Now that the dust has settled on Saturday’s loss to Arizona, it’s time to look back at some of the things we can take out of the loss. 

For all of you that were busy fighting in the upper deck during the second half of the game, yes, indeed there were things outside of the score that we learned. 

The reasons that the Sun Devils were run out of the gym in the second half are remarkably clear. 

Their offense is turning into Jekyll and Hyde.  I know it sounds incredibly simple, but this Sun Devil team is going to live by the three and die by the three.  On Saturday, they died with it. 

ASU doesn’t have James Harden or anyone remotely similar to him that can carry a team on the offensive end when shots aren’t falling.  No team is going to shoot well every night, it just doesn’t happen.  When ASU doesn’t shoot well, they are going to struggle to win.

Another aspect of an offense that can pick up a struggling shooting team is a big man that can get offensive rebounds and score inside.  The Sun Devils don’t have that either.  Despite making great strides from where he was last season, Eric Boateng is still one of the Pac-10’s worst starting big men.    

In Herb Sendek’s new offense, ASU has been successful when Ty Abbott and others can drive into the lane and create open shots, making ASU more than a jump shooting team.  Arizona took that away on Saturday.  The Wildcats were excellent in the pain defensively, mostly thanks to their star freshman Derek Williams. 

When you are struggling scoring, you have to convert from the free throw line.  ASU didn’t.  They missed seven free throws in the first half alone.  In that same half Arizona was a perfect 13-13. 

In the second half, the Wildcats were successful on the offensive end because of exactly what they took away from the Sun Devils.  UA drove the paint and used penetration to create open looks.

“It seemed like wherever they were driving from they got into the paint and just dished to the open guy,” ASU guard Derek Glasser said after the game. “Again, our rotations were just a step slow and they did a great job of getting to the basket and finding the open man.”

Well, that’s a problem.  It’s well established that ASU isn’t the best offensive team in the Pac-10 and that they are going to struggle to score points at times, but their defense has been there all season long.

The Sun Devils entered Saturday with the NCAA’s best scoring defense, allowing 54.6 points per game.  They gave up 52 to Arizona in just the second half alone. 

Now I don’t want to take anything away from Arizona.  They played one of their best basketball games of the season.  The Wildcats are a very talented basketball team and have just as much pure talent as anybody in the conference.  I believe they are finally buying into what Sean Miller is preaching and it began to pay off on Saturday. The confidence they gained with the win on the road will only springboard their confidence.  UA could very well win the wide open Pac-10. 

Sean Miller’s adjustments during the game were flawless.  He threw the first punch in the rivalry, now it’s up to Sendek to counterpunch.   

Derek Williams is one of the most talented players in the conference and is becoming a go-to option.  The freshman made Boateng look so silly inside that Sendek even tried going to a small lineup and put Trent Lockett at center. 

That’s how bad things got on Saturday.  But don’t panic Sun Devil fans, the season is far from over and one thing we have learned from this year’s team is that they are incredibly resilient and will bounce back. 

They’ll need to in a hurry, because first place Cal is coming to town on Thursday.

It was very much a pleasure to meet yourself and MJ during my visit to the XTRA studios for the college sports idol audition. It was my pleasure an honor to be on air with you Dan Bickley and MJ. it is a lifetime memory I will always have with me XTRA means so much to me and my career pursuit I am so happy that I was able to be a part of the college idol sports audition at a wonderful station like XTRA. I greatly appreciate XTRA giving me the opportunity to participate in this great audition. Very best regards.

-Daniel Liguori

Hey everyone! I’m Greg Dillard, a Broadcast Journalism sophomore at ASU.  I have lived in the valley my entire life, and love Arizona sports.  I am a huge D-Backs, Cardinals, Suns, and Sun Devil fan.  I’d have to say that Kurt Warner and Luis Gonzalez have been my favorite athletes.  I was able to go sit down with Bickley and MJ on their show on Wednesday afternoon, and had a great time.  I spent some time discussing the Arizona Diamondbacks and their recent struggles.  Since 1998, I have loved our team, but as we all know the last couple years have not been enjoyable for Diamondbacks fans.  Hopefully things get straightened out soon so we can get back to enjoying winning baseball.  I think College Sportscaster Idol is an outstanding opportunity to get involved with radio broadcasting, and would love to be ASU’s correspondent for the Bickley and MJ show.   I do have sports journalism experience.   I really appreciate everyone who has voted so far.  Thank you for the support, and keep those votes coming. 

-Greg Dillard