After going 6-5 in non-conference play, the ASU men’s basketball team was expected to have another trademark up-and-down season. However, the first four games of the Pac-12 have stabilized the pendulum that Sun Devil fans are used to.
The Sun Devils are currently undefeated in Pac-12 play with four wins in four games. However, ASU has definitely not walked with ease through these four games, as three of them were decided by at most three points. But through a gritty defense, the Sun Devils prevailed.
In this stint, the Sun Devils are averaging six blocks and 8.75 steals a game, along with forcing an average of 14 turnovers, while their opponents have averaged two blocks and 5.5 steals a game while forcing ASU to turn the ball over an average of 10.5 times a game.
The conductor of the defensive engine is junior guard Frankie Collins, who is currently averaging the third most steals in D1 men’s collegiate hoops at 3.13 a game. After their close win against the University of Colorado, head coach Bobby Hurley said that he was happy with where the squad was at.
"If we play the right way, we trust each other, we compete like heck on defense like we've been these last few games, then we've got a chance to be pretty good," Hurley said. "These last two teams that came in here, really good records … tough matchups. They're (Colorado) a really good team, so we are happy with where we are today."
The Sun Devils also attribute this success to now having the full team finally on the court. Jamiya Neal, a junior on the team, said that with late additions like Jose Perez and Adam Miller, along with injury struggles, they were still trying to get acclimated to each other.
But now, the team is in full force.
"We have everybody," Neal said. "We got to practice with everybody and try different groups and stuff, so that's what's been helping us. We're more comfortable with each other. Now we look like more of a basketball team out there because we have everybody back and we’re playing with each other."
This contribution of having key players added into or back into the lineup has been crucial for the team's success. With Shawn Phillips Jr. back in after a foot injury and Miller in after getting through troubles with eligibility, they have made an immediate impact.
Through conference play, Phillips has averaged 7.25 points and a block per competition, while Miller has averaged 13.25 points per game. In the Sun Devils' most recent game against Colorado, Miller went hot in the bottom eight minutes of the first half, hitting three treys, an acrobatic and-1 layup, and a pull-up jumper to help the Sun Devils lead at the half.
"It just kind of clicked," Miller said. "When we won that first game in the conference against Stanford, it just started rolling a little bit at the end of that game. Then when we played California, (we) started rolling a bit at the end of that game, and the Utah game, we kind of built some rhythm."
Along with ASU, the only other lossless team in the Pac-12 is the University of Oregon, and they go head-to-head with Eugene on Jan. 25. The Sun Devils look to rise to a 5-0 record on Thursday, Jan. 11 as they take on the University of Washington (1-3 in conference play) in Seattle.
Edited by Vinny Deangelis, Sadie Buggle and Grace Copperthite.
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