The Arizona State Sun Devil men's hoops team (13-16; 6-10) hosts USC (21-7/8-7) on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 4:30 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network with JB Long and Coach Mike Montgomery on the call. Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd have the radio call on the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network, presented by MidFirst (620 AM).
VS. USC IN TEMPE: ASU is 8-1 vs. USC in Tempe since the start of the 2006-07 season, which includes four wins over eventual USC NCAA Tournament teams (2016, 2009, 2008, 2007) and twice over ranked teams (last season and in 2007)...Tra Holder had 10 points (7-8 FTs) in the 2015 win and then last year had 20 points and four assists.
PAST 9 ASU VS. USC GAMES IN TEMPE (ASU LEADS 8-1)
ASU 74, #23 USC 67/Feb. 12, 2016
ASU 64, USC 59/Feb. 22, 2015
ASU 98, USC 93 (OT)/Jan. 24, 2013
ASU 56, USC 52/Feb. 25, 2012
USC 63, ASU 61/Jan. 27, 2011
ASU 59, USC 54/Mar. 4, 2010
ASU 65, USC 53/Feb. 15, 2009
ASU 80, USC 66/Mar. 1, 2008
ASU 68, #22 USC 58/Feb. 18, 2007
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: ASU has done a great job of taking care of the ball, as it has averaged just 5.9 turnovers in its past seven games. ASU is 16th in the nation with just 10.6 turnovers per game. Also random stat from Coach Hurley's two-year tenure at ASU: ASU is 21-0 when shoots better from the field than the opponent (12-0 this year). ASU's 287 three-pointers is just one shy of the school record 288 set in 2009, while Torian Graham's 95 three-pointers is third on the ASU single-season list and tenth on Pac-12 single season list. He needs just five more three-pointers to become just the seventh Pac-12 player to make 100 in a season.
PAC-12 MOST 3-POINT FIELD GOALS IN A SEASON
120, Salim Stoudamire, ARIZ, 2005
114, Steve Kerr, ARIZ, 1988
113, Stevin Smith, ASU, 1993
112, Damon Stoudamire, ARIZ, 1995
110, Tajuan Porter, ORE, 2007
106, Jason Gardner, ARIZ, 2002
98, Klay Thompson, WSU, 2011
98, Gabe York, ARIZ, 2016
96, Stevin Smith, ASU, 1994
95, Torian Graham, ASU, 2017
94, Bryce Alford, UCLA, 2017
QUICK HITTERS: ASU's 79.1 points per game is its best since the 1997-98 squad averaged 84.5, as ASU ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring and third in free throw shooting (.742). ASU is averaging just 10.6 turnovers (first in the league) and 9.9 three-pointers made, second in the Pac-12. Tra Holder leads the league in free throws made and attempted (137-of-176).
BUCKET FILLERS: ASU has three of the top scorers in the Pac-12 entering play this weekend. Torian Graham (18.8 ppg.) is second followed by Tra Holder (16.8/sixth) and Shannon Evans II (15.6/11th).
MINUTE(S)MEN: Tra Holder leads the Pac-12 in minutes per game in conference games at 37.7, but not far behind him are two other Sun Devils: Shannon Evans II (36.8/third) and Torian Graham (36.6/fifth). It doesn't drop off much from there, with Kodi Justice averaging 34.1 and Obi Oleka 33.0. In the past 18 seasons, all three of them rank in the Sun Devil top-10 for minutes per game in Pac-12 tilts.
MINUTES PER GAME (PAC-10/12 GAMES) 1999-2000 TO PRESENT/PAST 18 SEASONS
39.3, Eddie House, 1999-2000
39.2, Kevin Kruger, 2005-06
38.3, Jahii Carson, 2012-13
37.8, Ike DIogu, 2004-05
37.7, Tra Holder, 2016-17
37.7, Carrick Felix, 2012-13
37.5, James Harden, 2008-09
37.2, Ike Diogu, 2003-04
36.8, Shannon Evans II, 2016-17
36.6, Torian Graham, 2016-17
SHANNON NOTES: Shannon Evans II currently leads the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (94-of-112/.839). Two Sun Devils have led the Pac-12, as Chris Beasley shot .875 (112-of-128) in 1983-84 and Alex Austin made 69-of-80 (.863) in 1988-89.
LAST WIN: ASU 83, @WASHINGTON 81 (2/16/17): ASU swept the Huskies for the first time since the 2002-03 season...ASU jumped out to a 30-15 lead, but UW came back to take a 41-39 lead at the half in a game that had seven ties and 10 lead changes...ASU had just eight turnovers and was 13-of-17 (.765) from the free throw line and 10-of-25 (.400) from the three-point stripe...ASU won in Seattle for just the third time in the past 13 times. ASU also won 77-63 on Feb. 23, 2008 and 78-68 on Feb. 15, 2015.
ASU 75, STANFORD 69 (2/11/17): ASU trailed 67-63 with under three minutes left, but Torian Graham hit back-to-back three pointers and ASU outscored the Cardinal 12-2 down the stretch for the win...ASU trailed 56-47 with 9:19 left but then hit five three-pointers and made 11-of-15 free throws...Graham had 24 points, including six three-pointers...ASU was outrebounded 49-27 and gave up 22 offensive boards but forced 21 turnovers, ASU's best effort in a Pac-12 game since UCLA had 23 on Feb. 12, 2004...it marked ASU's first sweep of Stanford since the 2009-10 season.
STATS IN FINAL 9:19 OF ASU FEB. 11 WIN OVER STANFORD
FG: ASU 6-10/STAN 5-14
3FG: ASU 5-6/STAN 0-4
FT: ASU 11-15/STAN 3-8
POINTS: 28-13
SEASON RESET: ASU zig-zagged across North America three times (Orlando, Bahamas and New York City) and has road wins at San Diego State, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington...only Tra Holder, Obi Oleka and Kodi Justice return from last year's team that posted eight wins against top-100 RPI teams in Bobby Hurley's first season...five players average at least 8.4 ppg. overall and five players average at least 33.0 minutes in Pac-12 play.
2,371 POINTS: Junior Tra Holder moved past the 1,000-point mark at UCLA on Jan. 19 as he is the 36th member of the Sun Devil 1,000-point club. ASU has a backcourt with two 1,000-point scorers, as Shannon Evans has 1,206 career points, 754 of them coming in 62 games at Buffalo.
SUN DEVIL CAREER POINTS
1. Eddie House, 1996-2000/2,044
22. Dennis Dairman, 1962-65/1,220
23. Chad Prewitt, 1998-2002/1,177
24. Rihards Kuksiks, 2007-11/1,175
26. Tra Holder, 2015-present/1,165
DUCK GAME WAS DARN CLOSE: ASU had just six turnovers in a 71-70 loss at now No. 5 Oregon on Feb. 2 in a game that had nine ties and 15 lead changes...Shannon Evans matched his ASU high with 28 points and Tra Holder added 17...ASU led 60-59 with 3:37 left but Dillon Brooks scored the final 12 points for the win...game was tied at 66 with 1:45...ASU was the first team to not have double-digit turnovers vs. the Ducks this season, as its six was fewest in ASU's previous 114 games (five vs. College of Charleston in Anaheim on Nov. 29, 2013).
ASU 81, @OSU 68 (2/4/17): ASU has now won seven of past 10 and 13 of past 16 over OSU after its Feb. 4 81-68 in Corvallis...ASU went on a 14-0 run early and led 44-25 at the half...Torian Graham and Shannon Evans II each had 21 points, as ASU hit 10 three-pointers in the first half and held OSU to just 23-of-58 (.397) from the field and had 11 steals.
ASU MOST STEALS IN PAC-10/12 ROAD GAME (2001-PRESENT)
11 at Oregon State (Feb. 4, 2017)
11 at UCLA (Feb. 27, 2013)
at USC (Feb. 12, 2005)
FREE THROW DATA: The Sun Devils are making free throws at a rate that is third-best in school history (432-of-582/.742). 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 tight win at San Diego State on Dec. 10 and was 16-of-18 for the game...Tra Holder is 359-of-485 (.740) from the charity stripe in his 93 games...Shannon Evans II made his first 20 free throws to start the season and is 278-of-343 (.810) in his career.
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. He shot .518 (71-of-137) from the field in the 11 games he came off the bench, averaging 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
ASU 86, WASHINGTON 75 (1/25/17): UW led by seven in the first half, but ASU came back and led by 15 in the second half en route to the win. 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, as Shannon Evans II had 25 points while Tra had 23.
EIGHT 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)
40-MINUTE MEN: On Feb. 16 at Washington, Tra Holder and Shannon Evans II each played 40 minutes, while Torian Graham and Kodi Justice both played 39 minutes in the 83-81 win. According to Stats Inc., it was the only time in the past 21 seasons (1996-97 to present) that four Sun Devils played at least 39 minutes in a regulation game. It also marked the first time any Pac-12 team had done it since Oregon State at Arizona State on March 5, 2011 (Omari Johnson and Roberto Nelson played 40, while Joe Burton and Kevin McShane played 39). It was so crazy and will probably never happen again...except it did vs. No. 5 UCLA on Feb. 23, when the ASU starters played 199 minutes.
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 (18/9 AT ASU)
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 at #13 Oregon (2/2/17)
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 at Washington State (2/18/17)
21 at Oregon State (2/4/17)
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
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)
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 five games. He has 14 double-doubles and had a career-best 17 rebounds vs. Central Arkansas on Dec. 22.
PAC-12 OVERALL DOUBLE-DOUBLES
15-Kyle Kuzma, UTAH
14-Obi Oleka, ASU
14-Ivan Rabb, CAL
13-Josh Hawkinson, WSU
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.
TOP CAREER SCORING GAMES FOR OBI 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)
OBI OLEKA'S 13 DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
12/11 vs. #5 UCLA (2/23/17)
12/14 vs. California (2/8/17)
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, 1970-72/647
2. Jerry Hahn, 1960-62/553
3. Bobby Lazor, 1997-99/512
4. Lester Neal, 1991-93/484
5. Obi Oleka, 2015-17/477
ASU DOUBLE-DOUBLES (PAC-10/12 ERA OF 1978-79-PRESENT)
Ike Diogu, Jr., 2004-05, 15
Obi Oleka, Sr., 2016-17, 14
Carrick Felix, Sr., 2012-13, 13
Kurt Nimphius, Sr., 1979-80, 13
JUSTICE SERVED: Kodi Justice has made 128 three pointers in 79 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).
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)
19 vs. #5 UCLA (2/23/17)
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)
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
17 vs. Idaho State, Dec. 23, 2008
16 vs. Miami (Ohio), Nov. 12, 2013
15 vs. Citadel, Nov. 23, 2016
VS. USC IN TEMPE: ASU is 8-1 vs. USC in Tempe since the start of the 2006-07 season, which includes four wins over eventual USC NCAA Tournament teams (2016, 2009, 2008, 2007) and twice over ranked teams (last season and in 2007)...Tra Holder had 10 points (7-8 FTs) in the 2015 win and then last year had 20 points and four assists.
PAST 9 ASU VS. USC GAMES IN TEMPE (ASU LEADS 8-1)
ASU 74, #23 USC 67/Feb. 12, 2016
ASU 64, USC 59/Feb. 22, 2015
ASU 98, USC 93 (OT)/Jan. 24, 2013
ASU 56, USC 52/Feb. 25, 2012
USC 63, ASU 61/Jan. 27, 2011
ASU 59, USC 54/Mar. 4, 2010
ASU 65, USC 53/Feb. 15, 2009
ASU 80, USC 66/Mar. 1, 2008
ASU 68, #22 USC 58/Feb. 18, 2007
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: ASU has done a great job of taking care of the ball, as it has averaged just 5.9 turnovers in its past seven games. ASU is 16th in the nation with just 10.6 turnovers per game. Also random stat from Coach Hurley's two-year tenure at ASU: ASU is 21-0 when shoots better from the field than the opponent (12-0 this year). ASU's 287 three-pointers is just one shy of the school record 288 set in 2009, while Torian Graham's 95 three-pointers is third on the ASU single-season list and tenth on Pac-12 single season list. He needs just five more three-pointers to become just the seventh Pac-12 player to make 100 in a season.
PAC-12 MOST 3-POINT FIELD GOALS IN A SEASON
120, Salim Stoudamire, ARIZ, 2005
114, Steve Kerr, ARIZ, 1988
113, Stevin Smith, ASU, 1993
112, Damon Stoudamire, ARIZ, 1995
110, Tajuan Porter, ORE, 2007
106, Jason Gardner, ARIZ, 2002
98, Klay Thompson, WSU, 2011
98, Gabe York, ARIZ, 2016
96, Stevin Smith, ASU, 1994
95, Torian Graham, ASU, 2017
94, Bryce Alford, UCLA, 2017
QUICK HITTERS: ASU's 79.1 points per game is its best since the 1997-98 squad averaged 84.5, as ASU ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring and third in free throw shooting (.742). ASU is averaging just 10.6 turnovers (first in the league) and 9.9 three-pointers made, second in the Pac-12. Tra Holder leads the league in free throws made and attempted (137-of-176).
BUCKET FILLERS: ASU has three of the top scorers in the Pac-12 entering play this weekend. Torian Graham (18.8 ppg.) is second followed by Tra Holder (16.8/sixth) and Shannon Evans II (15.6/11th).
MINUTE(S)MEN: Tra Holder leads the Pac-12 in minutes per game in conference games at 37.7, but not far behind him are two other Sun Devils: Shannon Evans II (36.8/third) and Torian Graham (36.6/fifth). It doesn't drop off much from there, with Kodi Justice averaging 34.1 and Obi Oleka 33.0. In the past 18 seasons, all three of them rank in the Sun Devil top-10 for minutes per game in Pac-12 tilts.
MINUTES PER GAME (PAC-10/12 GAMES) 1999-2000 TO PRESENT/PAST 18 SEASONS
39.3, Eddie House, 1999-2000
39.2, Kevin Kruger, 2005-06
38.3, Jahii Carson, 2012-13
37.8, Ike DIogu, 2004-05
37.7, Tra Holder, 2016-17
37.7, Carrick Felix, 2012-13
37.5, James Harden, 2008-09
37.2, Ike Diogu, 2003-04
36.8, Shannon Evans II, 2016-17
36.6, Torian Graham, 2016-17
SHANNON NOTES: Shannon Evans II currently leads the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (94-of-112/.839). Two Sun Devils have led the Pac-12, as Chris Beasley shot .875 (112-of-128) in 1983-84 and Alex Austin made 69-of-80 (.863) in 1988-89.
LAST WIN: ASU 83, @WASHINGTON 81 (2/16/17): ASU swept the Huskies for the first time since the 2002-03 season...ASU jumped out to a 30-15 lead, but UW came back to take a 41-39 lead at the half in a game that had seven ties and 10 lead changes...ASU had just eight turnovers and was 13-of-17 (.765) from the free throw line and 10-of-25 (.400) from the three-point stripe...ASU won in Seattle for just the third time in the past 13 times. ASU also won 77-63 on Feb. 23, 2008 and 78-68 on Feb. 15, 2015.
ASU 75, STANFORD 69 (2/11/17): ASU trailed 67-63 with under three minutes left, but Torian Graham hit back-to-back three pointers and ASU outscored the Cardinal 12-2 down the stretch for the win...ASU trailed 56-47 with 9:19 left but then hit five three-pointers and made 11-of-15 free throws...Graham had 24 points, including six three-pointers...ASU was outrebounded 49-27 and gave up 22 offensive boards but forced 21 turnovers, ASU's best effort in a Pac-12 game since UCLA had 23 on Feb. 12, 2004...it marked ASU's first sweep of Stanford since the 2009-10 season.
STATS IN FINAL 9:19 OF ASU FEB. 11 WIN OVER STANFORD
FG: ASU 6-10/STAN 5-14
3FG: ASU 5-6/STAN 0-4
FT: ASU 11-15/STAN 3-8
POINTS: 28-13
SEASON RESET: ASU zig-zagged across North America three times (Orlando, Bahamas and New York City) and has road wins at San Diego State, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington...only Tra Holder, Obi Oleka and Kodi Justice return from last year's team that posted eight wins against top-100 RPI teams in Bobby Hurley's first season...five players average at least 8.4 ppg. overall and five players average at least 33.0 minutes in Pac-12 play.
2,371 POINTS: Junior Tra Holder moved past the 1,000-point mark at UCLA on Jan. 19 as he is the 36th member of the Sun Devil 1,000-point club. ASU has a backcourt with two 1,000-point scorers, as Shannon Evans has 1,206 career points, 754 of them coming in 62 games at Buffalo.
SUN DEVIL CAREER POINTS
1. Eddie House, 1996-2000/2,044
22. Dennis Dairman, 1962-65/1,220
23. Chad Prewitt, 1998-2002/1,177
24. Rihards Kuksiks, 2007-11/1,175
26. Tra Holder, 2015-present/1,165
DUCK GAME WAS DARN CLOSE: ASU had just six turnovers in a 71-70 loss at now No. 5 Oregon on Feb. 2 in a game that had nine ties and 15 lead changes...Shannon Evans matched his ASU high with 28 points and Tra Holder added 17...ASU led 60-59 with 3:37 left but Dillon Brooks scored the final 12 points for the win...game was tied at 66 with 1:45...ASU was the first team to not have double-digit turnovers vs. the Ducks this season, as its six was fewest in ASU's previous 114 games (five vs. College of Charleston in Anaheim on Nov. 29, 2013).
ASU 81, @OSU 68 (2/4/17): ASU has now won seven of past 10 and 13 of past 16 over OSU after its Feb. 4 81-68 in Corvallis...ASU went on a 14-0 run early and led 44-25 at the half...Torian Graham and Shannon Evans II each had 21 points, as ASU hit 10 three-pointers in the first half and held OSU to just 23-of-58 (.397) from the field and had 11 steals.
ASU MOST STEALS IN PAC-10/12 ROAD GAME (2001-PRESENT)
11 at Oregon State (Feb. 4, 2017)
11 at UCLA (Feb. 27, 2013)
at USC (Feb. 12, 2005)
FREE THROW DATA: The Sun Devils are making free throws at a rate that is third-best in school history (432-of-582/.742). 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 tight win at San Diego State on Dec. 10 and was 16-of-18 for the game...Tra Holder is 359-of-485 (.740) from the charity stripe in his 93 games...Shannon Evans II made his first 20 free throws to start the season and is 278-of-343 (.810) in his career.
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. He shot .518 (71-of-137) from the field in the 11 games he came off the bench, averaging 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
ASU 86, WASHINGTON 75 (1/25/17): UW led by seven in the first half, but ASU came back and led by 15 in the second half en route to the win. 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, as Shannon Evans II had 25 points while Tra had 23.
EIGHT 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)
40-MINUTE MEN: On Feb. 16 at Washington, Tra Holder and Shannon Evans II each played 40 minutes, while Torian Graham and Kodi Justice both played 39 minutes in the 83-81 win. According to Stats Inc., it was the only time in the past 21 seasons (1996-97 to present) that four Sun Devils played at least 39 minutes in a regulation game. It also marked the first time any Pac-12 team had done it since Oregon State at Arizona State on March 5, 2011 (Omari Johnson and Roberto Nelson played 40, while Joe Burton and Kevin McShane played 39). It was so crazy and will probably never happen again...except it did vs. No. 5 UCLA on Feb. 23, when the ASU starters played 199 minutes.
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 (18/9 AT ASU)
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 at #13 Oregon (2/2/17)
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 at Washington State (2/18/17)
21 at Oregon State (2/4/17)
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
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)
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 five games. He has 14 double-doubles and had a career-best 17 rebounds vs. Central Arkansas on Dec. 22.
PAC-12 OVERALL DOUBLE-DOUBLES
15-Kyle Kuzma, UTAH
14-Obi Oleka, ASU
14-Ivan Rabb, CAL
13-Josh Hawkinson, WSU
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.
TOP CAREER SCORING GAMES FOR OBI 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)
OBI OLEKA'S 13 DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
12/11 vs. #5 UCLA (2/23/17)
12/14 vs. California (2/8/17)
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, 1970-72/647
2. Jerry Hahn, 1960-62/553
3. Bobby Lazor, 1997-99/512
4. Lester Neal, 1991-93/484
5. Obi Oleka, 2015-17/477
ASU DOUBLE-DOUBLES (PAC-10/12 ERA OF 1978-79-PRESENT)
Ike Diogu, Jr., 2004-05, 15
Obi Oleka, Sr., 2016-17, 14
Carrick Felix, Sr., 2012-13, 13
Kurt Nimphius, Sr., 1979-80, 13
JUSTICE SERVED: Kodi Justice has made 128 three pointers in 79 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).
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)
19 vs. #5 UCLA (2/23/17)
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)
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
17 vs. Idaho State, Dec. 23, 2008
16 vs. Miami (Ohio), Nov. 12, 2013
15 vs. Citadel, Nov. 23, 2016