YOU CAN CALL IT A COMEBACK: ASU trailed Arizona by seven with 10:10 left in the first half, trailed at Washington by six with 15:40 left in the game, trailed UCLA by with 3:34 left in the first half and trailed USC 51-41 with 9:53 left in the game.
GERRY AS LEADING SCORER: Gerry Blakes with 12 points led the team in scoring for the ninth time on the year. He also led the team at Washington (23), at Washington State (24), vs. Utah (10), at Arizona (9), vs. Harvard (13 along with Shaq McKissic), at Marquette (20), vs. Colgate (23), and vs. Alabama in Kansas City (21).
EJ AS LEADING REBOUNDER:Eric Jacobsen led the Sun Devils with 10 rebounds, the 11th time he has led ASU in rebounding this year. He also did vs. Oregon State (6), vs. Colorado (7), at Oregon State (7), at Arizona (4), at Marquette (10), at Texas A&M (5 with Bo Barnes), vs. UNLV (12), vs. Maryland (7), vs. LMU (11) and vs. Bethune-Cookman (10).
STARTING LINEUP: The starting lineup of Gerry Blakes, Savon Goodman, Tra Holder, Eric Jacobsen and Shaq McKissic has gone 7-2.
ERIC JACOBSEN DOUBLE-DIGIT REBOUNDS: Eric Jacobsen's 10 rebounds was a Pac-12 career-best.
12 vs. UNLV (12/3/14)
11 vs. LMU (11/20/14)
10 vs. USC (2/22/15)
10 at Marquette (12/16/14)
10 vs. Bethune-Cookman (11/17/14
TRA HOLDER TOP SCORING GAMES: Tra Holder notched double-digits for the seventh time in the past 10 games.
16 vs. Oregon (1/30/15)
15 vs. #6 Arizona (2/7/15)
14 at Washington State (2/13/15)
13 vs. UCLA (2/18/15)
10 vs. USC (2/22/15
10 vs. Oregon State (1/28/15)
10 vs. Colorado (1/17/15)
WINNING WHEN THE SHOT ISN'T GOING IN: ASU is now 3-8 this year when it shoots worse from the field than its opponents, with wins vs. USC, Oregon State and Pepperdine. ASU's 19-of-58 (.328) shooting is the second-worst shooting percentage in a win under Coach Sendek. In the previous four seasons, it was 3-49 when it shot worse from the field than the opponent.
SUN DEVIL LOWEST SHOOTING PERCENTAGE IN ASU WIN UNDER COACH SENDEK
ASU 53 (16-56/.286), @Arizona 47 (14-47/.298)—Jan. 21, 2009
ASU 64 (19-58/.328), USC 59 (25-55/.455)—Feb. 22, 2015
ASU 60 (15-44/.341), North Dakota State 57 (21-58/.362)—Dec. 10, 2011
ASU 56 (20-57/.351), North Carolina A&T 50 (20-57/.351)—Dec. 23, 2010
ASU 64 (19-54/.352), Cornell 53 (19-54/.352)—Nov. 20, 2012
CLOSE GAMES: After losing its first five games of six points or less, ASU is 4-2 in its past six games in that category.
GAMES OF SIX POINTS OR LESS
ASU 65, USC 59 (Feb. 22, 2015)
ASU 68, UCLA 66 (Feb. 18, 2015)
@Washington State 74, ASU 71 (Feb. 13, 2015)
ASU 81, #6 Arizona 78 (Feb. 7, 2015)
Oregon 68, ASU 67, OT (Jan. 30, 2015)
ASU 78, Colorado 72 (Jan. 17 2015)
@Oregon 59, ASU 56 (Jan. 10, 2015)
Lehigh 84, ASU 81, 3 OT (Dec. 20, 2014)
@Texas A&M 72, ASU 71 (Dec. 6, 2014)
Alabama 76, ASU 71 @CBE/Kansas City (Nov. 25, 2014)
Maryland 78, ASU 73 @CBE/Kansas City (Nov. 24, 2014)
WORST SHOOTING NIGHTS BY ASU UNDER COACH SENDEK AT HOME
.302/16-53 vs. Arizona (Jan. 23, 2010)
.317/19-60 vs. #13 Oregon (Feb. 8, 2007)
.321/17-53 vs. Washington (Jan. 24, 2008)
.328/19-58 vs. USC (Feb. 22, 2015)
GET THE REBOUND: In the past four games ASU is outrebounding its opponents 164-114, including 59-26 on offensive glass which has resulted in second-chance scoring 63-30 in ASU's favor. ASU had 16 offensive boards Sunday vs. USC and had 15 second-chance points in the second half. Wednesday vs. UCLA ASU had 12 offensive boards and outscored UCLA 17-9 in second chance points, including 10 second-chance points after halftime.
REMINDER THIS GUY COULDN'T PLAY THE FIRST NINE GAMES: After not playing in a college hoops game for 635 days and missing the first nine games this year after transferring, sophomore Savon Goodman in the past five games is averaging 14.2 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 31-of-46 (.674) from the field. He posted 18 points off the bench in the 89-70 loss at Stanford on Jan. 17 and had 15 vs. No. 6 Arizona on Feb. 7 (7-of-9 shooting) to go along with nine rebounds. At Washington State he had career-high 14 rebounds, and then he went bonkers at Washington on Feb. 15 with 19 points and 13 rebounds prior to doing nearly the same Feb. 18 vs. UCLA with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
USC SERIES: ASU has now won five of the past six against USC...under Coach Sendek ASU is 7-1 vs. USC at Ned Wulk Court, with the only Trojan win happening on Jan. 27, 2011 (63-61)...Coach Sendek is 9-9 vs. USC since coming to ASU.
COACH SENDEK VS. TROJANS (9-9/7-1 at ASU)
ASU 64, USC 59/Feb. 22, 2015
ASU 79, @USC 60/Jan. 2, 2014
@USC 56, ASU 57/Mar. 2, 2013
ASU 98, USC 83 (OT)/Jan. 24, 2013
ASU 56, USC 52/Feb. 25, 2012
ASU 62, @USC 53/Jan. 5, 2012
@USC 62, ASU 46/Feb. 26, 2011
USC 63, ASU 61/Jan. 27, 2011
ASU 59, USC 54/Mar. 4, 2010
@USC 47, ASU 37/Jan. 2, 2010
USC 66, ASU 63 (Pac-12)/Mar. 14, 2009
ASU 65, USC 53/Feb. 15, 2009
@USC 61, ASU 49/Jan. 15, 2009
USC 59, ASU 55 (Pac-12)/Mar. 13, 2008
ASU 80, USC 66/Mar. 1, 2008
@USC 67, ASU 53/Feb. 2, 2008
ASU 68, USC 58/Feb. 18, 2007
@USC 58, ASU 49/Jan. 20, 2007
THIS KID IS COMING ON: In the past seven games freshman Tra Holder is averaging 35.6 minutes, 12.3 points, five assists and is shooting 33-of-42 (.786) from the free throw line.
KEEP THIS IN MIND: ASU is averaging 72.9 points per game in the past 10 games (7-3) after averaging 52.8 in first four Pac-12 games (0-4). Those first four Pac-12 games weren't exactly a walk-in-the park. ASU played at Arizona, at Oregon State, at Oregon and then hosted Utah.
GOOD AFTER RECESS: In the past five games ASU is averaging 39.6 second-half points. ASU had 49 total points in its 73-49 loss to Arizona on Jan. 4 but had 40 in the Feb. 7 win vs. the Wildcats.
CAN CLEAN THIS UP: ASU has had less turnovers than its opponent in just two Pac-12 games this year, when it had 11 at Cal and the Bears posted 19. ASU won 79-44. It had 11 and USC had 15 in the 64-59 Sun Devil win Feb. 22.
REMINDER: ASU is 3-6 in games of five points or less. In the two Oregon losses (59-56 and 68-67), ASU went 22-of-41 from the free throw line, while the Ducks were 22-of-28. Its two wins in those games mentioned included two darn good ones, as it beat Arizona 81-78 on Feb. 7 and beat UCLA 68-66 on Feb. 18.
BOMBS AWAY: Who are the best three-point shooters in Pac-12 history? Steve Kerr comes to mind. Rightfully so. Jason Kapono. Casey Jacobsen. Eddie House. Names and numbers roll of the tongue from Pullman to Tucson. But who are the best who ALSO shot the MOST? Research by Sun Devil communications student assistant Cal Aboud with help from other media relations people around the league produced this list of best percentages with 600 attempts (40 percent or above). Why 600 attempts? Because it is our list, and Jon Gilling just passed 600 attempts. It might feel like a manufactured baseball stat, but it is pretty darn good. Anytime you are on a list of shooters and are ahead of Klay Thompson, Damon Stoudamire and CJ Wilcox, that doesn’t stink. So below is the list.
BEST PAC-12 THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE PAC-12 HISTORY (MINIMUM 600 ATTEMPTS)
Jason Kapono, UCLA (1999-2002)/317-710 (.464)
Salim Stoudamire, Arizona (2001-2005)/342-747 (.458)
Jon Gilling, Arizona State (2011-2015)/252-620 (.406)
Jerome Randle, California (2007-10)/252-622 (.405)
Rihards Kuksiks, Arizona State (2007-2011)/280-696 (.402)
Damon Stoudamire, Arizona (1991-1995)/272-683 (.402)
MOVING UP WITH SOME GREAT NAMES: When Jon Gilling took the floor vs. USC, it was his 125th game in a Sun Devil uniform. Only five Sun Devils five appeared in more games: Derek Glasser (131/2006-10), Ty Abbott (130/2007-11), Jerren Shipp (129/2006-10) and Jeff Pendergraph (126/2005-09). Also, Jon is closing in on the 1,000 point mark, as he has 978 career points.
QUIETLY GETTING BETTER: In his past 10 games freshman Tra Holder is averaging 10.9 points and has made 46-of-57 (.807) of his free throws. He posted a career-best 16 points vs. Oregon on Jan. 30, and and set career-best with eight assists (and 15 points) vs. #6 Arizona on Feb. 7 in the 81-78 win going against arguably the nation's best point guard in T.J. McConnell. How good was his 15 points and eight assists vs. Arizona on Feb. 7? Jahii Carson was one of the best freshmen point guards in the Pac-12 the past decade. He did that in a Pac-12 game once in his freshman year (21/8 vs. USC on Jan. 24, 2013). Derek Glasser, a four-year starter at point guard who is the Sun Devil career record holder for games played (131), assists (551) and free throw percentage (.838) and is the only Sun Devil with 1,000 career points and 500 assists, never had eight assists in a game in his freshman season (2006-07) and scored 15 points twice all season. Tra had another solid game with 14 points in 38 minutes at Washington State Friday and had 13 points and seven assists vs. UCLA.
TRA HOLDER COMPARSIONS FIRST FOUR PAC-12 GAMES/PAST 10
MINUTES PG: 20.5/33.2
FGM-A: 0-7 (.000)/27-71 (.380)
3PM-A: 0-3 (.000)/9-25 (.360)
FTM-A: 6-10 (.600)/46-57 (.807)
ASST-TO: 8-9/49-32
PPG: 1.5/10.9
NOT BAD COMPANY: Here is a look at how Tra Holder's freshman season compares to Derek Glasser (2006-10), a four-year starter at point guard who is the Sun Devil career record holder for games played (131), assists (551) and free throw percentage (.838) and is the only Sun Devil with 1,000 career points and 500 assists.
DEREK GLASSER (2006-07)/TRA HOLDER (2014-15)
MPG: 27.9/25.0
FG PCT: .345/.336
FT PCT: .778/.726
ASSISTS: 97/86
PPG: 6.3/6.9