by Connor Pelton, Sun Devil Athletics Media Relations Assistant
TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 20 Arizona State is off to as hot a start as anyone in the country this season.
And while each part of the team's game has been firing on all cylinders throughout the first month of the year, it has been the Sun Devil offense that is grabbing headlines and topping statistical categories.
Another strong outing from that offense on Saturday night allowed the team to cruise to a 75-57 victory over visiting San Francisco, improving the team's record to 7-0 on the young season.
"It was nice to jump out to such a big lead early on," said head coach Bobby Hurley after his latest victory. "We did enough things well to keep the score at a wide margin throughout the game."
That formula has worked on seven separate occasions so far, and the statistics bear it out. Arizona State entered Saturday ranked first in the country in offensive efficiency at 1.26 points per possession. In addition, the team was ranked No. 3 in points per game with an average of 95.7.
Why the Sun Devils have been so productive isn't exactly hard to crack.
In a sport that is often dominated by upperclassmen in the backcourt, the team's senior trio of Kodi Justice, Tra Holder and Shannon Evans II has been nearly unstoppable. And of course, playing under the guidance of a former standout guard like head coach Bobby Hurley doesn't hurt.
Both Holder (1.19) and Evans (1.15) are ranked in the top-10 among power conference players in points per possession.
"We're definitely appreciating how well they're playing," Hurley said after practice earlier this week. "Especially Tra, Shannon, Kodi and myself, we've been through a lot together over the last three years. It's rewarding to see all three of them make the All-Tournament Team (at the Las Vegas Invitational) and watch them celebrate."
Arizona State's last win in Las Vegas marked its sixth consecutive game scoring at least 90 points, becoming the only team in the country to do so this year. That marked the first time in program history that a team scored 90-plus in six straight contests and was the first time a Pac-12 team had done so since UCLA in the 1971-72 campaign.
And even though the Sun Devils fell short of that 90-point plateau in Saturday's victory, Hurley made sure to preach that all hope wasn't lost.
"It may not be realistic to score that many points every night," said a smiling Hurley. "We still scored 75 so all in all, it was a good offensive night."
While the Sun Devil backcourt has been shooting at a record pace, the team's big men have been doing plenty of work around the rim as well. It's been a pair of newcomers, De'Quon Lake and Romello White, who have been the most productive, making 81 and 68 percent of their field goal attempts, respectively.
"I've got a lot of confidence now," White said after scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds against the Dons. "I was going hard at their bigs all night and just told the guards to look for me."
Those numbers have contributed to Arizona State's No. 3 ranking national ranking in field goal percentage, where it sits at 54.2 percent.
Arizona State is now one of just 13 undefeated teams remaining across the country and sit at 7-0 for the first time since guys like Fat Lever, Byron Scott and Alton Lister donned the maroon and gold.
And if one thing is definite, the Sun Devils' winning ways will continue if they continue to put up gaudy numbers like they did throughout November.
TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 20 Arizona State is off to as hot a start as anyone in the country this season.
And while each part of the team's game has been firing on all cylinders throughout the first month of the year, it has been the Sun Devil offense that is grabbing headlines and topping statistical categories.
Another strong outing from that offense on Saturday night allowed the team to cruise to a 75-57 victory over visiting San Francisco, improving the team's record to 7-0 on the young season.
SEVEN AND OH, BABY pic.twitter.com/gW4aQ8qGwf
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) December 3, 2017
"It was nice to jump out to such a big lead early on," said head coach Bobby Hurley after his latest victory. "We did enough things well to keep the score at a wide margin throughout the game."
That formula has worked on seven separate occasions so far, and the statistics bear it out. Arizona State entered Saturday ranked first in the country in offensive efficiency at 1.26 points per possession. In addition, the team was ranked No. 3 in points per game with an average of 95.7.
Why the Sun Devils have been so productive isn't exactly hard to crack.
In a sport that is often dominated by upperclassmen in the backcourt, the team's senior trio of Kodi Justice, Tra Holder and Shannon Evans II has been nearly unstoppable. And of course, playing under the guidance of a former standout guard like head coach Bobby Hurley doesn't hurt.
Both Holder (1.19) and Evans (1.15) are ranked in the top-10 among power conference players in points per possession.
Here's a closer look at the most efficient offensive players in college basketball from both mid-major and power conferences so far this season. pic.twitter.com/zlISlqygVu
— Synergy Sports Tech (@SynergySST) December 1, 2017
"We're definitely appreciating how well they're playing," Hurley said after practice earlier this week. "Especially Tra, Shannon, Kodi and myself, we've been through a lot together over the last three years. It's rewarding to see all three of them make the All-Tournament Team (at the Las Vegas Invitational) and watch them celebrate."
Arizona State's last win in Las Vegas marked its sixth consecutive game scoring at least 90 points, becoming the only team in the country to do so this year. That marked the first time in program history that a team scored 90-plus in six straight contests and was the first time a Pac-12 team had done so since UCLA in the 1971-72 campaign.
And even though the Sun Devils fell short of that 90-point plateau in Saturday's victory, Hurley made sure to preach that all hope wasn't lost.
"It may not be realistic to score that many points every night," said a smiling Hurley. "We still scored 75 so all in all, it was a good offensive night."
While the Sun Devil backcourt has been shooting at a record pace, the team's big men have been doing plenty of work around the rim as well. It's been a pair of newcomers, De'Quon Lake and Romello White, who have been the most productive, making 81 and 68 percent of their field goal attempts, respectively.
"I've got a lot of confidence now," White said after scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds against the Dons. "I was going hard at their bigs all night and just told the guards to look for me."
Those numbers have contributed to Arizona State's No. 3 ranking national ranking in field goal percentage, where it sits at 54.2 percent.
Arizona State is now one of just 13 undefeated teams remaining across the country and sit at 7-0 for the first time since guys like Fat Lever, Byron Scott and Alton Lister donned the maroon and gold.
And if one thing is definite, the Sun Devils' winning ways will continue if they continue to put up gaudy numbers like they did throughout November.