The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-12; 3-6) travel to Oregon to face the No. 13 Oregon Ducks on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m. PT with Aaron Goldsmith and Casey Jacobsen on the Fox Sports 1 call and then head to Corvallis for a Saturday 3 p.m. PT tilt against the Oregon State Beavers, with Guy Haberman and Eldridge Recasner on the call for the Pac-12 Network. Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd have the call on the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network, presented by MidFirst (98.7 FM on Thursday). ASU makes its first trip to Oregon since Jan. 8-10, 2015, as the teams face each other only once this year and just once last year.
FINAL FOUR: ASU and Glendale/Phoenix host the 2017 Final Four, the first Final Four held west of Texas since Seattle in 1995. It will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals. The 2017 Final Four also marks the 25th anniversary of Bobby Hurley earning 1992 MOP.
NOTES VS. DUCKS: ASU is 7-7 overall against the Ducks in past 14 meetings...the Ducks and ASU split a pair in 2013-14, but Oregon swept the series in 2014-15 and then won the lone meeting last year 91-74 in Tempe...ASU is 9-10 against UO in past 10 years, going 3-6 in Eugene, 5-3 in Tempe and 0-1 in the Pac-10 Tournament.
NOTES VS. BEAVERS: ASU has won six of the past nine and 12 of the past 15 in the series...ASU and OSU meet for the 86th time with the Sun Devils holding a narrow 43-42 edge in the series...the teams split last year with ASU winning 86-68 in Tempe (Jan. 28) and Oregon State winning 75-66 in the Pac-12 Tournament (Mar. 9)...ASU shot .593 (32-of-54) in the win, but was just 22-of-61 (.361) in the loss.
QUICK HITTERS: The 81.7 points per game posted by ASU is its best since the 1997-98 squad averaged 84.5, as ASU ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring and third in free throw shooting (.748). ASU is averaging just 11.0 turnovers (third in the league) and 9.9 three-pointers made, second in the Pac-12.
SEASON RESET: ASU zig-zagged across North America three times (Orlando, Bahamas and New York City) and got solid road wins at San Diego State (Dec. 10) and Stanford (Dec. 30)...Sun Devils returned two starters (Tra Holder and Obi Oleka) and four total lettermen from last year that posted eight wins against top-100 RPI teams in Bobby Hurley's first season...four players average at least 13 ppg...five players average at least 28 minutes...Obi Oleka is one of four Pac-12 players averaging a double-double (13.1 ppg./10.6 rpg.)...Obi leads the league in double-figure rebounding games with 15 and is averaging 14.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in the past 13 games.
PAC-12 OVERALL DOUBLE-DOUBLES
12-Obi Oleka, ASU
12-Kyle Kuzma, UTAH
11-Josh Hawkinson, WSU
2,162 POINTS IN BACKCOURT: Junior Tra Holder moved past the 1,000-point mark at UCLA on Jan. 19 with 22 points as he is the 36th member of the Sun Devil 1,000-point club. ASU now has a backcourt with two 1,000-point scorers, as Shannon Evans has 1,093 career points, 754 of them coming in 62 games at Buffalo.
SUN DEVIL CAREER POINTS
1. Eddie House/2,044
27. Mike Batiste, 1996-99/1,120
28. Dwayne Fontana, 1990-94/1,113
29. Scott Lloyd, 1973-76/1,093
30. Dennis Hamilton, 1963-66/1,079
31. Bobby Lazor, 1997-99/1,077
32. Tra Holder, 2015-present/1,069
COULD BE THE THE THIRD: Shannon Evans II currently leads the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (75-of-86/.872). Two Sun Devils have led the Pac-12 in free throw percentage, as Chris Beasley shot .875 (112-of-128) in 1983-84 and Alex Austin made 69-of-80 (.863) in 1988-89.
TORIAN-ING IT UP: Torian Graham posted a career-high in each tilt of a three-game December span with 24 vs. Creighton, 26 vs. Central Arkansas and then 30 off the bench at Stanford. In his past 11 games he is 88-of-182 (.484) from the field, 39-of-95 (.410) from three and averaging 20.9 points. He is shooting .518 (71-of-137) from the field in the 11 games he has come off the bench, averaging 31.8 minutes and 18.1 points.
MOST SUN DEVIL POINTS OFF BENCH (1989-90 TO PRESENT)
31-Steve Moore, 2/10/05 at UCLA
30-Torian Graham, 12/30/16 at Stanford
29-Shawn Redhage, 2/8/03 at Washington
27-Lester Neal, 12/28/92 vs. Duquesne
26-Torian Graham, 1/19/17 at #3 UCLA
THREE IN TOP 10: ASU has three of the top scorers in the Pac-12 entering play this weekend. Torian Graham (18.7 ppg.) is second followed by Tra Holder (17.7/third) and Shannon Evans II (15.4/12th).
FIVE OF FIRST SEVEN ON THE ROAD NOT NORMAL: ASU started its Pac-12 season with five of its first seven on the road, something that now has happened to the Sun Devils five times in the past nine years. How odd is that? In that time frame ASU is the only team to have that happen to it five times, while four teams have had it happen only once (USC, CU, Utah) and it has never happened to Stanford.
STARTING PAC-12 WITH FIVE OF FIRST SEVEN ON THE ROAD
2016-17: ASU (2-5), CU (0-7)
2015-16: UA (4-3), USC (4-3), UTAH (4-3)
2014-15: ASU (2-5), UCLA (3-4), WSU (3-4)
2013-14: CAL (5-2), OREGON (2-5)
2012-13: CAL (3-4), WASHINGTON (4-3)
2011-12: ASU (3-4), UCLA (3-4)
2010-11: ASU (1-6), CAL (3-4)
2009-10: UA (4-3), OREGON STATE (2-5)
2008-09: ASU (5-2), UCLA (5-2)
FREE THROW THREE-DOT DATA: The Sun Devils are making free throws at a rate that is third-best in school history, as ASU is shooting 345-of-461 (.748) from the charity stripe. ASU shot .756 in 1977-78 and .754 in 1954-55 for its best seasons...ASU went 12-of-12 in the second half of a tight road win at San Diego State on Dec. 10 and was 16-of-18 for the game...junior Tra Holder is 331-of-448 (.739) from the charity stripe in his 86 games...Shannon Evans II made his first 20 free throws to start the season. He 259-of-317 (.817) from the free throw line in his career...Obi Oleka is 145-of-196 (.740) from the free throw line in his career.
OBI PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Senior 6-8 forward Obi Oleka has to do much of the big man work this year, as he has led or tied for team lead in rebounding in all but two games. He has 12 double-doubles and in the past 13 games he is averaging 14.2 points and 11.5 rebounds. He had a career-best 17 rebounds vs. Central Arkansas on Dec. 22.
SUN DEVIL SEASON DOUBLE-DOUBLES (PAC-10/12 ERA OF 1978-79 TO PRESENT)
Ike Diogu, Jr., 2004-05, 15
Carrick Felix, Sr., 2012-13, 13
Kurt Nimphius, Sr., 1979-80, 13
Obi Oleka, Sr., 2016-17, 12
Alton Lister, Sr., 1980-81, 12
Jordan Bachynski, Sr., 2013-14, 12
OBI ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: It was the Jan. 14 WSU game where forward Obinna Oleka (Oh-BEE-nah Oh-LEH-ka) began to emerge last season. Obi was in double figures in 13 of the final 16 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and was 41-of-49 (.837) from the free throw line in that time. He also had three of his four double-doubles in that span. Oleka had no points and one rebound in the first two games, but because he only played five games for State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota the previous two seasons and didn't play in 2014-15, a slow start was expected. Consider this: Before he took the court in the opener Nov. 13, his previous official game was Dec. 7, 2013...a 705-day break between games.
OBI OLEKA FIRST 10 CAREER GAMES/PAST 44
MPG: 19.0/30.0
FT: 17-27 (.630)/128-169 (.758)
PPG: 6.4/12.1
RPG: 4.9/8.6
TOP CAREER SCORING GAMES FOR OBINNA OLEKA
22 at #16 Arizona (1/12/17)
20 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
19 vs. #9 Creighton (12/20/16)
19 vs. Kennesaw State (11/18/15)
18 at California (1/1/17)
18 vs. Central Arkansas (12/22/16)
OBI OLEKA'S 12 DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
15/11 vs. Washington State (1/29/17)
17/14 at USC (1/22/17)
10/12 at #3 UCLA (1/19/17)
15/10 vs. Colorado (1/5/17)
18/17 vs. Central Arkansas (12/22/16)
19/16 vs. #9 Creighton (12/20/16)
15/11 vs. New Mexico State (12/17/16)
15/12 at San Diego State (12/10/16)
14/11 vs. #1 Kentucky (11/28/16)
20/15 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
11/10 vs. Nothern Iowa (11/17/16)
17/13 vs. Cal Poly (11/13/16)
MOST REBOUNDS IN TWO-YEAR SUN DEVIL CAREER
1. Paul Stovall, 1920-72/647
4. Lester Neal, 1991-93/484
5. Isaac Austin, 1989-91/454
6. Obi Oleka, 2015-17/429
JETHRO NOTE: Freshman Jethro Tshisumpa -- with a 7-5 1/2 wingspan and 6% body fat -- has 24 blocks in 173 minutes on the year. Sun Devil Jordan Bachynsnki, the Pac-12 career leader, had 20 his freshman season when he played 240 minutes. Mario Bennett has the Sun Devil freshman record with 55 in 1991-92.
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN BLOCKS
55-Mario Bennett, 1991-92
33-Jamal Faulkner, 1990-91
31-Ike Diogu, 2002-03
24-Jethro Tshisumpa, 2016-17
24-Shawn Redhage, 1999-2000
FALL SIGNINGS: From one coast to the other one, Bobby Hurley's staff signed a pair of top-100 players this past fall, as 6-6 swingman Kimani Lawrence (New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H.) and 6-2 guard Remy Martin of Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon will join the Sun Devil program in 2017-18. A four-star signee according to Scout, Martin averaged 14.5 points as a junior. Lawrence, a four-star small forward from The New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H., is the nation's 54th overall prospect according to ESPN.
SCOUT.COM SUN DEVIL TOP-100 RECRUITS ON ROSTER NEXT FALL
54. Kimani Lawrence, 2017 (freshman next year)
81. Romello White, 2016 (sitting this year/academic redshirt)
98. Remy Martin, 2017 (freshman next year)
100. Tra Holder, 2014 (2015 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team)
ASU 86, WASHINGTON 75 (1/25/17): UW led by seven in the first half and then ASU led by 15 in the second and ASU made 16-of-19 free throws in the second half and was 11-of-25 from three-point range to get the 11-point win. ASU held UW to .403 from the field, its best defensive outing in its Pac-12 seasons, as Shannon Evans II had 25 points while Tra had 23.
SUN DEVIL 50+ POINT HALVES THIS YEAR
72, second half vs. Citadel (Nov. 23, 2016)
57, second half vs. Cal Poly (Nov. 13, 2016)
55, first half vs. Citadel (Nov. 23, 2016)
52, second half vs. Washington (Jan. 25, 2017)
52, first half at Stanford (Dec. 31, 2016)
51, first half vs. Central Arkansas (Dec. 22, 2016)
51, first half vs. UNLV (Dec. 3, 2016)
50, second half at #16 Arizona (Jan. 12, 2017)
ASU 98, @STANFORD 93 (12/30/16): Lots of three-dot data from the Pac-12 opening win over on Dec. 30...ASU made 33-of-43 free throws (second-most made in a Pac-12 game in school history)...52 first-half points were ASU's most in Pac-12 game since Feb. 2, 2010 (54 vs. Stanford)...98 points most by ASU in a Pac-12 road game since 99-90 2OT win at Cal on Jan. 17, 2008, and the most in regulation Pac-12 road game since Jan. 17, 2004 (100-85 at USC) ...Torian Graham's 30 points was most by a Sun Devil in Pac-12 opener since Jeff Pendergraph had 31 at Stanford on Jan. 2, 2009...Torian's 30 points off bench most by a Sun Devil since Steve Moore had 31 at UCLA on Feb. 10, 2005...ASU's last win in Palo Alto was Feb. 25, 2010.
ASU'S HIGHEST SCORING PAC-10/12 ROAD GAMES
ASU 111, @California 108, 2OT (Jan. 8, 2000)
ASU 103, @Arizona 98, 2OT (Mar. 11, 1995)
ASU 100, @USC 85 (Jan. 17, 2004)
ASU 99, @California 90, 2OT (Jan. 17, 2008)
@Arizona 127, ASU 99 (Jan. 15, 1998)
ASU 99, @Oregon 84 (Jan. 30, 1993)
ASU 98, @Stanford 93 (Dec. 30, 2016)
HE CAN PLAY: Transfer Shannon Evans II arrived at ASU after having spent two seasons under Coach Hurley at Buffalo. As a sophomore in 2014-15 he averaged 15.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists and led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament as he earned second-team All-MAC honors. As a freshman, he averaged 8.5 points and 3.3 assists per game and was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team. He sat the 2015-16 season but has two years to play starting in 2016-17.
SHANNON EVANS II 20-POINT SCORING GAMES (15/6 AT ASU)
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 vs. UNLV (12/3/16)
25 vs. Washington (1/25/17)
25 at Ball State (2/4/15)
24 at UT-Arlington (11/18/14)
23 vs. Central Arkansas (12/22/16)
23 at Western Michigan (1/10/15)
23 at Grand Canyon (11/25/14)
21 vs. Utah (1/7/17)
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)
QUICK QUESTIONS WITH SHANNON EVANS
Most upset you have ever been on the court: Losing the NCAA tournament
Happiest you have ever been on the court: Winning the MAC championship
You can go watch a past sporting event live...which one? 1991 Duke vs UNLV
Past Sun Devil (any sport) you wish you could have watched compete: Pat Tillman
JUSTICE SERVED: Kodi Justice has made 112 three pointers in 72 career games. He suffered a fractured navicular bone in his left foot on Jan. 25, 2015 (freshman year) and missed the remainder of that season, but bounced back with a solid sophomore season. His injury happened the game following a season-high 16 points at California, so he was just starting to get in the groove, and then adapted to a new coaching staff in the summer of 2015 while getting healthy. He posted 10 double-digit scoring games last year and ied for second on team in assists (76) and steals (30).
KODI JUSTICE CAREER STATS
FOUR QUESTIONS WITH KODI JUSTICE
You can pick the brain of any coach, who is it? John Wooden
You can go watch a past sporting event live...which one? Rumble in the Jungle
Past Sun Devil (any sport) you wish you could have watched compete: Pat Tillman
Biggest challenge in my life: Being dyslexic
KODI JUSTICE TOP SCORING GAMES
20 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
20 vs. Houston Baptist (12/19/15)
17 vs. Utah (1/7/17)
17 vs. Washington (1/16/16)
16 vs. Washington State (1/14/16)
16 at California (1/22/15)
ASU 97, UNLV 73 (12/3/16): ASU started fast and never looked back in a 97-73 win over UNLV, as ASU made 13-of-22 (.591) three-pointers in the first half en route to matching a school record with 18. Shannon Evans II led ASU with 28 points while Torian Graham had 22 and Tra Holder 20. ASU led 51-32 at the half and had just eight turnovers.
SUN DEVIL MOST THREE POINT FIELD GOALS
18 vs. Central Arkansas, Dec. 22, 2016
18 vs. UNLV, Dec. 3, 2016
18 vs. San Francisco, Nov. 20, 2009
17 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 5, 2011 and vs. Idaho State, Dec. 23, 2008
16 vs. Miami (Ohio), Nov. 12, 2013
15 vs. Citadel, Nov. 23, 2016
ASU-OREGON RECENT HISTORY
#23 Oregon 91, ASU 74/Jan. 31, 2016
Oregon 68, ASU 67 OT/Jan. 30, 2015
@Oregon 59, ASU 56/Jan. 10, 2015
@Oregon 85, ASU 78/Mar. 4, 2014
ASU 74, Oregon 72/Feb. 8, 2014
@Oregon 68, ASU 65/Jan. 13, 2013
Oregon 67, ASU 59/Jan. 12, 2012
Oregon 76, ASU 69/Mar. 9, 2011 @Pac-12 Tournament
ASU 73, Oregon 53/Mar. 3, 2011
ASU 60, @Oregon 55/Jan. 1, 2011
ASU 61, Oregon 51/Feb. 13, 2010
ASU 76, @Oregon 57/Jan. 14, 2010
ASU 66, @Oregon 57/Feb. 5, 2009
ASU 76, Oregon 58/Jan. 10, 2009