ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 5 Power Rankings

1. No. 20 Arizona State Sun Devils (7-0) Last Week: 1

The scenario is all-too-familiar for Arizona State.

Just like last season, the Sun Devils are the final unbeaten team in the Pac-12. A victory against a 15th-ranked opponent has boosted their standing to No. 20, and now, they have a chance to prove their legitimacy this Friday against a top-6 opponent.

But even with the striking similarities, last season’s tale isn’t comparable to the new.

A year ago, the Sun Devils weren’t just beating their opponents. They were outpacing them. A 12-0 start with an eventual victory over No. 2 Kansas grew from one of college basketball’s hottest shooting displays, a show that eventually extinguished with an 8-10 record in conference play.

This year, the Sun Devils are simply overwhelming their opponents. They’re second in the country in rebounds per game (46), and their size has contributed to averages of 38 points in the paint and 13 from second chances.

While Tra Holder and Shannon Evans exemplified quickness and sharpshooting, freshman Luguentz Dort and redshirt senior Zylan Cheatham epitomize brawn and athleticism. In ASU’s recent victories over Nebraska Omaha and Texas Southern, the pair averaged 18.5 and 13.5 points, respectively, using their size to attack the rim and create transition chances.

After Dort was named the conference’s Player of the Week, Cheatham followed suit after recording the program’s second ever triple-double against the Tigers. He was one assist short of another against the Mavericks.

So while the ranks are practically the same, the story is not. If ASU can continue to emphasize defense and physicality, they could be better suited than the run they set up a year ago.

The Sun Devils will tip off against the Wolfpack this Friday at 10 p.m. from Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

– Booth