Ahead of ASU basketball’s First Four matchup with St. John’s, our staff assembled a roundtable of NCAA Tournament questions.
Redemption doesn’t come around very often. Then again, neither does Arizona State in the NCAA Tournament.
Tonight, the Sun Devils (22-10, 13-7 Pac-12) will make their second straight appearance in the Big Dance, facing St. John’s (21-12, 9-11 Big East) at the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. This is the first time ASU has made consecutive tournament appearances since 1980-81, and the opportunity is rewarding.
A year ago, the Sun Devils’ season came to an end at the University of Dayton Arena, falling 60-56 to Syracuse. Shannon Evans II missed what would’ve been the go-ahead 3-pointer with five seconds remaining, sending ASU home while the Orange made the Sweet 16.
Now, the Sun Devils have a chance to rectify their First Four misfortunes. It will come against a Red Storm opponent that is very similar to the ‘Guard U’ backcourt, sporting perimeter-centric guards and a potent offense.
But like the Sun Devils of old, St. John’s finds difficulty with its lack of size. The Red Storm’s main rotation doesn’t have a player exceeding 6-feet-7 inches tall, and they have an average margin of -6.1 on the glass. That should play into ASU’s physical favor.
Yet, like any game in March Madness, things can turn the opposite way. Led by junior point guard Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s can get up-and-down in a hurry, which will force ASU to keep honest on the defensive end.
The winner will advance to the field of 64 in the West region to face No. 6 Buffalo. This is where ASU’s Bobby Hurley began his head coaching career, and facing former assistant Nate Oats would surely prove emotional.
For now, the Sun Devils are officially a part of March Madness. Ahead of tonight’s First Four matchup, here’s how our team sees the postseason going for ASU.