to 1-of-7 from the field. With Jaquez’s productivity falling, the offense shifted its reliance to the rest of the starters, as junior guard Jaylen Clark and Campbell led the way with 15 and eight second-half points, respectively.
UCLA controls the offensive boards
Since the beginning of the game, ASU was outworked on the glass, especially on the offensive end. In the first four minutes of the game, UCLA grabbed four offensive rebounds, finishing the half with nine. By halftime, the Sun Devils were trailing the battle on the glass 19-11.
The difference in rebounding, much like the Bruins’ lead, continued to balloon.
UCLA grabbed 11 offensive boards in the second half en route to a 47-23 domination on the glass. The offense also cashed in on its extended possessions, scoring 18 second-chance points. The rebounding effort was led by freshman forward Adem Bona, who secured five offensive rebounds and 11 total boards. Clark and Jaquez also chipped in with a combined nine offensive rebounds.
Early in the first half, the Bruins struggled to take care of the rock, turning it over 11 times, allowing the Sun Devils to build a 10-point lead. Although UCLA finished the contest with 19 turnovers, its differential on the glass was enough to overlook its inability to take care of the basketball.
ASU fails to protect the basketball
As the Sun Devils failed to regain a significant lead, the turnovers began to become abundant, specifically from their guards. Collins, who has served as Hurley’s primary ball handler this season, turned the ball over four times, tying redshirt junior guard DJ Horne and senior forward Warren Washington for team highs in the category. Fifth-year guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. also finished with three turnovers.
Many of ASU’s early turnovers occurred during the first half, preventing the offense to build a large lead during UCLA’s shooting slump. The Bruins’ effectiveness in forcing turnovers and success on the offensive glass allowed them to climb out of an early 12-2 deficit.
Updated scenarios for ASU’s seedings
With Thursday night’s loss, the Sun Devils will need to rely on help from other programs to achieve a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament. After their 79-61 loss, help from teams didn’t follow, as the Oregon Ducks and the Washington State Cougars, who both hold tiebreakers over ASU, won their games against California and Washington, respectively. Hurley and company entered Thursday as No. 4 in the standings, but the loss and wins from Oregon and Washington State drops them down to the sixth seed.
To achieve the fourth seed — and the coveted first-round bye — the Sun Devils must win at USC and hope for Oregon to lose in Eugene against Stanford. The combination of a Ducks win and an ASU win would yield Hurley and his squad the fifth seed, forcing a first-round matchup. If Oregon wins and ASU loses, then the Sun Devils will drop to the sixth seed in the conference standings.
