By Graham Metzker
EUGENE, OR – The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team kicks off a weekend at home with a test against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Thursday night at Matthew Knight Arena. Arizona State’s interstate rival, the No. 9 Arizona Wildcats, will get a chance at the Ducks in two days time in a nationally-televised game. But make no mistake – the Sun Devils are one of the most dangerous teams in the Pac-12. The Sun Devils have already racked up 13 wins on the season, including a ranked win over No. 20 Michigan. The Ducks won their last time out against Utah, but the game before was a 68-41 drubbing by Colorado. The Sun Devils swept the Ducks last season with an overtime win in Eugene and a blowout win in Tempe. Two of the Pac’s most experienced coaches in Dana Altman and ASU’s Bobby Hurley are clashing again, with Hurley’s squad just one game ahead of Altman’s in conference play.
Dire Times for the Ducks
Privileged by seasons of winning teams, Oregon’s Altman-era hit one of its lowest points after the loss at Colorado. Oregon shot a measly 7.1% on three-pointers and totaled just three assists. With seven losses on the season already, including losses to mid-majors UC Irvine and Utah Valley, winning the Pac-12 Tournament is starting to look like Oregon’s only path to the NCAA Tournament. But March is a long seven weeks away. And the Ducks have plenty more to say. Transfer guard Jermaine Couisnard made his debut against Colorado, and had a strong second game against Utah with 10 points on two three-pointers. Center N’Faly Dante has been a consistent contributor all season, scoring nearly five more points a game than last season at 12.9. And although he is no longer featured in the starting lineup, freshman phenom forward Kel'el Ware has scored in double digits in two of his last three outings – both of those outings resulting in Ducks' W's.
New Look ASU Making Waves
A scorching nine game win streak through November and December has the Sun Devils already at 13 wins – just one win off their total last season. After a disappointing 14-17 record in the 2021-22 season, Coach Hurley saw five players enter the transfer portal. “I think it’s going to be what college basketball is like moving forward,” said Hurley. “This is now a new era.” Hurley adapted to the new era quicker than most. His Sun Devils currently feature five players that are averaging more than 10 points per game, and four of those players are transfers. In fact guard DJ Horne, who is averaging 12.1 points and 2.5 assists per game, is the only one of those four Sun Devils who transferred in two seasons ago. Frankie Collins, Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Devan Cambridge all transferred in with immediate success. The Sun Devils are moving forward in the Pac-12.
Final Thoughts
It’s been a tough first few months of the season for Oregon, and a fun first few for Arizona State. But the season is far from over for either. I expect this game to be won in individual matchups. Both teams’ centers, Oregon’s Dante and Arizona State’s Warren Washington, are shooting above 60% from the field. In the point guard battle last season, Horne outscored Will Richardson by at least eight points both times out. Both teams are excellent on the glass, with ASU in first and UO in second in the conference in offensive rebounds. And both teams are smack-dab in the middle of the conference in offensive efficiency, with ASU in seventh and UO in eighth. This is shaping up to be a battle, and it’s one I see Oregon eking out and grabbing a bit of momentum before the No. 9 Wildcats touch down in Eugene.
SCORE PREDICTION: UO 71 ASU 67