Sun Devils aim to protect home court against UCLA

(Photo Credit: Alyssa Buruato/WCSN)

In every season of its 107-year history, the Pac-12 conference has crowned a regular season men’s basketball champion, yet Utah, Colorado, and Arizona State have never won this award.

With 2024 being the final year of the Pac-12 as it stands, ASU (10-6, 4-1) has one last shot to finish atop the Conference of Champions. After a red-hot start that saw the Sun Devils win four straight games in the Pac-12, they sit at second place only behind undefeated Oregon.

However, ASU’s last game ended in a 15-point loss in Seattle against Washington (10-7, 2-4), where it shot only 4-of-17 from beyond the arch, while the Huskies shot 13-of-25 from three. The Sun Devils will aim to get back in the win column when UCLA (7-10, 2-4) comes to town Wednesday night.

“This is the last time UCLA will play a Pac-12 game here in Tempe,” head coach Bobby Hurley said. “If you’re not excited to play a program like that you’re probably in the wrong business.”

But even on the heels of a tough defeat in the Pacific Northwest, Hurley feels his team played a winning game.

“I thought it was very much a dead-even game outside of a few key minutes from about the 10-minute mark until the seven-minute mark” Hurley said.

During the late-game stretch Hurley referenced, the Huskies went on a 19-3 run that made all the difference, as they ultimately outscored ASU by 16 points in the second half to put the game to bed.

Despite the loss, the Sun Devils have had plenty of time to refresh their legs, having not played in five days leading up to Wednesday night. On the other hand, the Bruins just played host to Washington on Sunday night, defending home court in a 73-61 win.

“Knowing that UCLA had to play a game on Sunday, our advantage is that we’ll be fresher,” Hurley said. “They may be a little sharper but you try and take advantage of that as much as you can.”

Both Hurley, and junior guard Jamiya Neal felt practices have been at a high level over the days leading up to UCLA with Hurley saying Neal specifically has been impressive.

“[Neal] was one of the few that practiced very well [Monday],” Hurley said. “I think he’s feeling more comfortable knowing he’s going to play the minutes he’s playing.”

“I’ve been here for three years and [Hurley] and I have a different kind of relationship,” Neal said. “He’s always believed in me since I stepped on campus so that means a lot to me.”

Wednesday night is set to be a battle of the big men, as 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Adem Bona is the Bruins’ second-highest scorer with 12.5 points per game. Bona also leads the team in rebounds with 6.2 per game, and blocks with 1.7 per game.

With sophomore center Shawn Phillips Jr back in the ASU’s rotation, Hurley is expecting him to be tested during Pac-12 play with so many elite big men in the conference.

“This is a tough year for a young center to come into the Pac-12,” Hurley said. “When you look at guys like [Branden Carlson], [Omar Ballo], and Bona now on Wednesday, there’s a lot of good players at his position he’s going to get tested every night.”

Phillips Jr. had eight points in 14 minutes against Washington off the bench on Thursday, and Hurley has seen progression game to game from his young center.

“He’s 19 years old still learning the game, he’s a very gifted kid,” Hurley said. “It’s not going to be a straight line to the top with him, there is going to be learning and growing with him, but he makes us a different team when he can do some of the things that he can bring to the floor.”

The Sun Devils tipoff against UCLA at 7 p.m. MST from Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.