Arizona State Basketball

Jim Boeheim recorded career win No. 799, 42 in the NCAA tournament, as Syracuse dominated Arizona State to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in five years.

The Orange trailed for only 34 seconds the entire game. From 18:19-17:45 of the first half Arizona State led 5-4. After the Orange pulled ahead 7-5, they never looked back.

The Sun Devils pulled within four points, 61-57, with 6:38 remaining in the game, but with the Syracuse season on the verge of slipping away, Johnny Flynn found Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf for a series of threes that saved the Orange’s season.

Arizona State began to focus solely on Flynn, who scored only 11 points on the day, and the Orange guard exploited the Sun Devils perfectly.

"All three of us were just patient and we took what was open," Devendorf said. "When we do that, good things happen."

Good things have been happening for the Orange since the Big East Tournament.

After dismissing UConn in a six-overtime epic, the Orange ran all the way to the Big East Tourney Finals where they fell to Louisville. 

The Orange received a No. 3 seed in the 2009 NCAA Tourney, and have been playing like a team destined for the Final Four.

Devendorf had a game high 21 points and hit two clutch three-pointers less than a minute apart to help close out the Sun Devils in the waning moments of the second half.

Andy Rautins contributed 17 points, as five Syracuse players recorded double figures. The Orange shot 55.3 percent (26-47) from the field, and 45 percent (9-20) from beyond the three-point arc. Syracuse also hit 17-21 free throws. 

Syracuse out-rebounded the Sun Devils 30-23, and played suffocating defense for most of the afternoon.

"They did a great job of covering a lot of ground," Arizona State point guard Derek Glasser said. "It doesn't seem like they're there, and then all of a sudden they've got two guys there. You know, they do a phenomenal job of guarding the paint and covering a lot of ground."

“There's not a lot of openings to be found because they have great length, they have terrific athletes, and they cover ground so well," Arizona State coach Herb Sendek said. "So what may seem momentarily open is quickly closed."

The Sun Devils had two 20-point scorers, but only got 27 points from the rest of their lineup. ASU shot 41 percent (20-49) from the field, and 37 percent (13-35) from beyond the arc. Free-throws hurt the Sun Devils as they hit only 14-22 attempts.

The Orange held the Pac-10 player of the year, James Harden, to only 10 points, all in the second half. Harden was just two for 10 shooting for the Sun Devils.

Twenty of the Sun Devils' 26 first half shots were from beyond the arc. The Orange’s zone defense clogged the lane for most of the afternoon, preventing Arizona State from making any noise in the lane.

Syracuse was just too hot for the Sun Devils all game long. 

They will ride a wave of Momentum into their Sweet 16 matchup with Oklahoma, as Jim Boeheim will have his first crack at his 800 careers win.

"We're going to play the team that would be the No. 1 seed in this tournament if it weren't for Griffin getting injured," Boeheim said. "If he hadn't gotten hurt, they'd be the No. 1 seed. That's enough to worry about."

Johnny Flynn, “the best point guard in America,” according to teammate Eric Devendorf, will lead the Orange against an Oklahoma team that has a lot to prove.

It will be a battle of Oklahoma’s strong interior game, led by player of the year candidate Blake Griffin, against the triumvirate of Syracuse’s outstanding guards.

Everything is clicking for the Orange at the right time. The chemistry is there, and if they continue to play hot, like they are now, this team will not only be a tough out for Oklahoma, but for any team left in the tourney.

This was the first victory over the Sun Devils in the history of the Syracuse program, granted they only played each other once before. The Sun Devils beat the Orange in the 1968 Far West Tournament.

For the first time since 2004, the Syracuse Orange has advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament with a 78-67 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils.

The No. 3 seed Syracuse and the No. 6 seed Arizona State, both in the South Bracket, squared off in a game between two of the better zone defenses in all of college basketball.

Syracuse used their vaunted 2-3 zone to entice the Sun Devils into hoisting a barrage of three-point shots.

Arizona State normally attempts 19 threes per game. But on this day, they launched 35 shots from beyond the arc, connecting on 13, or 37.1 percent.

Rihards Kuksiks (6-of-13) and Ty Abbott (6-of-10) were both sensational, as they combined to sink 12 of the Devils’ 13 three-point attempts. Both players scored 20 points to lead the attack for ASU.

Not to be outdone, Syracuse was even better percentage-wise from behind the line.

The Orange, led by Eric Devendorf’s 21 points, including 5-of-11 on threes, drained 45 percent (9-of-20) of their threes.

Devendorf received plenty of help from his teammates.

Andy Rautins, who went scoreless against Stephen F. Austin in Round One, rediscovered his shooting stroke as he torched the Devils for 17 points, highlighted by nailing three of his seven three-point shots. For good measure, Rautins also grabbed four rebounds and dished out five assists.

As well as Devendorf and Rautins tickled the twine from long distance, the Orange used their inside strength to dominate.

Arinze Onuaku scored 12 points down low while Rick Jackson had 13 points to go along with a game-high eight rebounds. The duo combined for 11 close-range baskets as they dominated the front line of the Sun Devils.

Arizona State received barely any low post production from their big man, senior Jeff Pendergraph.

In what turned out to be his final collegiate game, Pendergraph had a nightmare of an afternoon.

The California native scored nine points and grabbed two rebounds before fouling out in only 24 minutes of action.

Credit Syracuse’s zone for Pendergraph’s troubles, though.

In the first half, the Sun Devils simply couldn’t penetrate the zone in order to get clean looks from the inside.

If not for the hot hand of Kuksiks, the Orange would’ve led by greater than nine, 41-32, at halftime.

With a little over 10 minutes reaming in the game, Pendergraph picked up his fifth foul. At the time, Syracuse had a 12-point lead and appeared ready to put away the Sun Devils for good.

But to ASU’s credit, they made a charge.

Syracuse, who once possessed a 15-point lead, clung to life as Arizona State had cut the margin to 61-57 with six minutes remaining.

But like they had all game long, Devendorf and Rautins answered the bell.

The duo sank three three-point shots in a 9-2 run that pushed the lead back out to 70-59 and Syracuse cruised home from there.

Much like he did in their first-round win over Temple, Arizona State sensation James Harden struggled to find his game.

The sophomore scored on 10 points, of which six of those came from the free throw line.

Harden converted only two of 10 shots and failed to connect on all five of his three-point attempts.

And now Sun Devil fans have to wonder if they’ve seen the last of Harden, who’s a prime candidate to enter this year’s NBA Draft.

Syracuse iron man point guard Jonny Flynn rebounded nicely from a sloppy seven turnover performance against SFA with seven assists and only two turnovers with 11 points.

The Orange now set their sights on a trip to Memphis for Friday’s South Regional semifinals against the No. 2 seed Oklahoma Sooners.

Fanbases of both the Orange and the Sooners remember the last time these two schools tangled in the NCAA tournament.

In 2003, led by freshman sensation Carmelo Anthony, third-seeded Syracuse defeated No. 1 seed Oklahoma in the East Regional final to earn a Final Four berth. Syracuse would eventually capture the national championship that season.

This time around, Jim Boeheim’s squad will have their hands full as they attempt to solve the puzzle that is low post beast, and probable National Player of the Year, Blake Griffin.

Earlier this week, President Barack Obama filled out his bracket with ESPN’s Andy Katz, and we let him have it. Obama picked just one of the Pac-10’s six tournament teams, Washington, to advance past the first round.

“Barack-etology” displayed his East Coast bias, picking Arizona, Arizona State, USC, UCLA, and California to lose in the first round.

Obama went two-for-three on Thursday, as Washington beat Mississippi State 71-58, and Cal lost to Maryland decisively, 84-71. The President was almost 3-0 in his Pac-10 predictions, but a favored UCLA team hung on, beating Virginia Commonwealth 65-64.

Not bad. However, Friday proved to be much more difficult for Obama, as he went 0-3 in his Pac-10 picks.

Arizona State started it off by defeating Temple 66-57 in the early game, despite James Harden’s poor shooting performance. Harden was just one-for-eight from the field, finishing with just nine points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Harden’s teammates, Derek Glasser and Jeff Pendergraph picked up the slack, scoring 22 points apiece in the Devils’ victory.

Things got worse for Obama when another Pac-10 team, Arizona, upset fifth-seeded Utah 84-71.

When Katz questioned Obama’s motives for picking against Arizona, the President replied, “It has nothing to do with McCain. I think Arizona’s a great state. I love playing golf there, but they just sneaked in based on reputation.”

Mr. President, clearly, like you, they weren’t selected solely based on reputation. However, unlike you, hope had nothing to do with it.

The Selection Committee clearly knew what they were doing by choosing Arizona to participate in the tournament for the 25th straight year.

Arizona blistered Utah with its determined offensive attack. Nic Wise showed that Point Guard U is still alive and well in Tucson, dropping 29 points in the contest.

Forward Chase Budinger was just as unstoppable both going to the hoop and on the boards. Budinger had one of the most impressive all-around games of his career, recording 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four steals, and one block.

Finally, USC put the icing on Obama’s 0-3 trifecta, dropping seventh-seeded Boston College 72-55.

Obama finished the first round with a 2-4 record amongst his Pac-10 picks.

Right about now, college basketball fans everyone must be questioning this new President’s judgment.

Let’s just hope his economic plan fairs better than his NCAA tournament bracket.

What happens when a sports fan takes in every minute of Friday’s NCAA first-round action with not one, but two full-size televisions in his living room?  The answer is Mega March Madness Marathon 2009, a Bleacher Report series that will be published approximately every hour by columnist Tim Cary.  The action continues in hour number three.

2:00        All of a sudden, the Bison are starting to protect the paint and get some tough rebounds.  The offense was never a question, but if NDSU can get stops, things might be looking up for the underdog.

2:01        Of course, as I type “the offense was never a question”, Bison players miss back-to-back wide-open shots.

2:01        I’m as bad as that announcer who says “he hasn’t missed a free throw all year” as the guy steps to the line.

2:02        Just call me Mr. Jinx.

2:03        Woodside has 25 now.  Kansas can’t keep him out of the paint.

2:03        And after that pull-up, Collins has 23.  Anything you can do…

2:05        Utah State could take the lead in Boise.  And to think I was ready to write them off in the first half.  If teams win 30 games in a season, they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

2:07        And Utah State decides to not get out on a shooter, and boom, they’re down four all of a sudden.  Please strike the previous statement (that whole benefit of the doubt thing) from the record.

2:08        We have our first Friday final.  Syracuse 59, Stephen F. Austin 44, in a game that really wasn’t that close.

2:08        Favorite DirecTV commercial so far.  “Can you feel this?”  I literally have laughed out loud every time I see that guy magically lose his hockey gear, scream, and grab his knee.  Every time.

2:09        By the Final Four, I’m pretty sure I won’t be laughing any more.

2:09        Turnover Bison.  The lead’s ballooned from three right back to eight.  Won’t I ever learn not to pick ridiculous upsets?

2:10        Collins just missed a wide-open three that could have broken North Dakota State’s back.  Still in single digits.

2:12        Gus Johnson: “Meanwhile, North Dakota State needs other players to step up and make shots.”  In other related news from the Department of the Obvious, sky still blue.  Economy still bad.

 2:13       Bison just saw their starting center foul out.  That’s not going to help them overcome this ten-point lead.

2:15        Last four minutes in Dayton, and to no one’s surprise, the Volunteers and Cowboys are still in a one-point game.  Could have made this a lot simpler and just started the game on the final possession that it’s guaranteed to come down to anyway, right?

2:18        I run to the other room to upload the latest article onto Bleacher Report—and the Bison must be making a run, because I can hear the high-pitched, excitable voice of Gus Johnson continuing to increase on the decibel charts.

2:20        This is the hardest part of the day.  Three single-digit games, all with less than four minutes to play, and only two television screens.

2:21        I can tell I’m not getting a lot of sympathy.  That’s okay – I have a quick trigger finger on the remote.

2:21        Kansas by seven, Utah State by four, Oklahoma State by three.  I’d really like to get at least two of these right, so something’s gotta give.

2:22        And it probably won’t be in Minneapolis—unless we count the Bison giving up yet another dunk.

2:22        Bison 7-13 from three in the first half, 1-6 in the second.  Ouch.

2:23        And Ben Woodside doubles the team’s second-half output from behind the arc.  He’s got 35, and the lead’s down to six.  I really want this team to win, and I’m not sure if it’s more because I picked the upset or because I want to see Ben play again on Sunday.

2:24        And the Bison’s chances just went down significantly after a highlight-reel follow dunk from Cole Aldrich.

2:24        Tennessee drains a three to tie the game at 72.  Three points was the largest acceptable margin in Dayton, so obviously the Vols were going to score to make it closer.  I’m not keeping track, but that has to be the 98th tie of the game.

2:25        Give or take eighty.

2:25        Back in the Dome, NTSU is going to need a steal to really make this interesting.  The Jayhawks have a six-point lead and the ball with 67 seconds to play.

2:26        Marquette can tie their game at the free throw line, while the game in Dayton is still tied (surprise!)

2:27        Tennessee just missed three or four chances at getting a defensive rebound.  That won’t help the Vols’ chances.

2:27        The Bison missed a three in the final minute, and the margin is eight.  It looks like Woodside’s valiant performance will come up short.  And my bracket will come up lacking as well, I’m afraid.

2:28        Great move by Tyler Smith.  The Volunteers are tied, and Smith will have a free throw to put Tennessee up one with 24 seconds to go.  Bruce Pearl was so excited, he actually got off the ground.

2:29        From my limited exposure to Pearl’s athleticism and vertical leap, I like my chances against Pearl in a 1-on-1 showdown.  End random tangent.

2:29        Vols by one after the free throw; here comes Ok. St. for the game.

2:30        And it’s a hoop and foul with 6.7 to go.  This may be a good thing for those of us that picked Tennessee—I mean, it’s been obvious the whole game that whoever had the ball last would win.  That will probably be the Vols now.

2:31        It’s looking more and more like I could miss all three of these close games on my bracket.  Utah State’s down three in the final minute. 

2:32        The worst part is that I convinced my wife’s grandma to fill out a bracket this year.  I’ll probably lose to her too.  I guess last place is last place regardless of how any people participate, right?

2:32        Right?

2:33        Tennessee misses a game-winner at the buzzer.  Oh no!

2:33        Utah State banks in a lucky three-pointer.  Oh yes!

2:33        Aggies are down two, 23 seconds to play.

2:34        Whoa-wait a minute.  “He was intending to use the board”?  Right.  And I was intending to screw up my bracket.

2:34        The next time I see somebody make a three-pointer off the backboard while trying to purposely bank it will be the first time.  Sorry, Mr. Announcer.

2:35        With the bonus for upsets, I really need the 11^th-seeded Aggies to come through here.  Is it too much to ask to win one close game in our pool?

2:36        Fouling to stop the clock:  Takedown by Pooh Williams for Utah State. 

2:37        Pooh Williams is a great name.

2:37        One free throw rattled in.  One free throw rattled out.  Here comes Utah State down three.

2:38        And the step-back three-pointer comes up short.  But as a firm believer in Murphy’s Law, I expected that.

2:38        And the Aggies fouled the 81% free throw shooter.  I expected that too.

2:38        Good news: Utah State knocked down a huge three at the buzzer.

2:38        Bad news: The Aggies were down four at that point.  Final score: Marquette 58-57.

2:39        I’m getting used to crossing games out on my bracket.  Unfortunately.

2:40        Wonder what Tom Crean’s thinking right now?

2:41        Four more games coming up in the next time slot: Dayton-West Virginia, Pitt-East Tennessee State, Temple-Arizona State, and Cornell-Missouri.

2:43        Expect upsets in that set of games—I picked all higher seeds.

2:45        Most likely to be upset according to my track record: 6th-seeded West Virginia, who I picked into the Sweet Sixteen.

2:46        Arizona State all over Temple early in Miami.  9-2 Sun Devils.  I’m still not sure what to make of the Pac-10 this year.   Not really impressed with the league as a whole, but Washington and UCLA won yesterday, so maybe I’m not giving them enough credit.

2:47        Let’s see how many interesting lines the announcers can script that take advantage of Temple guard Dionte Christmas’s name. 

2:48        This could be a fun game – I want to try. 

2:49        “Christmas lights it up.”

2:50        That’s all I’ve got.

2:51        Howie Long commercial number two.  Does Chevy know this is a basketball tournament, not football?

2:53        Nice shot of Miami and South Beach as CBS comes back from a commercial.   Weather looks slightly more enticing than here in Ohio, if you ask me.

2:54        Time to get this posted on Bleacher Report before all the other games start.  See you in hour number four!       

 

In 2003, Carmelo Anthony gave college basketball a dimension that had rarely been seen before.

In his first season with the Orange, Anthony proved that it is possible to rent a championship in college before making the jump to the NBA.

Since that time and the new rule forbidding the leap directly out of high school, many college teams have jumped on the map out of nowhere due to one freshman star on their team.

The past two seasons were perfect examples with Kevin Durant leading Texas to a season they would not have come close to without him and Greg Oden and Mike Conley taking Ohio State all the way to the title game.

Last season was similar with Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo each leading their teams into the tournament.

This year James Harden is in a situation a lot similar to the one Anthony was in back in 2003. He is in his sophomore season, not his freshman, but the growth Harden has shown from his first year with Arizona State until now is not unlike Anthony’s in his one season.

Harden has led the Sun Devils to a birth in the Pac-10 title game which they lost, resulting in a solid six-seed in the NCAA tourney.

Anthony got his Syracuse team to a three-seed in 2003, eventually upsetting one-seed Oklahoma in their region to get to the Final Four, and then taking down Texas and Kansas for the championship.

Harden has the same type of situation laid in front of him.

In my eyes, Harden has almost equal the pro-potential that Anthony had. They play similar positions and roles in their offenses as the leading scorer to go along with a nice touch from the outside.

They also each have solid help from their role players. This is by no means identical, but Jeff Pendergraph and Hakim Warrick are similar in how they complement their stars inside and both teams also had guards who could shoot from the outside.

Both teams even play 2-3 zones which help keep stars out of foul trouble.

So the question is can Harden carry his team the way Anthony did in 2003?

I think there’s a good chance.

If they can get by a scary first round matchup with Temple and contain Dionte Christmas, they will likely face this year’s Syracuse team.

This is the team that has played seven overtimes in its last three games. Eventually they have to get tired and eventually someone from the Big East has to be worse than their seed indicates.

I say they win that game and go on to either Oklahoma or Clemson. Both are tough inside but the 2-3 zone should be able to contain that physical presence and no one can cover Harden yet.

Then comes their upset chance, probably North Carolina, but maybe Gonzaga. Who’s covering Harden? As long as Arizona State shoots a high percentage, keeps Pendergraph out of fouls trouble and plays well in their 2-3, they can pull it off.

It’s going to come down to the same thing if they make it to the Final Four. They need to keep their opponents from getting hot from beyond the arc, rebound the ball and let Harden make plays because no one can match up with him.

I know it’s a long shot but I think the nation might get a chance to see just how good Harden is. Playing on the west coast all season, he is greatly undervalued and really does possess star potential at the next level.

Think of him as a left-handed Paul Pierce. He is not as physically built as LeBron and doesn’t even look athletic all of the time largely due to his undershirt, but he is crafty finishing with the ball, can handle it on the perimeter, and drain the long-range three.

If there is a team seeded lower than four in this tournament who can make a run because of one man, I believe that team is Arizona State and they could really shake up everyone’s brackets, including mine.

Arizona Wildcats (19-12, 9-9) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (22-8, 11-7)

Thursday, March 12, 2009—3:00 PM PST

 

The first quarterfinal game of the Pac-10 tournament features the No. 5 seed Arizona Wildcats against the No. 4 seed Arizona State Sun Devils.

The Sun Devils swept both meetings with their inter-state rivals, winning 53-47 at the McKale Center and then edging out the Cats again, 70-68, at home.

The first game was as ugly as the score indicates.

Both teams shot under 30 percent from the floor. In addition, they both were even more horrific from beyond the arc as each squad sank less than 18 percent of their threes.

Getting the job done for the Sun Devils was their dynamic duo, and one of the best inside-outside combinations in the country, of James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph.

Harden led all scorers with 21 points. Pendergraph notched a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

For the Wildcats, their two star forwards, Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger, spear-headed the attack.

Hill, with 16 points and 15 boards, had a double-double of his own, while Budinger scored 14 and grabbed eight boards.

The second contest proved to be a much more offensive minded affair.

Although Arizona State committed nine more turnovers than Arizona, this game simply boiled down to making shots.

And the Sun Devils—53.3 percent—sank their shots at a better rate than the 41 percent of the Wildcats.

Harden—18 points, nine boards—was once again the go-to guy, but he did have a little more help.

Pendergraph recorded his second double-double in as many meetings with Arizona by scoring 16 points and hauling in 12 caroms. And Rihards Kuksiks proved to be a vital third scoring option with 17 points.

Arizona had four players in double figures led by Nic Wise’s 17 points to go along with seven assists.

Budinger came up huge for his team, scoring 13 points to go with nine boards, six assists, and four steals.

Hill and Kyle Fogg each scored 14 in a losing effort.

 

Current line: Arizona State -3.5

Arizona is 17-14 against the spread with a record of 7-6 as an underdog.

Arizona State is 16-8 against the spread with a record of 11-8 as the favorite.

The Wildcats enter the Pac-10 tournament with a front row seat squarely on the dreaded NCAA bubble while the Sun Devils are playing for seeding.

Arizona will be highly motivated to extend their 24-year NCAA tournament appearance streak. And what better way to do that than by claiming a few highly ranked scalps.

If Arizona can get by Arizona State, No. 1 seed Washington will likely be waiting in the semifinals. Win both of those games and the Wildcats can size themselves for a pair of dancing shoes.

Steve’s pick: Arizona +3.5

Cats Notes

Saturday was Senior Day for Washington State. There was a basketball game that followed ceremonies honoring young men who would be playing their final regular season game in Pullman.

It took Coach Tony Bennett's Cougs an extra overtime period to earn a victory 51-49 over No. 14 Arizona State.

The win for Washington State kept them in the spotlight for post-season play and ended the basketball careers of Aron Baynes, Daven Harmeling, Caleb Forrest, andTaylor Rochestie playing in front of the tremendous Zzu Cru student section.

None of those young men are finished playing Bennett Ball. There's a final Pac-10 game, the tournament and then an invitation to post-season play.

On a day celebrating seniors, it was the young guns who made the difference overall.

Freshman Klay Thompson led all scorers with 17 points, grabbed seven boards, contributed a blocked shot and did a fine job defending the Pac-10 leading scorer,James Harden.

Harden finished the game with just 13 points and was defended by a trio of Cougs, including Thompson, freshman Marcus Capers and freshman DeAngelo Casto.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer in overtime, this was a hard fought basketball game. Neither team giving in to the other. The largest lead for either club was a two-possession six points.

The game got off to a great start for WSU, jumping out to 5-0 margin and looked to be on a roll.

There would be no one rolling along through Beasley Coliseum. At least not against the sharp shooting Sun Devils, best in the conference.

Light a couple of heavy weights, ASU countered with a 13-2 run and their largest lead at 13-7.

Arizona State held the lead for the rest of the first half.

When it appeared the game might get slipping away from the Cougs, Coach Bennett took full advantage of a television timeout at the 7:59 mark and the score 19-14 in favor of the Sun Devils.

At this point in the game, WSU wasn't effecting the shooting of ASU who were a blistering 5-7 from behind the arc and a torrid 58% overall from the floor. It was time for the Cougar young guns to step up.

They did.

Aggressive play by Thompson, Casto and Capers took ASU out of their offensive rhythm. Their pressure was highlighted by a pair of blocked shots by the athletic Capers.

The score at intermission was 23-20 ASU. Just the sort of low scoring affair expected when two of the best defensive clubs in the nation play each other.

Throughout Pac-10 play, Coach Bennett and his staff have done an outstanding job making adjustments during halftime to get their team into a position to win. This game was no different.

Roles reversed in the second twenty minutes of play. 

It was WSU who held the lead or was tied for 19:41 of the second half.

With less than six minutes to play, the energy of WSU put them on an 18-9 run and a six point lead at 38-32. 

It was quintessential Bennett Ball highlighted by a couple of shot blocks by Casto and Thompson.

The Sun Devils looked every bit the part of a top team, neither folding nor letting up pressure of their own.

Washington State appeared to have the win locked up in regulation with the score 43-40 when Harden missed a driving shot and ASU was forced to foul the best free throw shooter in the history of Cougar hoops. Rochestie went to the line and proceeded to miss the front end of a one-and-one.

Coach Herb Sendek called time out to set up a play, making certain that the ball ended up in the hands of the best player in the Pac-10, James Harden.

Naturally Coach Bennett was countering with his own strategy to defend Harden, putting Capers on him.

It almost worked.

When Harden was forced into taking his three-point attempt, Capers was with him the whole way. Problem with that play is that when you have the best player in the conference defended by a freshman, the officials will whistle the slightest of fouls.

If that was Coach Sendek's strategy, it worked.

Three free throws later, the game was sent to overtime.

ASU scored first on a graceful three-pointer by Derek Glasser to take the early lead in the extra period.

On Senior Day, most of the big plays were made by the WSU young guns. About ninety seconds into overtime, Thompson made another big play by drawing the fifth and final foul on Harden. ASU would have to go the final three and a half minutes without their leader and play maker.

Thompson was sent to the charity stripe, perhaps the most comfortable place on the court for the young man from Southern California. Klay has made every free throw attempt in his college career. Naturally he would begin the surge toward victory by converting a pair of foul shots.

Klay missed the front end of the one-and-one.

No matter. Senior Caleb Forrest grabbed the board and senior Aron Baynes flushed the rock.

Pure shooting Glasser wasn't finished. He knocked down another of his patented treys in the waning moments of overtime to put ASU up by one 49-48 with under 90 seconds left.

All afternoon the crowd of 10,721 on hand were doing their part to support Washington State. Instead of a collective sigh going up after the Glasser bucket, the fans ignored the clock and score continuing a deafening roar to urge the Cougs on.

Even after Rochestie missed a runner with less than 50 seconds left, the fans were on their feet willing their team to victory.

After yet another defensive stand, WSU had a chance to win the game. 

The ball ended up in the hands of Rochestie with about eight seconds to go. He wanted to work the ball inside for an easy shot because any basket would seal the deal.

Nothing offensively comes easy against a Coach Sendek defense.

Rochestie couldn't get the ball inside and was keenly aware that none of his shots were falling on Senior Day. But a quick glance at the shot clock told Taylor that time was running out.

With the confidence of a senior, Rochestie squared his feet and fired up a straight-away three-point shot from just about downtown Moscow, ID.

It went in.

The crowd went so wild, they might not have even noticed one last futile heave at the basket by a stunned Sun Devil team.

Final score in overtime: WSU 51 - ASU 49

Coach Bennett and all of Cougar Nation couldn't have scripted a better ending for Senior Day:

"I'm so proud of our defense. That's what won this game. That's the way they (the seniors) came in and that's the the way they go out." 

An emotional and physically draining game, Washington State can savor the moment. Players can take time with their families to enjoy the culmination of playing days in Pullman.

WSU has a full week to prepare for their final conference game against cross-state rival Washington.

This victory marked the end of the young gun era for Coach Bennett's troops.

The Cougs will travel to Seattle next weekend as a confident, mature "team."

Seriously.

Game Line: ASU + 1

ASU heads up to Washington for the Pac-10 conference game that may decide who finishes in first place.

ASU is firing on all cylinders. Their zone matchups are impenetrable, their offense is fluent and efficient, and with Blake Griffin out, the Sun Devils now have the best player in the country in James Harden.

In the beginning of the season, I was not sold on the Sun Devils. They were winning games, but it was hard for me to believe that they could be a top 10 team in the country.

I believed that if Arizona State made it to the tournament, their lack of size in the frontcourt would inevitably cost them.

Jeff Pendergraph has turned into an amazing defensive player. He holds his place in the zone very well, not to mention he is 6'11", 260 lbs.

PG Derek Glasser reminds me a lot of one of those throwback guards in the '80s. He runs the team smoothly and has a high assist to turnover ratio. He is the guy that makes big plays down the stretch for the Devils when they need it most, not Harden.

Glasser may turn into the next John Stockton if Harden stays one more year.

Arizona State had a lot of problems when they played Washington at home. Washington had a huge scoring burst that ASU couldn't keep up with, and the Huskies ended up getting the best of the Sun Devils.

ASU had an off weekend, losing to both Washington schools. My hunch is that ASU finishes the 2009 season perfect.

Quincy Pondexter and Jon Brockman will be difficult to stay with for the Devils. I believe Harden will match up on Pondexter, and Pendergraph will match up on Brockman within ASU's zone defense.

ASU swept UCLA playing zone, and my hunch is they find a way to win this game as well.

The Pick: ASU Moneyline

Arizona (18 – 8) at Arizona State (20 – 5)
Game Time: 10:00 PM ET
Game Line: ASU - 7.5

The Wildcats are glad to get out of Tucson and get a taste of the real life up in Tempe, Arizona. U of A will be welcomed with plenty of hostility for the biggest rivalry of the PAC 10, and the second dual of the desert this year.

ASU was clearly a better team the first time these two met in Tucson, and ASU has only gotten better since.

I am going to be straight with everyone on this pick. You will not hear one analyst take ASU to cover this spread.

The Wildcats have won their last seven games in excitable fashion, and look like they are back to old form. They have been perfect against the spread during their winning streak as well. The question is are they worthy of the hype?

The Wildcats have Chase Budinger, a prolific athlete who can score from anywhere on the floor. They have Nic Wise, who has improved his play tremendously and is distributing the ball with a high assist to turnover ratio.

They even have Jordan Hill, a monster in the post that is averaging a double-double and is leading the PAC 10 in blocked shots.

The question is, is there anyone else on this team that can contribute?

The answer is no!

Over the seven game winning streak, the star “three” have contributed over 90 percent of the teams total points. In all seven wins, at least one of these players has scored 20+ points in a game.

ASU is deep and talented. They will wear down Arizona with their deep bench, just like they did the first time these two met.

ASU plays a tremendous zone defense, and they match up with Arizona as well as anyone. The first time these two played was on Arizona’s home court, and ASU beat them 53 – 47 in a very hostile environment.

That game was also Arizona’s last loss since the seven game winning streak.

For the Sundevils, they get the luxury of playing Arizona on their home court this time around. The Sundevils have been amazing on at home this year.

In ASU’s last game, they were a seven point favorite against USC, and no analyst expected ASU to cover verse a team like the Trojans, who were in a must-win situation. ASU ending up beating a talented USC team by 12, and the Trojans put everything on the line.

ASU has matured over the season into a balanced, and brilliant team. Much of the credit can go to head coach Herb Sendek. Sendek has brought a high basketball IQ to the Devils.

He has taught James Harden, arguably the nations best player to be smart, and to play under control. He has developed ASU’s young guards into playing extremely smart, and hard - nosed on defense.

Sendek has brought a defense—first mentality that ASU plays with for 40 minutes.

I expect ASU to come out and cover a 7.5 point spread and stick it to the Wildcats, ending their winning streak. ASU is a much better team and is nearly unbeatable at home. They have won and covered against the spread in their last four games.

The Pick: ASU - 7.5