Sometimes the hoop keeps looking smaller and smaller.
Since the start of the Pac-12 season, the Sun Devils made less than 40 percent of shots from the floor. They have only scored 48 points in each of their past two games.
Coach Joseph Anders advised his team to pick up their defense if they’re not hitting their shots.
“If we are going to be stuck on 48, then we have to play greater defense and make sure the other team doesn’t get (more than) 47,” Ander said. After Sun Devils shot 29.8 percent against USC, sophomore guard Adrianne Thomas said sometimes it just not their night.
“I think it was an off night, usually we do shoot well on our home court, but it just wasn’t our night tonight,” Thomas said.
The team really struggled as they moved away from the basket.
The Sun Devils’ offensive woes continue with less than 34 percent shooting from behind the three-point line in their first three Pac-12 games. Their lowest percentage came against UCLA, totaling 10.5 percent. The weak outside shooting caused UCLA to play a zone defense against the Sun Devils. If the Sun Devils continue to miss, the players expect to see more zones against them. Coach Joseph maintains his confidence in the team’s shooting abilities.
He said shooting is a mental skill and he will always encourage one of his players to take an open shot.
Bench stays consistent
During the Sun Devils’ offensive struggles, one aspect of their team has remained consistent: the bench. The ASU bench has stepped up and out-scored the opponents’ bench in all Pac-12 games. The bench players have scored over 16 points in all conference games, including two games where they scored 20 points. Adrianne Thomas, the backup point guard for ASU, said the bench players try to bring new energy to the court whenever they are called on to play. “Our bench is really good at bringing energy, feeding off of our starters,” Thomas said. “That was our main thing, to bring the energy up.” The bench has stifled opposing benches in Pac-12 games. Opposing Pac-12 benches scored a total of 10 points against the Sun Devils.
Mann earns the “C”
One of the main questions at the start of this season was who was going to replace ASU star player Dymond Simon as point guard.
The team found their answer in junior guard Deja Mann this season. The junior has made some strides and contributed on offense. Mann benefits the team through her skillful direction of the team’s offensive sets.
Anders said in ASU’s games against UTEP and UA, Mann played 64 minutes and only had 2 turnovers.
“The point guard has to be an extension of the coach on the floor,” Anders said. “Which means no matter what is going on, you have to have the wherewithal … to be (saying) we are going to be okay. Deja has been able to do that.”
Anders said the coaching staff did not decide who would be the captains in the preseason. They wanted to observe practice and a couple games to see who emerged as the leader. After the Sun Devils second loss to DePaul, the players voted and chose their point guard to lead them.
Injury report
Junior forward Joy Burke and freshman guard Eliza Normen both did not dress for the Sun Devils game against UCLA this weekend. Redshirt junior Haley Parsons seems to have recovered from her injury and played some minutes late in the UA game.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
