ASU Basketball: Are the Sun Devils no longer prone to ‘trap’ games?

Conclusion

ASU is in the midst of its second three-game winning streak in Pac-12 play, and it’s coming at the right time. The team has maintained a sense of urgency since its loss to Colorado, and it is set up for a top-4 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament.

But while the outlook is bright, there is still work to be done. This week’s road trip might be the most difficult of ASU’s season, given the NET rankings of the opponents (Oregon-75, Oregon State-78) and the postseason implications.

The Sun Devils have proven their capabilities, exercising a balanced offense and committed defensive efforts in last week’s wins over Cal and Stanford. What could have easily been two more ‘bad losses’ turned into business as usual.

However, each effort didn’t project 40-minute doses of consistency. There were times when ASU fell flat, and it took animation from its coach to get back on board.

This week, an extended moment of lackluster play – which can include stagnated ball movement, over-committing on rotations and live ball turnovers – may be the difference between a win and a loss. Without a home crowd, that resilience must be founded from within.

Expect the Sun Devils to need a split this week to maintain their current positioning for the NCAA Tournament. Despite a 6-8 record in Pac-12 action, Oregon is the higher-rated opponent of the two, giving ASU one last opportunity to secure a Quadrant 1 win.

Even so, Oregon State and Tres Tinkle are no joke. The Sun Devils shut him down through most of their earlier meeting, but the Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate troubled ASU with 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists during last season’s matchup in Corvallis.

Looking for more insurance to their NCAA Tournament resume, the Sun Devils face the Ducks on Thursday at 9 p.m. ASU will then get a two-day break before facing the Beavers on Sunday.