As tip-off approaches, here are some keys to victory for the Sun Devil men’s basketball team:
1) Hang On The Boards
Rebounding is critical in every basketball game. But conference road games require a little more effort. In all of ASU’s losses, they were out-rebounded. Arizona is a tall, athletic team that crashes the boards really well. ASU cannot get severely out-matched on the boards during this game. They don’t necessarily have to have more rebounds than the Wildcats, but they cannot afford a huge disparity. In their last loss to UCLA, ASU got out-rebounded 42-29. That’s not going to cut it tonight at the McKale Center.
The good news is that rebounding is largely due to hustle and awareness; something that ASU can bring to the table regardless of how good their opponent is.
2) Get Back in Transition
The Wildcats love to run. And they are good at it. They leak out early and they sprint to their spots when converting from defense to offense. ASU absolutely must get back on defense. On both made and missed baskets, the Sun Devils must sprint back and protect the basket. Again, this is a hustle point. It doesn’t take talent to hustle back.
3) Shoot With Confidence
This is a no-brainer. The name of the game in basketball is putting the ball in the hole. Needless to say, ASU needs to have a decent shooting night in order to compete. But shooting is mostly mental. Shooters have to “see” the ball going in. They have to step into their shot and release with confidence. The ASU role players; Gilling, Marshall, and McKissic must show up tonight and shoot the ball with confidence. If they don’t, ASU will get boat-raced.
4) Leadership
Leadership will be critical for this game. This onus almost falls exclusively on the shoulders of Jahii Carson. The sophomore guard will have to be a catalyst on offense and a shut-down defender. He’ll also have to be the go-to guy when they need a bucket and the primary voice on the floor. Center Jordan Bachynski will need to be a leader as well. He’ll need to inspire his teammates by taking control of the paint. But Carson is the key. The offense goes through him.
ASU has a shot to play with and win tonight, but they cannot get out-worked, out-run or out-hustled. For ASU fans, here’s to hoping that the Sun Devils show up with a chip on their shoulder.