Devils in Detail
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ASU Basketball: Sun Devils look to stay hot against Oregon

By Zach Pekale

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 24: Kris Wilkes #13 of the UCLA Bruins and Romello White #23 of the Arizona State Sun Devils battle for a rebound in the second half of the game Pauley Pavilion on January 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 24: Kris Wilkes #13 of the UCLA Bruins and Romello White #23 of the Arizona State Sun Devils battle for a rebound in the second half of the game Pauley Pavilion on January 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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In January, ASU basketball picked up its first home win over Oregon since 2014. Now, they’ll attempt to disrupt an even longer streak in Eugene.

It’s been more than eight years since Arizona State left Oregon with a win over the Ducks. Carrick Felix scored 19 points, keying the Sun Devils to victory on New Year’s Day at MacArthur Court in 2011.

Just 12 days later, Matthew Knight Arena opened, a building that ASU is 0-5 in.

But, coach Bobby Hurley has already snapped one losing streak against Oregon. Who’s to say he’s not poised to end another? Five weeks ago, Hurley halted the program’s eight-game skid versus the Ducks, his first win over Oregon.

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Down the stretch of the season, ASU guard Remy Martin challenged his team to play a complete 40 minutes.

In their January meeting, the Sun Devils utilized one of their patented spurts to break away from the Ducks in the second half, as a 19-0 run flipped a four-point deficit into a 15-point advantage.

To knock off Oregon, a team that’s lost seven home games in the past four years, it’ll require composure from ASU. At 37 weekends without a road sweep in conference play, the Sun Devils’ confidence can waver away from Tempe, but it was in the Beaver State that the program last successfully swept a Pac-12 weekend.

The Ducks, losers of three straight, were the conference’s projected favorite in the preseason. Instead, they sit in tenth place with four games to play.

Injuries have kept five star freshmen Louis King and Bol Bol off the court for extended periods of time, the latter being out for the season in what was his only season in Eugene.

King has rebounded well from a meniscus tear sustained as a senior in high school, averaging 13 points (team-high) and nearly six rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game.

Additionally, junior guard Payton Pritchard and redshirt senior forward Paul White both possess the capability to have big scoring nights. White’s shooting almost 42 percent from deep in Pac-12 play while Pritchard’s 4.1 assists per game leads the Ducks.

While Oregon has its trio of scoring options, ASU will be able to dictate the game on the glass. Hurley’s team averages almost eight more rebounds per contest, largely due to the active presence of redshirt senior Zylan Cheatham.

The conference’s leading rebounder, along with redshirt sophomore Romello White, have been effective in limiting opponents’ possessions while securing extra offensive chances for ASU.

As a team, the Sun Devils average 79 points and just under 13 offensive rebounds per game, a combination that makes them difficult to contain on a game-to-game basis.

Add in junior guard Rob Edwards, who’s averaging 20 points per game over the past three contests, and ASU is finding its late season-stride at the right time.

ASU Basketball: Emphasis placed on consistency entering final stretch. dark. Next

With a three-game winning streak in hand, the visiting Sun Devils have momentum on their side and will attempt to play consistently for 40 minutes against the Ducks.

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