The Sun Devils steady themselves for another trying test on the road

(Photo: Maya Diaz WCSN)

TEMPE – Following the Arizona State men’s basketball team’s 89-82 loss against the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats, head coach Bobby Hurley hoped his team could “bottle some of what we did.”

His Sun Devils team put in a resilient performance in front of the hostile Tucson crowd before falling just short of an all-time upset.

Going into Sunday’s game against No. 7 Houston, Hurley will need to empty the whole “bottle” to pull off a likely improbable victory.

The matchup against Houston features many of the same ingredients as Wednesday night’s game against Arizona – an experienced head coach, a top-10 team in the country, and freshman firepower.

Head coach Kelvin Sampson has been in charge of Houston since 2014, and he has powered the Cougars to two Final Fours and a Big 12 Championship. Sampson has over 800 wins in his 40-year coaching career, but is still chasing his first National Championship victory.

Last season, Houston lost the National Championship to Florida, but retained 42.7% of minutes last season the 42nd highest mark in the nation.

The continuity has empowered Houston’s 16-1 start to the season, with three of its five starters returning from last season. Senior guards Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp have paired well with junior forward Joseph Tugler on both the offensive and defensive sides.

Houston’s defense is currently ranked third in defensive rating, per KenPom, and also forced the fourth most turnovers in the nation. Tugler is especially impactful forcing stocks, as he leads Houston with 2.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

Yet, even with its ferocious defense, Houston is more than willing to let opposing offenses attack from beyond the arc.

Against Houston, opposing offenses shoot 43.2% of their shots from beyond the arc, the 71st-most in the nation. However, opposing offenses only convert 30.1% of their three-point attempts, a mark that sets Houston as the 31st best three-point defense.

Houston’s allowance of three-point shots could bode well for ASU, if it can maintain its impeccable shooting from the Arizona game.

Sophomore guard Noah Meeusen went 4-of-5 from three, as the Sun Devils finished the night 11-of-25, which was also their fourth-best three-point shooting night of the season.

Also in similar fashion to the Arizona game with freshman phenom Koa Peat, Houston brings a pair of NBA Draft hopefuls to the table.

Freshman guard Kingston Flemings has asserted himself into lottery pick talks, through his mature offensive play this season. Flemings averages 15.4 points and 5.2 assists per game as the lead initiator of his team’s offense.

Flemings is paired with freshman center Chris Cenac Jr., who has been one of the best rebounders in the nation this season. Although he only averages 7.6 rebounds per game, his defensive rebound percentage is 21st in the nation, with the difference being a byproduct of Houston’s slow tempo.

ASU likely needs to be up for the task from the get-go, as Houston’s offense is slow, yet efficient, and can bury opponents in the blink of an eye.

A cog in Houston’s offensive success is their ability on the offensive glass. Houston averages 14.12 offensive rebounds per game, the 15th-highest mark in the nation.

Meanwhile, ASU has been prone to losing the rebounding battle this season, something that likely can’t happen in a potential upset.

All in all, playing Arizona and Houston back-to-back showcases the gauntlet that is the Big 12. Yet, if Hurley’s Sun Devils can pull off an upset in Houston, it could spark some much-need positive momentum ahead of an “easier” next few games.