Surprising Sun Devils in national spotlight
Arizona State boosts offense under Hurley
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State has taken college basketball by devilish hurricane, running and gunning its way into the national consciousness while igniting an often-blasé local fan base.
Even the Sun Devils’ rivals down south have taken notice.
“Bobby Hurley, he’s en route right now to be one of the coaches talked about for national coach of the year because of what he’s done with their program,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said of the coach of his biggest rival. “He’s played a tough nonconference schedule. It shows some guts to play who they play. Their results speak really clearly. They might be underrated where they’re at right now.”
It wasn’t supposed to be like this, at least not yet.
The Sun Devils were expected to be better in Hurley’s third season in the desert. They returned three senior guards and finally got them some front-court help with the addition of Romello White and De’Quon Lake.
Kodi Justice, ASU’s 6-foot-5 guard, would no longer have to guard 7-footers. Arizona State would be better defensively and on the glass. The guards would not have to carry the entire load.
Even so, the Sun Devils were projected to be at the middle of the Pac-12, picked to finish sixth.
The big jump was supposed to be next season, when a trio of transfers will be eligible and could possibly lead the Sun Devils to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014.
This breakneck band of Devils spun the narrative forward a year early.
Playing with a confidence bordering on cocky and with an offensive freedom afforded them by their coach, the Sun Devils have pushed their way into the national spotlight.
They made a blip by beating Xavier, No. 15 at the time but now No. 10 in the AP Top 25. Blew the Musketeers away, actually, turning a 15-point first-half deficit into a 102-86 rout with an onslaught of fast breaks and 3-pointers.
Arizona State next moved into the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2008-09, coming in at No. 20 after the win over Xavier. The Sun Devils climbed four spots the next week.
The catapult launched last Sunday: Arizona State 95, No. 2 Kansas 85. At Allen Fieldhouse.
One of the biggest wins in program history led to another bit of history: A No. 5 ranking this week, ASU’s highest since reaching No. 3 in 1980-81. The Sun Devils even garnered the first No. 1 votes as a program. Five, actually.
Now Arizona State is 9-0 and being mentioned as a possible national-title contender. Yeah, really.
“I knew the success was going to be better, but you don’t expect necessarily when you look at a schedule to run the table up to this point, and beat the type of teams we’ve beaten,” Hurley said. “So you just appreciate it and then you kind of move on and get ready for the next battle.”
Arizona State’s success starts with its quartet of fearless guards, turning Arizona State into “Guard U.”
With carte blanche from Hurley to shoot from anywhere at almost any time, they’ve gone from carrying the load last season to ferrying the Sun Devils closer to college basketball’s upper echelon.
Tra Holder has transformed himself from steady freshman to unquestioned, sometimes nasty senior floor leader. He scored 40 points against Xavier and leads Arizona State with 21.2 points per game. He also grabs 5.6 rebounds, dishes out 5.2 assists and won consecutive Pac-12 player of the week honors, a first by a Sun Devil since James Harden in 2008.
Shannon Evans II followed Hurley from Buffalo, had to sit out a season as a transfer and was solid as a junior, averaging 15 points per game.
Kodi Justice plays with Pete Maravichian flair, and has a range that seems to extend to the opposing team’s free-throw line.
Then there’s Remy Martin. The freshman guard treats irritation by the opposing team’s point guard as the highest honor, often nodding his bouncy hair in approval when he officially finds his way under their skin.
Thursday
ARIZONA 83, NMSU 44 (WOMEN): In Tucson, the host Wildcats (3-6) came in on a six-game losing streak, but they had no problem in dismantling the 3-6 Aggies.
JaLea Bennett scored a game-high 26 points for Arizona. Brooke Salas led the Aggies with 20 points on 10-of-22 shooting from the field. Her teammates combined to go 7-of-33.
The Aggies’ road trip continues west for a Sunday game at Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif.
No. 21 BAYLOR 99, TEXAS SOUTHERN 68 (MEN): In Waco, Texas, Manu Lecomte scored 22 points after missing a game with a left thumb injury, and Baylor rolled to a victory over winless Texas Southern.
Playing with a wrap on his non-shooting thumb, the Bears point guard had a game-high six assists in the 46th consecutive home win over an unranked nonconference opponent for Baylor (8-2), and third straight since losing to No. 3 Wichita State on the Waco campus.
Notes
CHARLOTTE: Athletic director Judy Rose said the decision to fire men’s basketball coach Mark Price was strictly performance-based, citing the 3-6 team’s lack of intensity. Assistant coach Houston Fancher, who has 12 years of head coaching experience, will serve as the 49ers interim head coach.
WASHINGTON: Former Husky and current Cleveland Cavaliers guard Isaiah Thomas will have his number retired by the school. The retirement ceremony for Thomas’ No. 2 has been scheduled for Feb. 15 when the Huskies host Utah.