Bobby Hurley’s Arizona State basketball team takes on No. 9 Florida, seeks 7th straight win

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The Arizona State men’s basketball team returns to action after an 11-day layoff. When last on the floor, the Sun Devils dominated San Diego at Desert Financial Arena, 90-53. Over Thanksgiving weekend, ASU was in California and defeated New Mexico and Saint Mary’s in the Acrisure Classic in Palm Springs.

Coach Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devils have faced a difficult nonconference schedule, and this game fits into that category. The Sun Devils will take on SEC contender Florida, which comes in undefeated.

A closer look at the matchup:

Arizona State (8-1) vs. No. 9 Florida (9-0)

Time/Site: Saturday, 1:30 p.m., State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia.

TV/Radio: SEC Network. ESPN 620 AM (KTAR)

The matchup: Florida averages 86.6 points while ASU is at 80 ppg. The Gators are giving up 65 points per game, 45th out of 355 schools while the Sun Devils are giving up 71.1. Florida ranks 32nd in assist-to-turnover ratio while ASU is at 183rd.

Injury updates: ASU backup PG Austin Nunez is out for the season after undergoing foot surgery. He played in just four games before being sidelined. His absence looms large because it leaves only starter Alston Mason as a true point guard, although Adam Miller can fill the role when need be.

Florida is playing without 7-1 center Micah Handlogten, who sustained a broken leg in the SEC tournament last season and will likely redshirt this season.

About the Sun Devils: ASU has won six straight games since losing at Gonzaga. Two areas in which ASU has improved significantly since last season are 3-point shooting and rebounding. The Sun Devils are averaging 39.5% from beyond the arc, with Joson Sanon shooting 54.35% (25-for-46). On the boards ASU is at a plus-3, a vast improvement from last season when it was minus-7. Four players are averaging double figures: Sanon (15.5 ppg), Basheer Jihad (13.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Mason (12 ppg) and B.J. Freeman (12.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) with Miller close (9.4 ppg). Freshman Jayden Quaintance, the youngest player in college basketball, leads…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bobby-hurleys-arizona-state-basketball-182938643.html

Author : AZCentral | The Arizona Republic

Publish date : 2024-12-13 18:29:00

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