ASU Basketball: Notes on the Win Over Marquette

Nov 25, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Jahii Carson (1) shoots against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the second half at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Bachynski’s blocked shot at the buzzer preserved an ASU victory over Marquette.

If you watched the game Monday night, you couldn’t help but notice what a force the Sun Devil senior center has become. Not only did he have eight blocks on the night, but also his presence alone caused several Marquette shooters to alter their shot, leading to misses.

What a weapon.

Bachynski and sophomore guard Jahii Carson paced the Sun Devils. Carson was big again, scoring 23 points, including three 3-pointers. He must now be considered a legitimate outside shooter. He also showed great leadership in running the ASU offense.

Just watching the game casually, I only noticed about 2-3 bad possessions by the Sun Devils. And those bad possessions were towards the end of the game where ASU was milking the clock. But Carson’s energy and skill set were on full display against Marquette.

Arizona State fans should be happy to see that this basketball team has apparently learned how to “weather the storm.” Teams go on runs. It happens in every basketball game. ASU opened the game on fire. It was inevitable that the Devils would cool off and Marquette would recover. Coach Herb Sendek’s squad was mature enough not to doubt themselves and buckle. In fact, they did just the opposite; they demonstrated good shot selection, shot the ball really well and committed few turnovers. They even got more rebounding contributions from players who aren’t named Bachynski.

Something else of note. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is worth mentioning: this team seems to have its roles defined. It appears that each player on the floor knows exactly how he is to contribute. In six games, there haven’t been too many of those awkward scenes of big guys clumsily dribbling around or little guys trying to force shots in the paint. The Sun Devils get the ball to Carson, fill the lanes and start the offense. They are playing “within themselves,” within their capabilities.

Hopefully ASU’s good team chemistry will continue.

The only negative observed in this game was the foul trouble, including the technical foul earned by Jermaine Marshall. That technical foul late in the game could have cost ASU the victory. I’m sure Marshall will learn from this emotional mistake and not let it happen again.

The starting point guard, Carson, and his backup, Calaen Robinson, each had three fouls in the first half. They’ll have to figure out the new hand check rules before too long. ASU needs them on the floor, not on the bench.

So, this was a very good win for Arizona State basketball. It was a great effort put forth by both teams. Hopefully the Sun Devils can ride this momentum into the Thanksgiving holiday tournament and knock off another ranked opponent in Creighton.