Game Preview: UW at Arizona State (Game #14)

Here’s a smaller-than-usual game preview for Friday night’s game. I’ll be back in full force on January 10th, and you won’t get another skimpy preview for the rest of the year! The Washington Huskies (1-1, 10-3 overall) visit the Arizona State Sun Devils (0-2, 10-5 overall) on Friday at 7:30 PM (Pacific) at Wells Fargo Arena.

The game will be broadcast on FSN NW and KJR-950 in Seattle, or your local Husky radio affiliate elsewhere (click here to find yours).

What you need to know about the Huskies:

The Huskies split their games against the Oregon schools last week to start their Pac-10 season on a mixed note.

The Huskies dropped to 24th in the AP poll and 22nd in the Coaches’ Poll managing, for the moment, to stay in the top 25.

The Huskies have a 33-35 lifetime record against the Sun Devils, and won both regular season meetings last season, including a 73-70 overtime thriller at Hec Ed. The Sun Devils exacted their revenge in the Pac-10 Tournament, though, with a 75-65 win over the Dawgs.

Projected lineup: G – Abdul Gaddy, G – Isaiah Thomas, G – Quincy Pondexter, F – Matthew Bryan-Amaning, F – Darnell Gant

What you need to know about the Sun Devils:

Arizona State comes into the game having last lost a low scoring game to USC 47-37 on Saturday.

Arizona State finished tied for third in the Pac-10 last season, with an 11-7 record in conference play (24-9 overall). The Sun Devils were picked by the media to finish seventh in the conference this season after losing their two best players, James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph, to the NBA.

Coach Herb Sendek will rely on senior point guard Derek Glasser and junior wing Rihards Kuksiks as he tries to guide the Sun Devils back to the NCAA Tournament.

Glasser is putting together an all-conference type of season, averaging 11.1 points, 5.2 assists, and only 2.1 turnovers per game. Kuksiks is a dangerous shooter from anywhere on the court, and will often attempt six or seven three-pointers in a single contest.

Freshman guard Trent Lockett has been a key contributor in his first year in Tempe. Lockett, 6’5″ and a terrific athlete, is averaging 7 points and 3.5 rebounds thus far.

Last season, the Huskies and Sun Devils had a bit of a scrap on the court during their Pac-10 Tournament game. Overton and Glasser, the focal points of the scrum, no doubt would both love to get the better of this matchup.

Projected lineup: G – Derek Glasser, G – Ty Abbott, G – Jamelle McMillan, F Rihards Kuksiks, C – Eric Boateng

Keys to the game/What to Expect:

The Huskies will need to step out and stop the Sun Devils from raining threes on them all evening. Without Harden or Pendergraph, ASU doesn’t have anyone who can assert their dominance possession-after-possession so long as the Huskies can control their outside shooting. Long-armed defensive specialists Justin Holiday and Darnell Gant may need to be called on for lockdown coverage on some of the Sun Devils shorter sharpshooters.

Venoy Overton will need to keep his head against Glasser. Whatever the two players say, there’s no love lost there. Both players irritate opponents, and Overton will need to stomach Glasser’s smug mug whenever he scores and use any frustration to fuel his play, instead of letting it put him off his game.

Key matchup: Matthew Bryan-Amaning vs. Eric Boateng. Boateng, a fellow Englishman, is finally beginning to live up to his potential as a senior, averaging 8 points and 6.3 rebounds, both career highs. If MBA can neutralize the 6’10”, 245 lb. Boateng down low, the other Huskies should be able to step out on the outside shooters and shut them down.

What I expect: Arizona State had a better start than a lot of people expected, but I’m not a believer yet, especially after losing successive games to UCLA and USC. There’s just not anyone on this team that scares me. I also sense the Huskies truly dislike these guys, and I don’t expect a flat performance from the Dawgs. I’m picking the Huskies, 80-71.

Here’s a smaller-than-usual game preview for Friday night’s game. I’ll be back in full force on January 10th, and you won’t get another skimpy preview for the rest of the year!The Washington Huskies (2-0, 6-1 overall) visit the Arizona State Sun Devils (1-1, 7-0 overal) on Friday at 7:30 PM (Pacific) at Wells Fargo Arena.

GO HERE FOR BOTH TEAM’S RECORDS: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/conferences/standings?confId=21

The game will be broadcast on FSN NW and KJR-950 in Seattle, or your local Husky radio affiliate elsewhere (click here to find yours).

What you need to know about the Huskies:

The Huskies won both of their games against the Oregon schools last week to start their Pac-10 season on a high note.

GO HERE: http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/wash-m-baskbl-sched.html

The Huskies are ranked 17th in the AP poll and 16th in the Coaches’ Poll. (If not in the top 25, just say “The Huskies are unranked in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls.”)

GO HERE (ESPN/USA TODAY is the “coaches’ poll): http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings

Projected lineup: G – Venoy Overton, G – Isaiah Thomas, G – Elston Turner, F – Quincy Pondexter, F – Matthew Bryan-Amaning (THIS SHOULD JUST MATCH WHATEVER THE LINEUP WAS FOR THE LAST GAME)

GO HERE (click on the the last game, then click on BOX SCORE. The first five guys listed will be the starters): http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/wash-m-baskbl-sched.html

What you need to know about the Sun Devils:

Arizona State comes into the game at XX-XX, having last defeated/lost to USC on Saturday.

http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/asu-m-baskbl-sched.html

Coach Herb Sendek will rely on senior point guard Derek Glasser and junior wing Rihards Kuksiks as he tries to guide the Sun Devils back to the NCAA Tournament.

Glasser is putting together an all-conference type of season, averaging XX points, XX assists, and only XX turnovers per game. Kuksiks is a dangerous shooter from anywhere on the court, and will often attempt six or seven three-pointers in a single contest.

Freshman guard Trent Lockett has been a key contributor in his first year in Tempe. Lockett, 6’5″ and a terrific athlete, is averaging XX points and XX rebounds thus far.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/teams/stats?teamId=9

Projected lineup: G – Derek Glasser, G – Ty Abbott, G – Jamelle McMillan, F Rihards Kuksiks, C – Eric Boateng (THIS SHOULD JUST MATCH WHATEVER THE LINEUP WAS FOR THE LAST GAME)

GO HERE: http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/asu-m-baskbl-sched.html (click on the the last game, then click on BOX SCORE or STATS. The first five guys listed will be the starters):

Keys to the game/What to Expect:

The Huskies will need to step out andPendergraph, ASU doesn’t have anyone who can assert their dominance possession-after-possession so long as the Huskies can control their outside shooting. Long-armed defensive specialists Justin Holiday andGantlockdown stop the Sun Devils from raining threes on them all evening. Without Harden or Darnell may need to be called on for coverage on some of the Sun Devils shorter sharpshooters.

VenoyOvertonGlasser. Whatever the two players say, there’s no love lost there. BothndOvertonGlasser’snd will need to keep his head against players irritate opponents, a will need to stomach smug mug whenever he scores a use any frustration to fuel his play, instead of letting it put him off his game.

Key matchup: Matthew Bryan-AmaningBoateng. Boateng, a fellow Englishman, is finally beginning to live up to his potential as a senior, averaging XX points andthBoatengnd vs. Eric XX rebounds, bo career highs. If MBA can neutralize the 6’10”, 245 lb. down low, the other Huskies should be able to step out on the outside shooters a shut them down.

What I expect: Arizona State had a better start than a lot of people expected, but I’m not a believer yet. There’s just not anyone on this team that scares me. I also sense the Huskies truly dislike these guys, andDawgs. I’m picking the Huskies, 80-71. I don’t expect a flat performance from the

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