Watching Friday nights Arizona State basketball game against Nevada, it felt like I was taking in a Sweet 16 contest. Yes, the Sun Devils lost their first game of the season, 72-66, but these are the types of games that help prepare a team for the madness of March.
A neutral court matchup at the Staples Center in LA, with a small crowd, is really no different than playing in Denver or Orlando trying to advance to the Sweet 16. Bobby Hurley has plenty to build on from this one.
Arizona State would have a 12 point halftime lead, 36-24, but the Wolfpack would come out of the break and turn up the heat on both ends of the court. ASU would shoot just 40-percent for the game. Remy Martin would finish 1-10 from the floor. Junior transfer Rob Edwards, seeing his first action of the season, went 0-5, and Kimani Lawerence would foul out of the contest in just 11 minutes.
The Sun Devils offense was powered by Luguentz Dort who finished with 24 points on 9-19 shooting.
Ball protection and missed free throws were an issue too. The Sun Devils would turn the ball over 17 times and shoot just 64-percent from the charity stripe.
Next up for Arizona State, a road game at Georgia, next Saturday afternoon.
