Not even the alternate uniforms could change the ASU men’s basketball team’s luck.
Although dressed for the blackout, the Sun Devils (8-20, 4-12 Pac-12) were plagued by the same issues they have had all season, which cost them the game Thursday. They lost to UCLA for the second time this season, 66–57.
ASU shot 41 percent from the floor. It could have been higher, had ASU capitalized on a number of easy scoring opportunities.
The Sun Devils were missing tip-ins and layups throughout the game. They went nearly eight minutes without a field goal in the first half.
“We had opportunities in a close game to put points on the board that we didn’t seize, and that manifests itself in the next possession and the ensuing possessions,” coach Herb Sendek said.
ASU kept it close at the half, down 25–24, but came out flat in the second half defensively.
The Bruins (16-12, 9-6 Pac-12) scored 41 points in the second half and shot 50 percent from the field.
UCLA went on a 17–5 run in nearly six minutes to get its largest lead with 2:25 left. Senior guard Lazeric Jones had a game-high 20 points. Despite early foul trouble in the first half, sophomore center Joshua Smith scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 13 minutes.
“When we came out, we came out sluggish in the second half, and they jumped up on us,” junior guard Chris Colvin said. “We need to come out better to play in the second half and be ready to play.”
ASU surpassed its average in turnovers committed with 18. The team is last in the Pac-12 with 16.6 a game, a column in the box score Sendek said hasn’t gone the team’s way this season.
Just three of those turnovers came from Colvin in 39 minutes of action. One of the few bright spots in the game for the Sun Devils, Colvin contributed 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
“We essentially can’t take him out of the game and don’t take him out of the game,” Sendek said. “So he has the opportunity to play through a lot of things, and I think that’s helping him.”
Freshman forward Jonathan Gilling led the team with 17 points. Junior guard Trent Lockett said after the game that his ankle continues to bother him, and it showed in his performance.
Lockett hasn’t gained his explosiveness back. He managed to score 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the free throw line, but he was 3-of-11 from the floor. UCLA double teamed Lockett consistently when he attacked in the lane.
“I’ve got to do a better job of handling the double,” Lockett said.
ASU will play USC on Saturday. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports Arizona and 620 AM.
Cain benched
Sendek opted not to play sophomore forward Kyle Cain in the second half and said Cain did not do anything egregious.
Cain had just two points and three rebounds in 10 minutes of play.
“I love Kyle, but even as we go through the duress of this kind of season, I think it’s even more important that we maintain the highest possible standard of comportment and approach,” Sendek said.
Sendek is unsure whether this will affect Cain’s status moving forward.
Felix out
Junior guard Carrick Felix did not play Thursday because of a virus. He’s missed practice all week and his status for Saturday’s game is unknown.
“Having been in bed all week, I don’t know what kind of energy he’ll be able to muster,” Sendek said.
Reach the reporter at mtesfats@asu.edu
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