ASU Basketball: UW’s Jaylen Nowell creates tough matchup

After dropping the first of two games this weekend to Washington State, ASU basketball hosts Washington in hopes of earning a quality win.

In Arizona State’s 91-70 loss to Washington State, the Sun Devils had no answer for the Cougars’ offense. Forward Robert Franks was unstoppable, as the senior forward scored 34 points on 11-of-17 shooting with 13 rebounds.

Now, the Sun Devils shift their focus to their next opponent, Washington. While Washington State is more of a frontcourt-dominant team, Washington’s guard play is what sets the Huskies apart. And Jaylen Nowell is the standout.

A sophomore guard, Nowell leads the Huskies in points per game with 16.4. In all but one of Washington’s conference games, Nowell has reached double figures.

Not only does Nowell score the most points, he’s also an outstanding shooter.

Nowell’s 52.2 field-goal percentage is the best on the team for everyday guards. Additionally, his 44.4 percent clip from deep is the best on the team for players averaging more than 10 minutes per game.

In addition to his scoring efficiency, Nowell has a knack for spreading the ball around. Leading the team in assists per game (3.4), Nowell often finds his teammates down low or at the rim with eye-popping dimes. This was on full display against San Diego in the non-conference season:

Standing 6-foot-4, Nowell isn’t huge. But he plays like it.

Despite working mainly from the perimeter, Nowell is second on the team in rebounds per game, averaging 5.4. Over the Huskies’ last three games, Nowell is averaging seven boards per contest, and he notched a season-high 12 against Utah in early January.

Defending Washington’s backcourt is no easy feat. Though the Huskies lack a true point guard, the three-man punch of David Crisp, Matisse Thybulle and Nowell can wreak havoc on some of the stingiest defenses.

Crisp, the closest thing to a point guard, will likely be guarded by Remy Martin, while Thybulle and Nowell will likely be countered with Rob Edwards and Luguentz Dort, respectively.

Nowell is among the Pac-12’s most explosive weapons, and if ASU doesn’t step up from it’s implosion against WSU, he could have a field day.

Here is a video encapsulating Nowell’s skill set:

The Sun Devils and Huskies will tip off from Wells Fargo Arena tonight at 8 p.m. There, ASU will look to halt Nowell and hand UW its first loss of Pac-12 play.