ASU Basketball: Defense leads Sun Devils past LBSU

ASU basketball defeated Long Beach State 90-58 Monday, improving the Sun Devils’ record to 3-0 on the new season.

Beforehand, there was speculation that this matchup with Long Beach State could be a trap game for Arizona State. Just four days prior, LBSU kept it close with nationally-ranked UCLA.

That didn’t matter Monday evening.

Though LBSU scored the game’s first points, a Zylan Cheatham dunk moments later started Arizona State’s scoring effort, and there was no looking back. ASU cruised to its third-consecutive victory to start the season, upending the 49ers 90-58.

“(It was) just a very good balance on offense,” Hurley said. “Six guys in double (figures) is what you hope for.”

All five of ASU’s starters scored at least 12 points, and De’Quon Lake scored 10 points of his own off the bench. Remy Martin led the team in scoring with 15 points, eight of which came from the charity strike.

Of Arizona State’s 90 points, 44 came in the paint, compared to Long Beach State’s 14 points in the paint. According to forward Romello White, this 30-point margin was due to ASU’s physicality.

“I feel like we were stronger, bigger and more athletic than them,” White said. “We work on that in practice; we attack each other every day.”

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Even though Arizona State scored 90 points, the defense is what stood out in the win.

“I thought it was probably the best defensive performance that I’ve had here as a coach,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said. “Between the overall activity of our defense, our rotating, our protecting the basket, I thought it was outstanding.”

Throughout the game, the Sun Devils didn’t allow easy shots. Long Beach State made just 17 of its 62 field goal attempts (27.4 percent).

“Defense is a feeling,” Martin said. “It showed out tonight — our rotations, closing out some hot hands.”

Because of his defensive prowess and quickness, Martin was tasked with guarding LBSU’s Deishuan Booker. Against UCLA, Booker scored 31 points, 15 of which came from beyond the arc.

Martin did his job. The sophomore held Booker to just eight points on 1-for-8 shooting.

“He’s a great player, but I take every matchup personal,” Martin said. “I’m always trying to shut my opponent down. I think we did our job.”

Another aspect of the game the Sun Devils dominated was the boards.

ASU outrebounded the 49ers 62-31 overall, and 44-24 on the defensive end.

“To outrebound them by 31 rebounds was pretty good work down there,” Hurley said. “Really good work down there.”

Although Arizona State fired on most cylinders in the win, there are still areas for improvement as the non-conference schedule progresses.

Transition possessions is something Hurley is hoping to improve over the next few games.

“There were some layups that were missed,” Hurley said. “There were some open-court situations that we didn’t make the shot.”

Additionally, Arizona State started the game struggling from the line. The Sun Devils converted just 66.7 percent of their free throws in the first half, and Luguentz Dort posted a team-worst 4-for-8.

Not only was the team inconsistent from the line, but Hurley also said the team’s defense needs to tighten up immediately after the second free throw.

“I wasn’t thrilled after some of our free throws,” Hurley said. “We didn’t get back quick enough and get matched up.”

That said, Arizona State still rolled to a seamless victory over a respectable opponent. Next up, the first road game of the 2018-19 season: at San Francisco.

Next. ASU Basketball: Dort and Cheatham essential in Sun Devil victory. dark

“We wanted to close this chapter of the season,” Hurley said. “The competition is going to get considerably tougher as we go to San Francisco on Friday. They’re playing really good basketball.”

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.

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