ASU Basketball: Emphasis placed on consistency entering final stretch

Ahead of ASU basketball’s road trip to Oregon and Oregon State, one player stressed the importance of playing a complete 40 minutes.

Positive in nature both on and off the court, it’s not often that Arizona State guard Remy Martin is critical of others. In fact, you’re more likely to hear the sophomore’s observations on how to improve his individual game.

In the midst of ASU’s three-game winning streak, Martin noted a glaring flaw of the Sun Devils. When asked what end of the floor needs improvement, he didn’t hold back.

“Everywhere,” Martin said, maintaining a smile. “You can see that once we put 40 minutes into the game, we’re hard to stop. And I think yet, we’ve played that whole 40 minutes.”

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Performance-wise, perfection is a long shot. But Martin is aware of the capability his team possesses to generate a spurt of consistency on either end. With the end of the regular season approaching rapidly, the next gear for ASU to shift into involves sustaining a spurt over an extended period of time.

A quid pro quo, the extent of extremes ASU has experienced this year can be highly rewarding or equally debilitating.

The Sun Devils trailed then – No. 1 Kansas by a dozen at home before surging back to stun the Jayhawks for a second straight year. Likewise, they allowed a 17-point lead over Utah to evaporate while giving up 91 points to Washington State – both double-digit losses.

To achieve equilibrium, a catalyst is imperative. Optimally, the stimulant would be wired offensively, enabling teammates to receive more uncontested shots while being able to create opportunities for him.

Over the past three games, ASU averaged a tick above 82 points per game. During that stretch, junior guard Rob Edwards was responsible for 20 points nightly.

“He opens so many other things up for other guys,” coach Bobby Hurley said. “Teams are going to have to start thinking about him more because of what he did at Utah … There’s another weapon on the floor.”

Edwards’ 28 points led ASU past Utah before scoring 16 apiece in home victories over Stanford and Cal. What stands out, however, is his 60 percent shooting in the program’s past three contests.

Sidelined by a back injury, Edwards missed six games following a season-opening win over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 6. Upon his return, he struggled to carve out his role in the lineup, continuing to rehabilitate his back.

He’s maintained his treatment regimen in the time since and appears comfortable playing a starter’s minutes.

Defensively, Edwards is a steady presence in the backcourt, although his skillset doesn’t stand out compared to that of freshman Luguentz Dort or redshirt senior Zylan Cheatham.

As a scorer, he has the potential to be effective in catch-and-shoot situations as well as off the dribble, arguably making him the Sun Devils’ most versatile offensive option.

Edwards exudes confidence even when shots aren’t falling. When they are, his energy emanates to the rest of his teammates.

“I noticed that when I get going, the team gets going and there’s not too many people that can play with us,” Edwards said. “Once that’s clicking, we good on all cylinders.”

With trips to Oregon and Oregon State on the horizon, Edwards will look to continue to fuel the offensive attack and lead the program to its first weekend sweep on the road under Hurley.

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

For now, the Sun Devils’ collective approach is to take things day by day. Or, in Martin’s case, 40 minutes at a time.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.

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