Redshirt freshman guard Jahii Carson handles the ball at the top of the key during the Sun Devils’ 97-70 win over Florida A&M on Sunday. (Photo by Kyle Newman)It took the ASU men’s basketball team 28 games to grab its first winning streak last season.
They’re only two games into the season, but the Sun Devils (2-0) have already recorded back-to-back wins with their 97-70 win over Florida A&M Sunday at Wells Fargo Arena.
ASU had five players in double-figures. Redshirt freshman point guard Jahii Carson led the team with 20 points — 16 of which came in the second half — and seven assists.
“He played a terrific basketball game,” coach Herb Sendek said. “If you look at his line here, he did a lot of good things for our team. And he’s going to get better and better.”
The Sun Devils were up by as many as 19 points midway through the first half, until the Rattlers (0-3) cut the deficit down to 45-32 at halftime.
The Sun Devils failed to execute offensively to start the second half, and the Rattlers took advantage by cutting the leading down to five with 12:24 left in the game, after junior guard Jamie Adams hit a 3-pointer. Adams had a game-high 24 points.
“Adams is a terrific player,” Sendek said. “He can shoot with range. He’s quick off the dribble. Dealing with him off of ball screens was a nightmare.”
Up eight with nearly nine minutes to go, ASU went on a 17-2 run in four minutes. Carson’s 3-point play spurred the charge, as he had eight of the team’s 17 points during the run. Sophomore forward Jonathan Gilling had four points and four rebounds during the stretch. He finished 13 points and 15 rebounds in the game against an undersized Florida A&M squad.
“Is this a misprint?” Sendek said as he looked at Gilling’s stats in the box score. “I’m going to go back and check this out with the film to make sure this is accurate.”
Adams had just seven points in the second half, and senior guard Chris Colvin’s defense had a big key in stopping him. Colvin was aggressive on the defensive end and put ball pressure on the Rattlers’ guards. Colvin finished with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.
“At the first half we didn’t do too good at cutting their heart (in Adams),” Colvin said. “He got a lot of buckets coming down and shooting the ball, but we got a lot better pressuring him and getting to him in the second half.”
Sun Devils sign two players
ASU signed two players in its 2013 recruiting class this week.
Shooting guard Chance Murray is ranked as a three-star recruit on Rivals.com. Listed at 6-foot-2, Murray attends Price High in Los Angeles, and is the only guard in the class.
“I just think he has an unlimited potential,” Sendek said. “He can handle the ball. He can shoot. He can defend and comfortable playing in the post some.
Small forward Egor Koulechov is a three-star recruit at Sagemont High in Weston, Fla. He’s listed at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds.
“Egor is an astute student of the game,” Sendek said. “He follows NBA basketball closer than Hubie Brown. He is a tough, hard-nosed, competitive young man who is very skilled. He can shoot the ball with range. He can pass. I just think he’s a winner in every way.”
Reach the reporter at mtesfats@asu.edu
