ASU 2007-2008 Men's Basketball Thread

[Brian in Mesa]

Actually ASU was 11-1 in 2004-2005 and ended up being bounced in the first round of the NIT.

That's right. This is our 2nd best start since that Sweet 16 team.

2004-2005...wasn't that the year the Cats choked away a 15 point lead with about 4 minutes left to lose to Illinois in OT?

 

[Skkorpion]

I'm excited to see how the Devils do against Oregon in the PAC 10 opener.

Me too. This Pac 10 home stand will tell us a lot. Hope the crowd is decent. With the students gone, the place might be empty.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Me too. This Pac 10 home stand will tell us a lot. Hope the crowd is decent. With the students gone, the place might be empty.

It will be pretty simple really, Oregon's going to shoot over ASU's zone all night. If the Ducks are hitting then ASU is in trouble, if not then ASU has a huge advantage. Oregon has not been playing well as of late so we'll see. Expect Tajaun Porter to jack up countless shots.

 

[Dback Jon]

If both U of A and ASU don't beat Oregon State by 20, there is something wrong. Oregon State is one of the worst teams in the country.

 

[sundevilscott]

It will be pretty simple really, Oregon's going to shoot over ASU's zone all night. If the Ducks are hitting then ASU is in trouble, if not then ASU has a huge advantage. Oregon has not been playing well as of late so we'll see. Expect Tajaun Porter to jack up countless shots.

OK Mao you pretty much nailed that one.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Nice W for ASU. It's the home games against these types of teams (Oregon, Cal, Washington, USC) that will determine ASU's season. They have to to take care of business at home against the middle-tier Pac teams.

OK Mao you pretty much nailed that one.

Oregon has been that way for awhile now, a shooting team that will get hot and win some games yet struggles against teams that slow down the tempo and when their shots aren't falling which often happens on the road. Not having a true PG on their roster hurts them too, last year's Oregon team was awful when Aaron Brooks was out so them struggling this year with black hole Tajaun Porter should come as no surprise. I'm not a big fan of Ernie Kent either, him along with Romar and Jay John are the remnants of the Lute Olson Pac-10 and their style of play has come and gone.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Went to the game, the crowd wasn't huge, but pretty loud, especially near the end of the game. The Devils didn't play particularly well on the offensive side but played a lights out defensive game.

Last year, the team was excellent defensively, but didn't have anyone who could finish on the offensive end. Now with Harden, they have a shot. He made a huge 3 at the top of the key at the end of shot clock that really keyed the victory.

Prep the bandwagon, they should beat Oregon State Saturday making Wednesday's game against U of A much more interesting, especially if Bayless is out. Go Devils! Great start to the Pac-10 season.

 

[AsUdUdE]

It will be pretty simple really, Oregon's going to shoot over ASU's zone all night.

nice call Mao.....

and BTW as of tonight..... ASU is in 2nd place in the PAC-10....

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

nice call Mao.....

How was my quite wrong exactly? You have no idea what "shooting over a zone" means do you?

And Bayless is probably 50/50 for the ASU game. He was moving around pretty well on the sidelines tonight but there's obviously a difference between celebrating a play and the cutting and movement required for a guard at the major college basketball level. We'll see, he'll probably try it out on Tuesday and a decision will be made from there. UA's not going to push him however, one game against ASU is pretty insignificant when compared to the countless millions Bayless is looking at a couple years down the road.

 

[HooverDam]

I didn't get the chance to listen to most of the game tonight, but it sounded like a great win. ASU has to make sure to take care of business next against a lower tier team like OSU on Saturday.

I'll be pumped if ASU is heading into the UA game 12-2, if they then knocked off UA they'd have some great local momentum and publicity.

Also, ATTENTION:

All ASU football season ticket holders can get 2 free tickets to the ASU-OSU game on Saturday. Take advantage of this folks, bring a couple of friends, get them hooked on ASU hoops.

 

[AZBALLER]

Nice W for ASU. It's the home games against these types of teams (Oregon, Cal, Washington, USC) that will determine ASU's season. They have to to take care of business at home against the middle-tier Pac teams.

Such as au this season.

 

[PoolBoy]

Also, ATTENTION:

All ASU football season ticket holders can get 2 free tickets to the ASU-OSU game on Saturday. Take advantage of this folks, bring a couple of friends, get them hooked on ASU hoops.

and attention:

any football season ticket holders who can't make it, i would be happy to take the tickets! please PM me!

 

[FArting]

We play Oregon State today on FSN Arizona right after the AU vs Oregon game.

 

[HooverDam]

Ah- I'm torn. On the one hand ,I always want UA to lose. On the other, I want them to win, so that if ASU beats them on Wednesday its a bigger upset and helps them.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

UofA lost to Oregon.

ASU playing Oregon St. right now, leading 20-12.

 

[HooverDam]

ASU up at half, but man o man would I like to have seen Christian Polk get some time. ASU keeps going on these long runs of icey cold shooting and they can't throw the ball in the ocean, why not bring in a guy w/ out a conscious like Polk and let him try a heat check from the perimeter. He can also spell Harden better than anyone else on the roster, I'd much rather see him in there over guys like Antwi.

EDIT: ASU wins by 19. Polk doesn't even see garbage time minutes- I wonder if he's in the dog house.

 

[devilalum]

First Place Baby!

 

[ajcardfan]

I see absolutely no indication that this ASU team is going to fall off a cliff any time soon. In fact, they SHOULD get better as the season goes on. Sendek is doing a better job than I expected. I thought it would take three years to get this program competitive for the top half of the PAC 10.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I love how they put teams away by playing strong at the finish. Playing defense and getting blocks when the game is already out of reach, etc. That'll help in closer games.

WTG Devils !!!

 

[sly fly]

Devils look like one of those typical hard-working, fundamentally sound college teams that can win 2-3 games in the NCAA's and take the country by storm... and lose their coach in the process. Sendek is a witch.

Derek Glasser is very important. He's turning into a Chris Corchiani-type for this team. He's heady, solid and hits his free throws.

And, it's obvious James Harden can bail out this team when the shot clock hits 5.

Can't wait to see how he Devils play against UofA, UCLA, Stanford, and Washington St. It's going to get bloody in the PAC this year. Lots of big bodies and slow-down ball.

 

[HooverDam]

I see absolutely no indication that this ASU team is going to fall off a cliff any time soon. In fact, they SHOULD get better as the season goes on. Sendek is doing a better job than I expected. I thought it would take three years to get this program competitive for the top half of the PAC 10.

Don't get your hopes up too much. ASU is still basically a 2 man show w/ Pendergraph and Harden, if either of them go down, ASU is in big trouble. They are very thin up front, if Pendy gets in foul trouble against more talented teams, ASU is also up a creek. If ASU runs into a team w/ one good interior defender and one good perimeter defender, they're in trouble. The Devils need to find a consistent 3rd offensive option, but with the teams youth, that may be hard. Ty Abbott has been ice cold so far in Pac 10 play, and that'll need to change. If Abbott can just stand around the perimeter and nail the open looks that Pendergraphs interior presence and Hardens driving create, it would help a lot.

ASU is still going on long offensive droughts, I wish Sendek would give Polk a chance as a microwave type player off the bench (think Eddie House on the Suns a few years ago), he seems to fit that mold (streaky 3 point shooter, no conscious, etc).

It should be an interesting game against UA on Wednesday, I won't be shocked at all if ASU pulls off the upset. Though I'm not sure who will guard Budinger, he certainly causes match up problems for most teams, including ASU. I wonder if Harden will be on him, he's probably the only ASU wing thats big enough and athletic enough to do it, it'll be interesting to see if that defensive assignment drags on James' offensive production. If Bayless plays, we'll certainly see McMillans scouting report of being a good defensive PG tested. I hope ASU comes out early and feeds Pendy, and tries to get UA in foul trouble, because if they try to start the game w/ perimeter shooting, they may find themselves in an early hole.

 

[ajcardfan]

Don't get your hopes up too much.

I don't think I am. I only said competitive for the top half of the PAC 10, not for the title. You UofA guys know good basketball. Well, we know bad basketball and this ASU team does NOT look like a lock to bottom feed this year. They are very focused and intense on defense, and that will keep them competitive in a lot of games.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Boateng showed some signs today. If he can be a solid player he becomes a great sub for Pendy. Today he made some good layups and got himself in foul trouble.

 

[Nasser22]

I don't think I am. I only said competitive for the top half of the PAC 10, not for the title. You UofA guys know good basketball. Well, we know bad basketball and this ASU team does NOT look like a lock to bottom feed this year. They are very focused and intense on defense, and that will keep them competitive in a lot of games.

He is an ASU guy.



Brian I agree with you...he did show some things today and I do think he can be a quality player. He was an All-American for a reason. Maybe his struggles were due to the lack of playing time the last two years so I believe he'll continue to play better.


6th place and the last Pac-10 team in the NCAA tourney is right there for the taking. I am very curious to see if we can even make it a close game against the top tier Pac-10 teams though.

How long is Harden expected to stay here, btw? Sophomore year?

 

[PoolBoy]

im excited for the UA ASU game.... I think we will give them a good fight.