"Give credit to Cal first thing," said Sun Devil head coach Bobby Hurley. "They had a really good plan for us in this game. I think that their length and size bothered us right out of the gate. We struggled on offense not finding the gaps and finding the open teammates. I thought our defense was solid in the first half. We did everything that we could in that end of the floor. We created 11 turnovers and they had 28 points. You would think based on how we have played offense most of the year that we would be in pretty good shape, but it was just one of those nights that we had this year if we are shooting the ball the way that we are shooting it, we are going to have a hard time being competitive."
ASU was just 15-of-59 (.254) from the field and 3-of-25 (.120) from the three-point stripe. The Sun Devils made 1-of-11 (.091) from the three-point stripe in the first half.
"We have to do a better job as coaches to make sure that the energy is max coming out of the gate," added Coach Hurley. "It is important that we are not only excited to play, but have a plan to attack their zone. We didn't as coaches put together a good enough plan to work against that so we could find more success on offense."
Obinna Oleka notched his 13th double-double of the season and 17th of his career with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Shannon Evans II also hit double-figures adding 10 points in 38 minutes of action.
SUN DEVIL SEASON DOUBLE-DOUBLES (PAC-10/12 ERA OF 1978-79 TO PRESENT)
Ike Diogu, Jr., 2004-05, 15
Obi Oleka, Sr., 2016-17, 13
Carrick Felix, Sr., 2012-13, 13
Kurt Nimphius, Sr., 1979-80, 13
PAC-12 OVERALL DOUBLE-DOUBLES
14-Kyle Kuzma, UTAH
13-Obi Oleka, ASU
12-Josh Hawkinson, WSU
The Sun Devils tied the game 17-17 with 6:27 left in the first half but trailed 28-17 at the break. The Golden Bears were too much for the Sun Devils as they shot .473 percent from the field (26-of-55) and won the rebound battle 48-29. Kodi Justice made all of the three-pointers for ASU (three in six attempts), but the rest of the Sun Devils were 0-of-19.
"They had us bottled up pretty good and our guys were in their own minds with not making shots," noted Coach Hurley. "We have done fairly well with teams who have zoned us this year. I would think with the way that we normally shoot, that I would like our chances against that defense. It was not meant to be for us tonight on offense."
ASU next takes on Stanford on Saturday (Feb. 11) at 6 p.m on the Pac-12 Network and 620 AM.OBI OLEKA'S 13 DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
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)
COACH HURLEY ON THE SCORING DROUGHT TO END THE FIRST HALF AND START THE SECOND
"All I saw for that nine minute drought was the number 17 which is the score we held for those nine minutes. We had a hard time moving off that number. Everything matters and it could have been a lot closer going into the half with the free throws that are missed and the missed shots. Even with an 11 point deficit with the way we were playing on offense, there was still a lot of hope we could turn things around however it did not go our way."
QUOTING KODI JUSTICE
"It was embarrassing.I have no other words besides embarrassing. It was embarrassing to put on that type of performance, especially when we were trying to give us a chance at getting back into the race. I can not speak for everyone, but the body language tonight was just off. You saw people visibly upset when people missed shots. People panicking and asking what now, now that our shots weren't falling.....it was just tough to be out there and a part of that."
WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAST TIME THEY PLAYED CAL?
"They zoned the whole game. Last game, they played man the whole game which allowed driving room so that we could get their big in foul trouble. Ivan Rabb was in foul trouble early. Whereas this game, they zoned the whole game and we could not figure out how to break it."
WAS IT THE QUALITY OF THE SHOTS THAT LED TO THE BAD SHOOTING?
I mean, we take tough shots as a team. That' s who we are. Torain Graham might be one of the best tough shot makers in the Pac 12. But, I felt we got good shots tonight. We would move the ball around, dump it low, then miss the layup. Or dive, kick it out and miss the wide open three...we were getting good shots, we just could not knock them in."
PAST EIGHT MEETINGS IN TEMPE VS. CALIFORNIA (4-4)
Cal 68, ASU 43/Feb. 8, 2017
Cal 68, ASU 65/Mar. 5, 2016
ASU 74, Cal 70/Mar. 7, 2015
ASU 78, Cal 60/Mar. 1, 2014
ASU 66, Cal 62/Feb. 7, 2013
Cal 65, ASU 61/Jan. 8 2011
Cal 78, ASU 70/Jan. 28, 2010
ASU 83, Cal 66/Mar. 7, 2009