ASU Basketball: Five takeaways from last night’s win over Utah

Is Luguentz Dort becoming a reliable 3-point shooter?

When Dort made three 3-pointers in Wednesday’s loss to Colorado, there wasn’t much thought of it, and rightly so. Entering last night’s game as  a 29 percent shooter from beyond the arc, he hadn’t provided a sample size large enough to indicate change.

However, his recent performance added more convincing. Dort finished 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point line, and quietly, he is now shooting 55 percent from the perimeter over his last two games.

What is even more surprising is how he’s making the shots.

In ASU’s halfcourt possession, Dort dribbled into a 3-pointer off a ball reversal. It wasn’t wide open, but it also wasn’t attempt that would get your jaw to drop.

But later in the half, the makes got interesting. On two separate occasions, Dort took Van Dyke as his isolation defender in the zone, crossed over, stepped back and made two triples in his face.

Wait, what?

Fox Sports 1 announcer Casey Jacobsen was just as surprised. And in the moment, he made a point that most can agree upon. If the 3-point shot becomes a consistent part of Dort’s game, he can become a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

While ASU’s 6-foot-4 bulldozer has spent the season adapting to elevated competition, Saturday’s contest was a positive step, both personally and for his team. That doesn’t mean there won’t be a questionable shot every now and then, but Dort’s all-around improvement will help the offense flow better while exercising potent threats.

Oh, and he’s still an elite defender. Dort’s on-ball defense is considered one of the best of the conference, and it was a huge reason Barefield was held in check last night.