Sun Devil Basketball 17-18

[Russ Smith]

Regardless of how this game turns out, it has been the most lopsided officiated gamer I have witnessed... Whether it's phantom "lane violation" or random technical fouls that were NEVER explained, I just don't see how any objective observer can say this game has been officiated correctly...

I understand in College basketball refs are hired by the conference and therefore a game that is exclusively on the conference network, if they want to keep getting hired they need to make sure the PAC-12 Powerhouses win at home, but honestly, this was ridiculous...

Hurley is about to have an aneurism and I don't blame him... This is a embarrassment to the PAC-12 reputation..

The problem with the lane violation is that while Mitchell was in first he wasn't the only guy in, we've talked about that on UCLA boards for 2 years now Trier "pumpfakes" before he shoots his FT. It's part of his ritual but it is very tough to call that violation on the shooter so he gets away with it.

I still have no idea what happened on the T, the announcer was saying something about it trying to compare it to the one on Ayton but that was obvious he intentionally elbowed a player standing there on a dead ball, this other one we never saw.

I thought the 2 biggest plays of the game were when ASU had the lead and Trier drove in and they called a foul on White that clearly wasn't a foul, even Muehlbach said it wasn't remotely a foul, ASU had all the momentum then and that call just gave Trier 2 points. But the big play was the steal by Holder where Trier got back and made him miss and then ASU missed a point blank putback as well, that was a huge play it would have tied the game up and UA pulled away a bit after that.

Ayton was unreal but I have to agree with the announcers, the Pac 12 refs are going to have to pay close attention to him he's so long and so athletic that I think they allowed at least 2 and maybe 3 offensive interferences on his putbacks because he gets the ball so high, the ref forgets that it's still in the cylinder and he can't touch it.

Great game. To be fair, Hurley could have been given a T about a dozen times and wasn't.

Most entertaining game I've seen all year, can't wait for the mid Feb rematch

 

[Russ Smith]

You proved yourself a team to be reckoned with weeks ago. Tonight's result does not change that.

I will say, however, if I'm an ASU fan, and knowing that the stakes are higher for this season, here would be my concerns:

• How successful can the team be playing small all season? Even lesser talented teams with elite with great bigs can eat ASU alive.
• How often can the team get down by double digits and rely on frenetic scoring to get itself back into games?
• How does ASU handle the pressure of having the bullseye on its back? It's easy to win games when you fly under the radar, but ask any Arizona fan, and you'll know that teams play you a little harder when you are the hunted.

I don't think ASU is actually all that small it's just when you play Arizona it's like a college team vs a pro team because Arizona has 2 legit 7 footers on the court at the same time.

White is plenty big enough, as is Lake and Mitchell surprised me last night he was a very hyped recruit but as a point forward, he actually played a pretty tough game 10 and 7 against that front line was.

UCLA has 2 bigs too but they're both largely finesse guys and I doubt ASU is going to have anywhere near as much trouble with them as they did with Ayton and Ristic.

Arizona won IMO because they did a very good job on Justice and Evans, it's tough to win when those 2 combine to go 5-20. I thought Miller also made a very smart change at the half, in the first half it was quite common to see Trier on Holder and Tra was just blowing by him getting into the lane at will, in the 2nd half that matchup rarely happened, they didn't stop Holder of course but it was a much better matchup with PJC or Alkins on him and it allowed Trier to get going offensively because he wasn't chasing Holder

 

[devilalum]

Devils aren't that small. Xavier and Kansas both have quality bigs and they didn't have a problem. Everybody looks outmatched next to Ayton.

Devils had a chance with one minute to go in McKale. Not the outcome I wanted but I'm still super psyched going forward. Devils have as good a chance of winning the Pac as any other team.

 

[gmabel830]

http://tucson.com/sports/arizonawil...cle_e6ce064a-edf0-11e7-85db-f760f2b202f1.html

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[gimpy]

Brought back down to earth. Now, let's start a new win streak.

 

[GatorAZ]

http://tucson.com/sports/arizonawil...cle_e6ce064a-edf0-11e7-85db-f760f2b202f1.html

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

No Salim?

 

[devilalum]

Devils are really good but they're not dominant like some of the big schools from past years. Cool thing is nobody seems really dominant this year. I like their chances in the Pac and the tournament.

Their highest rated recruit in a while hasn't even played yet.

http://www.thesundevils.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5201

Also Mickey and this kid make the Devils deeper starting Pac play.

 

[devilalum]

http://tucson.com/sports/arizonawil...cle_e6ce064a-edf0-11e7-85db-f760f2b202f1.html

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Sure they've had some good guards but Harden is better than any of them.

 

[TJ]

Sure they've had some good guards but Harden is better than any of them.

One guard does not make a program; otherwise, Davidson, Weber State, and Lower Marion high school would be considered legit producers of talent.

 

[devilalum]

One guard does not make a program; otherwise, Davidson, Weber State, and Lower Marion high school would be considered legit producers of talent.

How did you get that from what I said?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TJ]

How did you get that from what I said?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Because the reason Arizona made that video was in response to ASU's "Guard U" moniker, which is largely taken from what Harden is doing in the pros. While Harden is the better player, UofA has churned out far more guards than ASU.

 

[devilalum]

Because the reason Arizona made that video was in response to ASU's "Guard U" moniker, which is largely taken from what Harden is doing in the pros. While Harden is the better player, UofA has churned out far more guards than ASU.

Maybe but this still has nothing to do with what I said.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ronin]

Doug Haller
@DougHaller

Per @BovadaLV, Arizona State's odds to win the national championship have improved from 100/1 to 20/1 over the last month. Eighth-best odds behind MSU, Duke, Villanova, Arizona (9/1), Kentucky, Kansas and Wichita State.

 

[devilalum]

Evans has absolutely sucked the last two games.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Woohoo !! Finally at full strength. Go Devils !!

What freshman Kimani Lawrence should bring to No. 4 ASU basketball

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-colorado-kimani-lawrence-forward/1001797001/

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Ugh. Going to lose to 8-6 Colorado.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Devils still suffer from what they’ve have been suffering from for years now... No athletic bigs who can impact the game down low... So if they are hitting shots from deep, they just can’t compete. UofA certainly exposes this and tonight they’re getting killed on the glass...

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Overtime.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Devils getting worked on the boards... Piss poor shooting and no legit presence down low makes it really tough to win a game, particularly on the road...

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Devils getting worked on the boards... Piss poor shooting and no legit presence down low makes it really tough to win a game, particularly on the road...

Yep.

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

2nd loss in a row

 

[devilalum]

Crapped the bed tonight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[82CardsGrad]

0 & 2 in PAC-12 play... Tough start... Ugh...

 

[Bert]

Well that was a bummer... Evans and Justice were pretty much non-factors.

 

[Shaggy]

0 & 2 in PAC-12 play... Tough start... Ugh...

Ugh is right. Did UofA kill their mental momentum? Are they just not really that good? I'm surprised they are still in the top 5 with an 0-2 conference record.