ASU Basketball: Sun Devils kick off Pac-12 Tournament play against UCLA

To start the 2019 Pac-12 Basketball Tournament, No. 2 ASU basketball faces No. 7 UCLA, whom defeated Stanford in the first round.

It’s been a while since Arizona State has played this well. The Sun Devils have won five of their last six, moving them to second in the Pac-12 standings.

This recent surge couldn’t have come at a better time – the beginning of postseason play.

ASU’s winning ways earned them the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament and a first-round bye. In their opening game – a quarterfinal matchup – the Sun Devils face UCLA.

The opposing squads only met once in the regular season; it was a comfortable win for ASU. A complete scoring effort from the Sun Devils’ young core carried them to a 84-73 victory, despite shooting 7-of-27 (26 percent) from 3-point range.

Since that loss, the Bruins have been about as inconsistent as the rest of the “Conference of Champions.” In their last 13 outings, UCLA is 7-6. Against Oregon and Oregon State, they were excellent. But, against the Mountain schools, it was a different story.

That’s what’s hard to predict about the Bruins. One week, they look like a Top 25 squad. The next, they play like a middling mid-major.

Some of this can be translated to a mid-season coaching change. Head coach Steve Alford was fired before conference play, and interim Murry Bartow hasn’t been able return the historic program to its prolific past.

Though 2018-19 has been tumultuous for UCLA, there is undoubtedly talent on the Bruins’ roster. Kris Wilkes, a sophomore guard, is averaging 17.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Opposite him is Jaylen Hands, one of the league’s best passers. Hands is the conference leader in assists, averaging 6.3. And he can also score, shown by 13.7 points per game.

Because of UCLA’s 9-9 conference record, it already played one game in Las Vegas. That came in a 79-72 win over Stanford.

In that game, UCLA played stout defense and held the Cardinal to a 35.5 percent clip from the field. On offense, the Bruins were just as strong, shooting above 40 percent from deep. Individually, Hands led the Bruins with 22 points.

First-round byes can have a positive or negative effect on a team, depending on the circumstances. Sometimes, the extra rest keeps a team energized and fresh. But, on the contrary, UCLA could be more poised if they are in a rhythm from Wednesday’s win.

Three games – that’s all it will take for Bobby Hurley to get his first Pac-12 crown as ASU’s coach. While the Sun Devils may have their eyes on possible future opponents in Washington, Utah and Oregon, it’s important that they don’t overlook the task ahead – defeating UCLA.