Devils in Detail
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ASU WBB: ASU vs. UCLA Quarterfinals Preview

By Gigi Micketti

Nov 13, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils fans hold up their fingers during a free throw attempt against the Sacramento State Hornets during the first half at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils fans hold up their fingers during a free throw attempt against the Sacramento State Hornets during the first half at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a lackluster win against Utah in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament, ASU basketball looks to get another win in the quarterfinals against UCLA.

ASU has struggled against UCLA in the past, with a rally attempt in their first matchup of the season and again with a nail-biting loss last week in Wells Fargo arena.

Fatigue is an issue for the Devils time and time again, and having had to play a physical game against Utah in the first round could prove detrimental for them in the second round against a well-rested UCLA that had a bye the first day of the tournament.

The Bruins started off sluggish in last week against the Devils, but were able to pull off the win because of a final push in the fourth quarter. They sunk 40 percent of their field goals, 60 percent behind the arc, and then 87 percent of their free throws in the final quarter of the game which pushed them ahead.

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As for the Sun Devils, they started off strong but just weren’t able to hang on until the end and it cost them the game. Whether it was fatigue or the ball wasn’t falling their way, ASU finished out only shooting 33 percent of field goals, 20 percent of three-pointers, and 44 percent of free throws, giving them no chance of pulling ahead of the Bruins.

Sluggish starts pose a problem for the Devils as they are forced to play catch up which only tires out a young team more. Sloppy playing and numerous turnovers also killed ASU against Utah in the first round, and though they were able to still come back from that with a near 20 point win, mistakes like that won’t fly with highly ranked teams.

Next: ASU WBB: Rapid Reaction – ASU Wins in First Round of Tournament

Tip-off for ASU and UCLA will be at 3 p.m. MST and can be streamed live through Pac-12 Network.