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ASU MBB: Sun Devils Get Steamrolled by Kentucky

By Zach Pekale

Dec 2, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley signals against the Creighton Bluejays at CenturyLink Center Omaha. Arizona State defeated Creighton 79-77. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley signals against the Creighton Bluejays at CenturyLink Center Omaha. Arizona State defeated Creighton 79-77. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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ASU Basketball was badly outplayed by No. 1 Kentucky, losing 115-69 in the Bahamas. It is the second straight year the Sun Devils have lost to Kentucky.

Following a 127-110 win over The Citadel,  Arizona State men’s basketball head coach Bobby Hurley expressed concerns over how much Kentucky could potentially score against the Sun Devils. After surrendering 115 points in a 46-point blowout loss to the Wildcats, Hurley’s concerns were affirmed.

After 45 seconds, Arizona State led No. 1 Kentucky 3-2 on a straightaway three-pointer by forward Sam Cunliffe. That was ASU’s only lead of the game as the Sun Devils found themselves trailing by 10 at the 14:27 mark of the first half en route to a 28-point halftime deficit.

Freshman point guard De’Aaron Fox paced the Wildcats with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to record the second triple-double in UK history.

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Limiting second-chance opportunities was one aspect of the game ASU needed to control but John Calipari’s team outrebounded the Sun Devils 60-33, including 21 offensive rebounds. Five Wildcats recorded six or more rebounds tonight.

Offensively, the Sun Devils were restricted in the paint as Kentucky held a huge advantage in size and athleticism between forwards Bam Adebayo and Wenyen Gabriel forcing ASU to try and shoot their way out of an early hole.

All five starters for ASU finished in double figures led by a 14-point, 11-rebound effort from forward Obinna Oleka, his fourth double-double of the season. Cunliffe also chipped in with 14 points but shot 4-16 from the floor.

Kentucky broke out of a recent shooting slump in a big way, drilling 11 three pointers and scoring over 100 points for the third consecutive game. Guards Malik Monk and Isaiah Briscoe led the Wildcats with 23 and 20 points respectively.

Next: ASU Volleyball: Mussie Leaves Program

At 4-3, the Sun Devils will return home to face UNLV on Dec. 3 before travelling to New York City to take on No. 10 Purdue in the Jimmy V Classic.

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