Devils in Detail
Fansided

ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 5 Power Rankings

By Trevor Booth

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: Luguentz Dort #0 of the Arizona State Sun Devils carries the ball in the final seconds of the second half of the championship game against the Utah State Aggies in the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Arizona State won 87-82. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: Luguentz Dort #0 of the Arizona State Sun Devils carries the ball in the final seconds of the second half of the championship game against the Utah State Aggies in the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Arizona State won 87-82. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
10 of 13
Next
KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 06: Jaylen Nowell #5 of the Washington Huskies smiles after drawing a foul during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Center on December 6, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 06: Jaylen Nowell #5 of the Washington Huskies smiles after drawing a foul during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Center on December 6, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

4. Washington Huskies (6-2) Last Week: 5

This Husky team is still dangerous and has ton of room for growth this season.

Noah Dickerson, Jaylen Nowell and Matisse Thybulle have propelled this team to a record of 6-2 with their sights set high and goals even higher. The Huskies set their schedule with the intention to test themselves early in the season.

Tonight marks the apex of that competition, as the Huskies will try to take down No. 1 Gonzaga.

But hey, who doesn’t love a good challenge? UW is set up to at least give the Bulldogs a game they won’t forget. Here’s why.

Dickerson has been and always will be a problem for any defense. He’s scored at least 20 points three times this year and is averaging 17.3 points per game on 56 percent shooting. His real impact comes from his innate ability to get to the charity stripe, taking 11 attempts per game game – good enough for fifth in the nation.

Nowell has made the leap in 2018. He’s shooting 57 percent from the field as a true shooting guard and leads the scoring charge with 18 points per game. His shot-creating ability provides a much-needed dynamic to an otherwise grit-and-grind style team.

As for Thybulle, his shift patrolling the restricted area never ends. The senior is averaging 2.5 blocks this season and sits at fifth all-time in UW history.

His uncanny shot-blocking ability is only supplanted by his lightning-quick hands. Thybulle also swipes 2.8 steals per game, good enough for eighth nationally.

Coach Mike Hopkins is only in his second season at the helm for the Huskies, but 22 years of assistant coaching at Syracuse netted him some memorable March moments, including a national championship in 2003, four Final Four appearances, five Elite Eights and 10 Sweet 16’s. He’s the man for the job when it comes to taking on tough competition.

So if there’s a good time to measure your team against top competition, it’s now. The Huskies are in a good spot and will once again have the chance to compete for the Pac-12 crown.

– Geraffo

Home/ASU Basketball