December 3, 1998
ASU vs. UNLV: Arizona State (2-4), under first-year coach Rob Evans, takes on 1998 Western Athletic Conference Tournament Champion UNLV on Sat., Dec. 5, at Phoenix's America West Arena. ASU is 0-1 at AWA, losing to Boston College 78-74 on Dec. 5, 1993. Tickets are available by calling 602-379-7800. ASU and UNLV have met once, with ASU topping the Rebels 84-81 on March 20, 1975, in the NCAA Tournament in Portland. ASU's non-conference schedule includes four teams (Northern Arizona, Utah, UNLV and Navy) which advanced to the 1998 NCAA Tournament.
The Sun Devils are led by junior Eddie House, who is averaging 19.3 points. ASU is shooting just 36.5 percent from the floor on the year and is getting its scoring from House (19.3 ppg) and 6-9 forward Bobby Lazor (16.7), who are combining to average 36 points. House, who broke his jaw on Oct. 22 in practice and had his mouth wired for the first six games, had the wiring removed on Wednesday (Dec. 2). Even with the difficult breathing, House played all 45 minutes of the OT loss to Kansas State and scored a career-high 36 points. He leads the team in minutes per game with 37.5.
AN ADDITION: Freshman guard Kenny Crandall, who missed the first 3 1/2 games of the season due to an NCAA Clearinghouse matter, is averaging 23.0 minutes in his first three games - the 6-4 Crandall has played 69 minutes and has just one turnover - when he became eligible early last week, he took a flight to Maui on Monday, Nov. 23, but was laid over at the San Francisco Airport and rather than take a chance of not waking up at a hotel, he slept on the airport floor - arrived in Maui at 10:45 a.m. on Tues., Nov. 24, took the hour drive to the Lahaina Civic Center, got dressed and played 10 minutes in an 84-80 overtime loss to Kansas State in the second half despite not practicing with the team - the Sun Devils' losses to Kansas State and New Orleans match his high school total, as his Mesa (Ariz.) Mountain View High School squad lost just one game in each of the past two seasons - Crandall played 31 minutes off the bench the next day (Nov. 25) and had nine points, four assists and four rebounds vs. Chaminade - his first practice with the team was Friday, Nov. 27.
A SUBTRACTION: Okeme Oziwo's comeback from major injuries has been stalled, as he sprained both his right knee and right ankle in practice on Nov. 31 and missed the New Orleans game. Oziwo is expected to miss both the UNLV (Dec.5) and Stephen F. Austin (Dec.8) games. When Okeme Oziwo started vs. San Jose St., it was his first start since Feb. 24, 1996, and his first action since Jan. 6, 1997, when he played just over five minutes vs. Chaminade. Oziwo played in 22 games (started in 12) in his freshman year (1995-96), and redshirted in 1996-97 after playing three games with stress fractures. In August of 1997, he was involved in a car accident which sidelined him for the year. His injuries included a mangled left arm, a separated pelvis, a fractured left femur (big bone in thigh), broken left fibula (small bone in leg) and broken fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand. Oziwo posted six points and six boards in 20 minutes in his return on Nov. 13. Through the first five games, Oziwo averaged 18 minutes, 4.4 points and four rebounds.
THROUGH SIX GAMES: Bobby Lazor has already attempted 58 free throws, an average of 9.7 attempts - Chad Prewitt is the only Sun Devil starter who has scored in double figures other than Lazor or House, as he had 12 points and eight boards vs. New Orleans - only Jason Patton, who scored 12 points off the bench against Utah, has notched double digits other than Prewitt, House or Lazor - Rob Evans has used three starting lineups in six games - ASU has outrebounded four teams after outrebounding just six all of last year - ASU has shot under 40 percent in four games - ASU topped San Jose State 68-49 on Nov. 13, the fewest points by an ASU opponent since Feb. 25, 1995, (a span of 96 games) when ASU topped Oregon State 82-44 - ASU'S 47 points vs. New Orleans was the fewest points since a 61-47 loss in Tempe to Oregon State on Jan. 30, 1992, a span of 199 games.
EVANS' STYLE: Rob Evans' Ole Miss team ranked 13th in the nation and second in the SEC last year in rebounding margin at +6.6 per game - no Ole Miss player was in the top 30 in rebounding and its top rebounder notched 7.7 per game - Ole Miss held opponents to just 30 percent from the three-point stripe, the best mark in the SEC - Evans is 27-16 (.628) in December in his career - an interesting note is that Evans will face 30 new opponents this year, as he has yet to coach against any of ASU's 1998-99 opponents - Evans is 44-20 (.688) in the past three seasons - Evans has won 36 of his past 39 home games and has won 12 of his past 18 games decided by less than 10 points - Ole Miss held opponents to just 40.6 percent from the field last year.
ROB EVANS: Rob Evans (88-85/.509) is in his first season (seventh overall) as the 12th head basketball coach at Arizona State after being hired on April 7, 1998. The 1997 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year spent six seasons at Mississippi, compiling an 86-81 (.515) record. He led the Rebels to a 42-16 record in his final two seasons, winning two SEC West titles, and led Ole Miss to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1937-38. The 52-year old Evans is a 1968 graduate of New Mexico State, where he captained two NCAA Tournament teams, is a 1989 inductee of the NMSU Athletic Hall of Fame and was named to the school's All-Time Basketball team.
SCHOLARSHIP HONORS EVANS: The New Mexico State African American Alumni Association has presented its first scholarship in the name of NMSU Hall of Famer Rob Evans. The Rob Evans Scholarship Fund is being given to the university to assist with the recruitment and retention of African American students. Evans, a native of Hobbs, N.M., is a 1968 graduate of NMSU with a bachelors degree in Education.
COACHES VS. CANCER: Rob Evans and ASU basketball have made a commitment to Coaches Vs. Cancer and the IKON 3-Point Attack, as everytime an ASU player hits a three-pointer donations are made to the Southwest Division of the American Cancer Society. Fans are urged to donate an amount for each three-pointer made (counting the 18 made in the two exhibitions). ASU has made 42 three-pointers in 1998-99, and Rob Evans, with his personal $5 donation per shot, owes the American Cancer Society $210.
SWEET: Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 in 1985, six Pac-10 teams have reached the Sweet Sixteen, including all six in the past four years. Arizona (1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998), UCLA (1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998), California (1993, 1997), Stanford (1997, 1998), Washington (1998) and ASU (1995).
HOUSEKEEPING: Junior Eddie House (Union City, Calif.) has been ASU's leading scorer through six games, despite playing with a broken jaw and his mouth wired - averaging 19.3 points and 2.3 steals - 13-of-32 (.406) from the 3-point arc - led ASU with 22 points in Nov. 13 vs. San Jose State - had a career-high 31 points vs. Kansas State on Nov. 24 - also had 26 points vs. Chaminade on Nov. 25 - has 213 assists and 103 turnovers through 68 games in his career, a 2.07-to-1 ratio - has played 24 turnover-free games in his career, averaging 30.7 minutes - 1997-98 notes: Had a team-leading 64 steals (2.0 per game) and 91 assists (2.91) and had just 43 turnovers - had 22 points vs. No. 2 Kansas on Nov. 26, 1997 - had 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting vs. Eastern Michigan on Dec. 28 - hit game-winning three-pointer at Washington State on Jan. 11 - had 22 points at UCLA on March 5 - 1996-97 notes: Mike Bibby and House were the only Pac-10 players to notch 50 three-pointers, 50 steals and 100 assists in 1996-97 - posted 59 steals (ASU frosh record) and hit 57 three-pointers and dished out 108 assists, the second-best amount by an ASU freshman.
STREAK CONTINUES: The last time ASU did not make a three-pointer in a game was Jan. 10, 1987 vs. USC (0-of-3) in a 66-62 Trojan win in Tempe, the 12th game of the 1986-87 season. ASU has made a three-pointer in 351 straight games since then.
1999 NCAA WEST REGIONAL ACTION: Arizona State and America West Arena will host the 1999 West Regional on March 18 (Thursday) and 20 (Saturday), the first West Regional to be held in Arizona. First- and second-round games will be played in Seattle and Denver. Those wanting tickets can call the NCAA ticket line at 602-727-2695. Cost is $90 for the entire session. ASU has hosted first- and second-round games at the former University Activity Center on five occasions: 1975, 1978, 1980, 1992 and 1996.
LAZOR: ASU's Bobby Lazor (Norwich, N.Y.) ranked in the Pac-10 leaders in six categories last year - the 1998-99 Playboy Anson Mount Scholar-Athlete of the Year - notched 14 points and seven boards in Nov. 13 San Jose State win - had 22 points and seven boards vs. NAU - a top candidate for Academic All-American as a business major with a 3.6 GPA - earned GTE Academic All-District VIII honors - 1997-98 notes: Named as the Pac-10's top non-freshman newcomer (Fred Hessler Award) - ranked 12th in scoring (16.8), sixth in rebounding (7.8), third in field goal % (.558), fifth in blocks per game (1.22), third in "double-doubles" (11) and tenth in free throw % (.777) - posted 13 20-point games - an honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick - first-team Pac-10 All-Academic - second-team All-Pac-10 pick according to Basketball Weekly - averaged 8.9 rebounds in Pac-10 - had 13 double-figure rebounding games - named Tribune Classic MVP after averaging 24.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games - had a career-high 16 boards vs. USC on Jan. 3 - had 22 points and 14 boards at No. 4 Stanford on Jan. 31 - posted 32 points (12-of-20 shooting) in Feb. 7 win over UW - had 20 points and 10 boards vs. UA on Feb. 14.
ADD THREE: ASU has added three walkons from its media guide roster. The three additions are: Jeremy Ivener (Sioux City, Iowa), Brian O'Neal (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Nick Montefour (Hazelton, Pa.). Ivener dressed for the New Orleans game and had uniform number 45. He is a 6-7, 230-pound sophomore who attended Sioux City North High School. He is a computer science major who averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game in high school.
QUICK HITTERS: The last ASU opponent to score 100 points in Tempe was Arizona on Feb. 27, 1988, when it topped ASU 101-73. The current streak of an ASU opponent not scoring 100 points in Tempe stands at 174 games - ASU outrebounded just six opponents (Wagner, La Salle, Eastern Michigan, UCLA, Oregon and Cal) last year - the Sun Devils have won nine straight home openers, last losing the 1989 opener to BYU 65-64 - ASU's win at No. 4 Stanford on Jan. 31, 1998, marked the first time since 1980-81 that the Sun Devils topped a top five opponent on the road. No. 5 ASU topped then unbeaten and top-ranked Oregon State 87-67 on March 7, 1981, the final day of the regular season - ASU led the Pac-10 in FT % (.746) and assists per game (19.97) - Mike Batiste was 10-of-20 (.500) from the three-point stripe in Pac-10 play last year and became the fourth Sun Devil to lead the league in blocks per game with 1.59 per game, 51 overall.
HOUSE ON STEALS LIST: Junior Eddie House, who has led ASU in steals in his first two seasons, already has 137 steals. House had 59 in his rookie year, an ASU frosh record, and then had 64 last year. A look at House on the ASU career steals list:
Rk. Name (Years) Steals 4. Jeremy Veal (1994-98) 158 5. Byron Scott (1979-83) 150 6. Marcell Capers (1992-95) 141 7. Eddie House (1996-present) 137
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Basketball publications picked ASU anywhere from sixth to eighth in the Pac-10. A look at the predictions: The Sporting News and Blue Ribbon (8th), Street & Smith's and Lindy's (7th), Athlon, Dick Vitale and Basketball News (6th), and the Pac-10 Media predicted ASU would tie Oregon for sixth.
FOX SPORTS ARIZONA: Fox Sports Arizona will originate 16 games this year. FSPAZ also will produce nine pregame shows: Nov. 13 (San Jose St.), Nov. 17 (NAU), Dec. 1 (New Orleans), Jan. 7 (Washington), Jan. 14 (Arizona), Jan. 28 (California), Feb. 18 (Oregon), Feb. 20 (Oregon St.) and March 4 (UCLA). Tom Dillon and ASU great Lafayette "Fat" Lever (1979-82) call the action.
EVANS ALUMNI LUNCHEONS: The remaining ASU Alumni Luncheons will be held on Dec. 15, Jan. 12 and Feb. 17 at McDuffy's (230 West 5th Street) in Tempe. The luncheons are from noon-1 p.m. and are $10 per person. Call 965-5041 for more information.