By Cal Aboud, SDA Media Relations Student Assistant
TEMPE, AZ – Four Sun Devils scored in double-figures, as the Arizona State men’s basketball team defeated Stephen F. Austin 80-73, Tuesday afternoon, to improve to 9-3 on the season.
The Sun Devils fired on all cylinders offensively shooting 49 percent (25-51) from the field, 33.3 percent (8-24) from beyond the arc, and 73.3 percent (22-30) from the charity stripe.
Forward Willie Atwood finished in double-figures for the eighth time this season, recording a career-high 18 points while grabbing four rebounds.
WILLIE ATWOOD'S TOP SCORING GAMES
18 vs. SF Austin 12/22/15
15 vs. #18 Texas A&M 12/5/15
14 vs. UNLV 12/16/15
14 vs. Creighton 12/2/15
13 vs. Houston Baptist 12/19/15
Sophomore Tra Holder scored 18 points, while posting a game-high eight rebounds. Holder has now scored in double-figures in five-consecutive games.
Gerry Blakes added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Obinna Oleka led all players off the bench with 12.
Bobby Hurley's squad who entered the game outrebounding its opponents by 7.2 per game, finished with a +5 advantage (35-30) on the boards, notching 20 second-chance points on 11 offensive rebounds.
Atwood set the tone for the contest, opening play hitting a contested three, as the Sun Devils jumped out of the gates on a 10-2 run. The Lumberjacks were quick to respond, outscoring the Sun Devils 20-9 over a seven-minute span, moving to a 20-19 lead at the 10:01 mark.
Arizona State would retain the lead 24-22, at 8:02, off an emphatic dunk from Oleka, and would play ahead the remainder of the contest. The Sun Devils would ultimately head into the half with a seven-point advantage leading 41-34.
Oleka led the Sun Devils in scoring during the period with nine, Gerry Blakes recorded eight, while Holder, Atwood, and Andre Spight each added six respectively.
The Sun Devils would continue to build on their lead early in the second half as Tra Holder opened the period with up and under, and-1. Holder would remain hot scoring 12 in the half, while having a hand in 6-of-7 initial Sun Devil scoring processions, out of the break.
After a layup by Holder at the 17:11 mark would move the Sun Devils out to their largest lead of the contest, 50-38, Stephen F. Austin would battle back.
On an 8-3 run, a Lumberjack free throw at 1:03 would move cut the Sun Devils lead to 73-70. Searching for a score, Holder in transition was fouled garnering a flagrant one. A pair of foul shots from Holder and later Atwood would be prove to be enough for the Sun Devils, capping an 80-73 win and Arizona State’s third-consecutive victory.
Up next, the Sun Devils will close their non-conference slate, hosting CSU Bakersfield Mon., Dec. 28, at 7:00 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on the Pax-12 Sports Network. Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd have the Sun Devil radio call on the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network (98.7 FM), presented by MidFirst Bank.
Coached by former Ole Miss head coach Rod Barnes, Cal State Bakersfield won at California on Dec. 28 last year, and the Roadrunners have made improvements since joining the WAC in the summer of 2013.
POSTGAME QUOTES...
ASU ASSISTANT COACH RASHON BURNO
On the teams identity:
“We are a connected group. We have really good parts who can score the ball, who are individually good, but as a group we are better. We preach to our guys to be a more connected team and have a high level of awareness that we are better when we share the ball and we do the things that impact winning.”
On the guards rebounding:
“Especially with teams that shoot long threes, we tell our guards you have to get in and help. The last two or three games our guards have done a tremendous job of getting back and putting their body into play to try and get loose balls.”
On the growth of Tra Holder’s game:
“He is a different player and I think it starts with his confidence. Coach Hurley has done a really good job instilling confidence in him and give Tra (Holder) credit. He spends a lot of time on the court and also in film. I think that has been the maturation of his game. He is now seeing it at a different speed.”
SF AUSTIN HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD
“We fought. We were challenged with a very good basketball team. It’s remarkable the job that Bobby Hurley has done in one years time turning a team that wasn’t very tough into a team that is pretty tough. I commend him for that. They’ve been in a lot of big games. We just didn’t get a stop when we needed one. They’re to be commended for that. (Tra) Holder has turned into a terrific player. I thought our kids really fought and got some clean looks, we just didn’t make them when we normally make them. But that’s the way the ball bounces and I was proud of our team to come on the road, and we hadn’t been tested in a couple weeks, to seem some resolve and some fight.”