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ASU men's basketball faces tough test in Utah

Senior Jonathan Gilling scores a Sun Devil 3-pointer to retake the lead with 42 seconds left on the clock on Feb. 22, 2015, at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils would win the game 64-59 over the USC Trojans. (J. Bauer-Leffler/The State Press)
Senior Jonathan Gilling scores a Sun Devil 3-pointer to retake the lead with 42 seconds left on the clock on Feb. 22, 2015, at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils would win the game 64-59 over the USC Trojans. (J. Bauer-Leffler/The State Press)

Senior Jonathan Gilling scores a Sun Devil 3-pointer to retake the lead with 42 seconds left on the clock on Feb. 22, 2015, at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils would win the game 64-59 over the USC Trojans. (J. Bauer-Leffler/The State Press) Senior Jonathan Gilling scores a Sun Devil 3-pointer to retake the lead with 42 seconds left on the clock on Feb. 22, 2015, at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils would win the game 64-59 over the USC Trojans. (J. Bauer-Leffler/The State Press)

On Thursday, Jan. 15, the ASU men's basketball team fell 76-59 at home to Utah in the team's first home game of 2015. The loss was the fourth in a row for ASU to start Pac-12 play, and some were inching closer and closer to truly pushing the panic button.

Since that loss, the Sun Devils (15-12, 7-7 Pac-12) have won seven of their last 10 games and have turned their season from one of missed opportunities to one of constant improvement.

ASU coach Herb Sendek said the improvement has been drastic for his team, but also noted that teams across the country improve as seasons progress.

"I think we're very different," Sendek said. "It's almost like looking at another season for us. The college basketball season is long and if you don't get better you're going to be in trouble."

Senior forwards Jonathan Gilling and Shaquielle McKissic attributed the team's early struggles with inexperience and immaturity, but have seen both of those factors dissipate as time has gone on.

Two players Gilling said have had the biggest impact on ASU's turnaround are freshman guard Tra Holder and sophomore forward Savon Goodman.

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"I think Tra is playing a lot better, he's playing with a lot of leadership and passion," Gilling said. "Savon is doing a really good job at the four and at the five. I think that's the biggest two keys."

McKissic, who has been looked upon as a leader this year, noted that the rough start in conference play can be traced back to where the games were.

"It's tough to learn on the road, it's a totally different environment," McKissic said. "But it also makes it extremely easy to win at home once you go through that."

In the first matchup between these teams, senior guard Delon Wright was able to score 21 points to lead all scorers. What was impressive about his game was that, while being held to 4-11 shooting, he made all 12 free throws that he attempted.

McKissic said the biggest key in defending the dynamic guard this time around is to be honest on defense and make him make shots.

"Just don't go for his fakes," McKissic said. "Delon's a good player. He has a high IQ, and he's their main guy. He's a huge factor in the Pac-12, so you got to know that the refs have extra attention to detail to anything happening to him and you have to be aware that he's not some Joe Schmo off the bench."

With the recent hot streak, there has been increased conversation about the possibility, no matter the size, off a possible berth to the NCAA Tournament. Sendek said his team has been attempting to take it one day at a time.

"We've taken the tact of we're just trying to have a great day today," Sendek said. "That's been something that's really important for this team. It's the way we work best."

Despite what his coach said, Gilling said there has been conversation about possibilities, but there is nothing ASU can do but try to put itself in the best position possible.

"(We talk about it) a little bit, but we don't want to make predictions," Gilling said. "We just want to focus on the next game."

With that in mind, ASU knows that every game is important and McKissic said something that is probably on every Sun Devil's mind heading into the final stretch of games.

"Hopefully, we can go up there and get these wins, man," McKissic said. "I want them bad."

 

Reach the reporter at mtonis@asu.edu or follow @Tonis_The_Tiger on Twitter.

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