ASU men's basketball (10-6, 0-3 Pac-12) is preparing to play host to Pac-12 rivals Washington State University (9-6, 1-2 Pac-12) and University of Washington (11-4, 3-0).
WSU sits at 11th in the Pac-12 standings despite its 9-6 record. Washington is in first place, above 14-3 USC and perennial powerhouse Arizona.
“There is a reason why the (Pac-12) conference is viewed as one of the best conferences in the country right now,” Bobby Hurley, ASU head coach, said.
WSU will play against ASU on Thursday. Like ASU, WSU has struggled to close games; four losses were decided by less than eight points.
The Cougars are led by junior forward Josh Hawkinson. He leads the Cougars in points (17.2 points per game) and leads the Pac-12 in rebounds with 11.4, which ranks seventh in the nation.
Hawkinson and junior center Valentine Izundu both stand at 6-foot-10. They'll be defensive priorities for ASU, a team that will look to size up the two with senior forward Eric Jacobsen, 6-foot-10, and 6-foot-7 junior forwards Savon Goodman and Obinna Oleka.
“We’re undersized in the Pac-12, so we need to use our quickness, beat guys to the spots and play harder than them,” Jacobsen said. “There is definitely a big emphasis on containing what they have inside and try to take something away from their game.”
Washington also has a size advantage over ASU. It has two of the best rebounding guards in the conference: senior guard Andrew Andrews (6.5 RPG) and freshman guard Dejounte Murray (5.9 RPG).
Andrews is the team’s primary scoring threat. He has gained some recognition over the past few weeks, averaging 21.6 points per game and being named the Pac-12 Player of the Week a conference-leading two times. Andrews has been the leading scorer for eight of his team’s 15 games.
Height is a priority on both defense and offense, a priority ASU needs to win or neutralize if they hope to take victories this week.
Related Links:
ASU men's basketball near bottom of initial power rankings
Bobby Hurley's intensity good for ASU men's basketball
Reach the reporter at Braxton.Fox@asu.edu or follow @braxton_fox_II on Twitter.
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