TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State men's basketball team (5-3) tied the school record for three-point field goals made in a game with 18, defeating the UNLV Rebels (5-3), 97-73, Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena, as ASU is now 62-14 in the past five seasons at home.
Junior Shannon Evans II set the Sun Devils scoring pace, shooting 5-8 beyond the arc with 28 total points, the most he's put up in an ASU uniform. This was the 12th 20+ point game of his career and the third this season.
"Well it was a nice win. Nice to get back on track," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "Wells Fargo has been good to us so far. I thought we had great energy on defense. Our guards picked up the ball sooner than we have in previous games, started applying pressure which helped us get organized with setting our defense. We wanted to be the aggressor. Start developing an identity if we're to start playing smaller lineups.
I think we need to be more of a pressure team. Not that we have to be undisciplined about it, but to make teams work and earn the court, that's part of the reason both Tra and Shannon both scored and played as well as the did on offense, because they were thinking about defense and not as concerned as much with scoring. It was exciting to watch especially in the first half, outside of the fouls and that will happen if you're being aggressive. Not a whole lot of complaints about how the guys competed and played tonight."
SUN DEVIL MOST THREE POINT FIELD GOALS
18 vs. UNLV, Dec. 3, 2016
18 vs. San Francisco, Nov. 20, 2009
17 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 5, 2011
17 vs. Idaho State, Dec. 23, 2008
16 vs. Miami (Ohio), Nov. 12, 2013
15 vs. Citadel, Nov. 23, 2016
Three other Sun Devils finished in double-figures and contributed to the 49.2 percent (32-65) field goal shooting average.
SHANNON EVANS II TOP CAREER SCORING GAMES
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 vs. UNLV (12/3/16)
25 at Ball State (2/4/15)
24 at UT-Arlington (11/18/14)
23 at Western Michigan (1/10/15)
23 at Grand Canyon (11/25/14)
Senior Torian Graham scored 22 points, followed by the Sun Devils' leading scorer sophomore Tra Holder (17.1 ppg) with 20. Holder has scored 20+ points four times this season and 11 times over the span of his Sun Devil career. Freshman Sam Cunliffe added 14 points.
"I knew that we could potentially have these type of shooting games just with the four guards out there and guys that are capable of knocking down shots. We made the extra pass tonight which is nice. 18 assists are a really good number. We moved the ball well and took what the defense gave us."
The Sun Devils dominated the majority of the game, leading for the last 36:58 of the game.
Defensively, the Sun Devils had 19 points off the Rebels' 12 turnovers. They held the Rebels to just 32 points at the half, limiting them to a below-average shooting percentage.
Following tonight's victory, the Sun Devils continue their tough non-conference schedule traveling to New York City for the Jimmy V Classic to take on No. 15 Purdue on Tues, Dec. 6. The game will air on ESPN at 5:00 p.m. MT/7:00 p.m. ET.
BOBBY HURLEY QUOTES
How do you think you guys responded to Obi's foul trouble?
"You never want to see Obi get those. We obviously want him out there. He impacts what we do in a very positive way. We were able to get Jethro in the game sooner and I thought he had a positive influence on the minutes that he had early in the game, just with his presence around the basket. We're really going to need him on Tuesday just with the size that we're up against. It's nice to see him play really well in those minutes."
What's been the biggest hurdle for Jethro?
"Jethro's learning so many new things that he hasn't had to know in the past. His defensive coverages and all the plays that we're running so that he knows what position he needs to be in. And for a lot of freshman, it's a lot to throw at someone. We try and simplify things when he's in there on offense so that he's comfortable. We just want him to be who he is when he's there, a rim protector, and if the guards can find him and then he's ready to finish. And I think the guys are giving him confidence too. So I like what I'm seeing out of Jethro.
What did you see from your lineup of all guards?
"It was a lot of fouls at that point and we don't really have an offense for five guards. I haven't played five guards this year I don't think at all. It became more of just a drive and kick and space the court. We could switch everything on defense then, so that helps. When you're in foul situation you have to juggle it a little bit."
Was there ever any concern that the team couldn't but the Kentucky game behind them?
"You wonder about the psyche of the team. The confidence of the team after something like that. But we practiced really hard and the guys have a lot of pride, and no one wanted that type of result. I thought we might struggle some early in the game on offense. I felt that the guys would perform and outwork our opponent defensively. It was nice to see that we were making shots in addition to the defense that we were playing in the first half."
How's Sam progressing as the season has gone on?
"Sam is going to be great. He rebounded well, seven rebounds tonight, six defensive rebounds which was really good. He hit a big three in the second half and he's going to be a really big impact guy for us. His minutes are going up, he was at 34 minutes tonight. I expect big things in the future with Sam and he's a great weapon for us."
NOTES...
Junior Shannon Evans II set the Sun Devils scoring pace, shooting 5-8 beyond the arc with 28 total points, the most he's put up in an ASU uniform. This was the 12th 20+ point game of his career and the third this season.
"Well it was a nice win. Nice to get back on track," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "Wells Fargo has been good to us so far. I thought we had great energy on defense. Our guards picked up the ball sooner than we have in previous games, started applying pressure which helped us get organized with setting our defense. We wanted to be the aggressor. Start developing an identity if we're to start playing smaller lineups.
I think we need to be more of a pressure team. Not that we have to be undisciplined about it, but to make teams work and earn the court, that's part of the reason both Tra and Shannon both scored and played as well as the did on offense, because they were thinking about defense and not as concerned as much with scoring. It was exciting to watch especially in the first half, outside of the fouls and that will happen if you're being aggressive. Not a whole lot of complaints about how the guys competed and played tonight."
SUN DEVIL MOST THREE POINT FIELD GOALS
18 vs. UNLV, Dec. 3, 2016
18 vs. San Francisco, Nov. 20, 2009
17 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 5, 2011
17 vs. Idaho State, Dec. 23, 2008
16 vs. Miami (Ohio), Nov. 12, 2013
15 vs. Citadel, Nov. 23, 2016
Three other Sun Devils finished in double-figures and contributed to the 49.2 percent (32-65) field goal shooting average.
SHANNON EVANS II TOP CAREER SCORING GAMES
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 vs. UNLV (12/3/16)
25 at Ball State (2/4/15)
24 at UT-Arlington (11/18/14)
23 at Western Michigan (1/10/15)
23 at Grand Canyon (11/25/14)
Senior Torian Graham scored 22 points, followed by the Sun Devils' leading scorer sophomore Tra Holder (17.1 ppg) with 20. Holder has scored 20+ points four times this season and 11 times over the span of his Sun Devil career. Freshman Sam Cunliffe added 14 points.
"I knew that we could potentially have these type of shooting games just with the four guards out there and guys that are capable of knocking down shots. We made the extra pass tonight which is nice. 18 assists are a really good number. We moved the ball well and took what the defense gave us."
The Sun Devils dominated the majority of the game, leading for the last 36:58 of the game.
Defensively, the Sun Devils had 19 points off the Rebels' 12 turnovers. They held the Rebels to just 32 points at the half, limiting them to a below-average shooting percentage.
Following tonight's victory, the Sun Devils continue their tough non-conference schedule traveling to New York City for the Jimmy V Classic to take on No. 15 Purdue on Tues, Dec. 6. The game will air on ESPN at 5:00 p.m. MT/7:00 p.m. ET.
BOBBY HURLEY QUOTES
How do you think you guys responded to Obi's foul trouble?
"You never want to see Obi get those. We obviously want him out there. He impacts what we do in a very positive way. We were able to get Jethro in the game sooner and I thought he had a positive influence on the minutes that he had early in the game, just with his presence around the basket. We're really going to need him on Tuesday just with the size that we're up against. It's nice to see him play really well in those minutes."
What's been the biggest hurdle for Jethro?
"Jethro's learning so many new things that he hasn't had to know in the past. His defensive coverages and all the plays that we're running so that he knows what position he needs to be in. And for a lot of freshman, it's a lot to throw at someone. We try and simplify things when he's in there on offense so that he's comfortable. We just want him to be who he is when he's there, a rim protector, and if the guards can find him and then he's ready to finish. And I think the guys are giving him confidence too. So I like what I'm seeing out of Jethro.
What did you see from your lineup of all guards?
"It was a lot of fouls at that point and we don't really have an offense for five guards. I haven't played five guards this year I don't think at all. It became more of just a drive and kick and space the court. We could switch everything on defense then, so that helps. When you're in foul situation you have to juggle it a little bit."
Was there ever any concern that the team couldn't but the Kentucky game behind them?
"You wonder about the psyche of the team. The confidence of the team after something like that. But we practiced really hard and the guys have a lot of pride, and no one wanted that type of result. I thought we might struggle some early in the game on offense. I felt that the guys would perform and outwork our opponent defensively. It was nice to see that we were making shots in addition to the defense that we were playing in the first half."
How's Sam progressing as the season has gone on?
"Sam is going to be great. He rebounded well, seven rebounds tonight, six defensive rebounds which was really good. He hit a big three in the second half and he's going to be a really big impact guy for us. His minutes are going up, he was at 34 minutes tonight. I expect big things in the future with Sam and he's a great weapon for us."
NOTES...
THREE-POINT NOTE: Entering 2016-17 ASU had made a three-pointer in 522 straight games. The last time ASU did not make a three-pointer was in an 89-57 win over Washington in Tempe on Feb. 10, 2001. That streak is now up to 530 games.
TRA HOLDER 20+ SCORING GAMES
26 at UCLA (1/9/16)
24 vs. #8 Arizona (1/3/16)
24 vs. Cal Poly (11/13/16)
23 vs. Portland State (11/11/16)
22 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
23 vs. CSU-Bakersfield (12/28/15)
22 vs. North Carolina State (11/23/15)
21 at USC (1/7/16)
20 vs. UNLV (12/3/16)
20 vs. #23 USC (2/12/16)
20 vs. Washington State (1/16/16)
SHANNON EVANS II 20-POINT SCORING GAMES
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 vs. UNLV (12/3/16)
25 at Ball State (2/4/15)
24 at UT-Arlington (11/18/14)
23 at Western Michigan (1/10/15)
23 at Grand Canyon (11/25/14)
21 vs. Tulane (11/18/16)
21 at Kent State (2/28/15)
21 at St. Bonaventure (12/3/14)
20 vs. Niagara (12/19/14)
20 vs. Manhattan (12/21/13)
20 vs. Cal Poly (11/13/16)