Getting to know: Arizona State basketball

By Staff     Dec 22, 2018

Arizona State players Rob Edwards (2), Luguentz Dort (0), Remy Martin (1) and Kimani Lawrence (14) watch as a Vanderbilt player shoots a technical foul in the closing seconds of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

This will be the first true road test for the Kansas Jayhawks this season.

Arizona State, which advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2014 last year, will host a No. 1 team for just the second time in school history. ASU won last year’s meeting between these two teams by a score of 95-85 in Allen Fieldhouse.

“They are obviously talented and athletic, probably more athletic than last year,” KU coach Bill Self said. “We had such a hard time guarding the ball last year against them with their quickness and now we’re bigger and maybe not quite as quick and certainly they’re bigger. It will be two totally different teams playing against each other compared to what it was like last year.”

Kansas (10-0) has yet to win in Tempe, Arizona in three meetings in this series. Arizona State (8-2) is coming off an 81-65 loss to Vanderbilt.

Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m.

Arizona State guard Luguentz Dort (0) argues a call in the closing seconds of an NCAA college basketball game between Arizona State and Vanderbilt Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt upset Arizona State 81-65. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

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**Series history:** The series is tied at 5-5. Arizona State won the last meeting, downing then-No. 2 Kansas, 95-85, in Allen Fieldhouse last year. The Sun Devils were down 15-2 before the first media timeout in the game.

**BREAKING DOWN ARIZONA STATE**
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**TOP PLAYER**

*No. 00 — G Luguentz Dort | 6-4, 215, fr.*
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Arizona State's Kimani Lawrence (14), along with Colorado's McKinley Wright IV (25) and Namon Wright (13), reaches for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Pac-12 men's tournament Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. Colorado defeated Arizona State 97-85. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

The freshman point guard is leading the way for the Sun Devils with an average of 19.8 points per game.

According to KenPom, Dort is taking 30.4 percent of the team’s shots, which ranks 96th in all of college basketball. Dort is shooting 40.8 percent from the floor, knocking down 35.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

Dort has scored in double figures in all 10 games, including 28 points in the season opener against Cal State Fullerton.

**SUPPORTING CAST**

*No. 14 — F Kimani Lawrence | 6-7, 210, so.*
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Vanderbilt forward Matt Ryan (32) tries to control the ball as he is defended by Arizona State forward Zylan Cheatham (45) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Lawrence is second on the team in scoring with an average of 13.1 points per contest.

This season, Lawrence is one of four players to start in all 10 games. Lawrence has played 76.1 percent of the team’s minutes, which is third on the team. Lawrence has also knocked down 85.7 percent of his shots, a mark that ranks 112th in the nation.

After starting the season off with seven consecutive double-digit outings, Lawrence has scored less than nine points in each of his previous three games.

*No. 45 — F Zylan Cheatham | 6-8, 220, sr.*
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Third on the team in scoring is Cheatham, who is averaging 11.9 points per outing.

Arizona State guard Remy Martin (1) tries to stop Vanderbilt guard Maxwell Evans (3) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Cheatham, a senior, has also started in all 10 games this season. Cheatham has been cleaning up on the glass, posting a defensive rebound rate of 25.4. That mark ranks 62nd in the nation. He is also hitting 81.1 percent of his free throws, which is 22nd in the country.

Last time out, Cheatham scored nine points and grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds against Vanderbilt. It marked just the second time this season that Cheatham failed to score in double figures.

*No. 1 — G Remy Martin | 6-0, 170, so.*
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Martin is the fourth Sun Devil to average in double figures.

This season, Martin is averaging 11.6 points per game in just eight games. Martin, who has missed some time due to a high ankle sprain, is posting a 21.3 assist rate to lead the backcourt in that category.

In his last game, Martin scored nine points and recorded just one assist in the loss at Vanderbilt.

**ONE THING ARIZONA STATE DOES WELL**

The Sun Devils should dominate the glass against the Jayhawks. Arizona State is posting an offensive rebound rate of 35.7 percent, while holding opponents to a 22.1 offensive rebound rate. To put that in comparison, the average in D1 is 28.8 percent.

**ONE AREA ARIZONA STRUGGLES**

As a team, Arizona State is slightly below average at shooting. The Sun Devils are 33.4 percent from long range, which ranks 204th in the nation. They are also 49.8 percent on 2-point shots, which is 197th in the country.

**MEET THE COACH**

The Sun Devils are coached by Bobby Hurley who is 58-48 in his fourth season at ASU and 110-69 in his sixth season overall.

**VEGAS SAYS…**
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My brief winning streak is over, it was good while it lasted. The latest line had KU as a four-point favorite in its first true road game. Maybe I’m being naive, but I would have guessed Kansas was a six or seven-point favorite. As a result, I’m giving up the points and taking the Jayhawks to cover the spread.

**My prediction:** Kansas 79, Arizona State 70

Record against spread: 4-6

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