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ASU Basketball: Poor shooting second half costs Devils at Cal

By Alex Weiner

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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ASU basketball saw their five-game winning streak come to end Friday night as the Sun Devils blew a 12-point first half lead, falling to Cal 69-60.

In Arizona State’s season-long quest to keep up with the top three teams in the Pac-12, Friday’s 69-60 loss at California was a massive stumble.

The Devils entered Haas Pavilion on a five-game win streak, coming off an 18-point miracle comeback against Utah.

Cal on the other hand had dropped five straight games. However, the urgency of the Bears was apparent as they are fighting to make the NCAA Tournament, and Arizona State didn’t match that intensity.

Cal outplayed ASU in nearly every facet during the second half with more rebounds, less turnovers and stellar shooting created by crisp passing. It won the half 44-28.

ASU’s offense went stale with 27 percent shooting during the final 20 minutes. It didn’t help that Kianna Ibis had perhaps her most invisible performance of the year with three points (1-of-11), her season low.

The loss was magnified by UCLA beating Oregon to leapfrog the Devils in the Pac-12 standings. Worse yet, ASU has to deal with No. 7 Stanford, No. 12 Oregon State and No. 2 Oregon to finish the season.

The Bruins have won eight of nine games. They play OSU next before closing out the year at home against spiraling Utah and 2-13 Colorado. Rest is essential in a conference tournament as deep as the one approaching in Las Vegas.

The Devils learned that last season, when they failed to earn a top-four seed, handled Arizona, upset OSU and then were visibly fatigued against Stanford and eliminated. Now, UCLA has taken the upper hand over ASU for that first round bye.

The loss to Cal also further uncovered Arizona State’s red flag entering tournament season. The Devils are an energy team. They score just 67 points per game, not among the best in the country and their three-point shooting isn’t noteworthy at 32 percent.

They win with tough defense, good rebounding and without turning the ball over. When ASU’s energy is down, its production in those areas dips, as it did on Friday, and its offense most nights isn’t dynamic enough to make up for it.

Next. ASU Basketball: Sun Devils head to the Bay for final road trip. dark

During the Pac-12 and the NCAA Tournaments, Arizona State will need to keep its intensity up despite a lack of rest if it is to reach the late rounds of either.