Pivotal Game as Sun Devils visit Huskies in Pac-10 Showdown

by Cory Williams on Feb 6, 2010 6:21 PM MST in ASU Basketball

Arizona St. Sun Devils at Washington Huskies, Feb 6, 2010 8:30 PM MST

Ah, mediocrity. The word is used as a descriptor for a lot of things in life - the Diamondbacks, Olive Garden, Family Guy, Bud Light. Never has the word been so apt as right now in 2010 when describing the Pac-10 basketball slate. Despite losing two NBA draft picks in 2009, the Sun Devils are sitting atop the conference with a dazzling 6-4 record.

At 16-7 overall, ASU needs to win six more games to have a good shot at making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid. There are 8 regular season games remaining on the slate, and then ASU will be playing at least once in the Pac-10 Tournament. What this information really implies is the following: the Devils cannot have a letdown game tonight, or lose next weekend to either of the Oregon schools. The next three games are essential.

Washington has looked good lately after an abysmal start to Pac-10 play. The Huskies decimated the Cougars, then beat a now-tough Arizona Wildcats team. Sitting at 15-7, UW must win a lot of games in order to be dancing in March.

In reality, our conference may only get 2 or 3 bids. But if UW, ASU, Cal and Arizona can all win the majority of their remaining games, we may have a shot at 4. UCLA is out unless they win the Pac-10 Tournament.

Man, lets look at the stats, shall we?

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Quincy Pondexter	22	31.4	7.4	13.3	55.5	0.5	1.3	39.3	5.5	6.7	82.3	3.5	4.8	8.3	1.6	2.2	1.4	0.7	2.5	20.7
Isaiah Thomas	21	30.2	5.0	12.6	40.2	1.6	5.4	30.1	5.4	7.4	73.5	0.8	3.4	4.2	2.6	2.7	1.0	0.0	2.0	17.1
Venoy Overton	22	22.7	2.8	6.4	43.3	0.5	1.6	27.8	2.8	3.6	78.5	0.7	2.1	2.8	3.5	2.3	1.6	0.1	3.1	8.8
Matthew Bryan-Amaning	22	20.7	2.8	5.7	48.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.4	2.5	55.4	1.8	3.2	5.0	0.4	1.0	1.0	1.3	2.6	7.0
Scott Suggs	21	16.7	1.8	4.6	39.2	1.3	3.4	38.9	1.0	1.3	81.5	0.6	0.9	1.5	0.8	0.6	0.4	0.0	1.8	6.0
Elston Turner	22	15.0	1.9	5.0	36.9	1.0	3.0	33.3	0.5	1.0	47.6	0.5	1.5	1.9	0.7	0.4	0.6	0.1	1.0	5.2
Adbul Gaddy	22	20.0	1.9	4.6	41.6	0.1	0.8	11.8	0.9	1.7	54.1	0.7	0.8	1.5	2.6	1.7	0.6	0.1	2.8	4.8
Justin Holiday	20	18.5	1.9	5.0	37.4	0.1	0.8	13.3	1.0	1.2	79.2	1.7	2.1	3.8	1.4	0.8	0.7	0.5	1.5	4.8
Tyreese Breshers	21	12.0	1.4	3.2	44.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	2.1	50.0	1.2	2.1	3.4	0.0	0.8	0.1	1.0	3.0	3.9
Darnell Gant	22	13.0	1.1	2.9	37.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.7	0.9	78.9	1.0	1.7	2.8	0.5	0.2	0.2	0.3	2.2	2.9
Clarence Trent	18	5.8	0.7	1.5	48.1	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.6	0.8	73.3	0.9	1.0	1.9	0.2	1.0	0.1	0.1	1.1	2.1
Brendan Sherrer	7	1.9	0.3	0.6	50.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.6

Ty Abbott's stats have been increasing nicely over the past few weeks...

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Rihards Kuksiks	23	30.0	4.1	9.5	43.6	2.6	6.7	38.7	1.6	1.8	85.7	0.6	2.7	3.3	1.8	1.2	1.1	0.3	2.1	12.4
Ty Abbott	22	25.8	4.0	8.5	46.3	2.4	5.4	44.1	1.5	2.0	75.0	1.0	3.5	4.5	1.4	1.3	1.0	0.3	2.5	11.8
Derek Glasser	23	32.3	2.8	7.3	38.9	1.2	3.0	40.6	3.6	4.1	88.3	0.1	2.3	2.4	5.2	2.3	1.2	0.2	0.8	10.5
Trent Lockett	23	22.6	2.8	5.4	51.6	0.2	0.7	23.5	2.5	3.4	72.2	1.1	2.4	3.6	1.0	1.6	1.0	0.1	2.4	8.2
Eric Boateng	23	26.0	3.3	5.0	65.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.6	2.7	59.7	2.4	4.3	6.7	0.7	2.0	0.7	0.7	2.6	8.1
Jamelle McMillan	19	29.0	2.8	6.1	46.6	1.4	3.4	40.6	0.8	1.4	61.5	0.5	3.2	3.6	3.2	1.2	1.2	0.2	2.7	7.9
Demetrius Walker	18	12.2	1.2	3.8	30.9	0.5	1.4	36.0	1.4	2.1	68.4	0.1	1.1	1.2	1.0	1.1	0.4	0.2	1.3	4.3
Jerren Shipp	20	12.8	1.3	2.9	43.9	0.3	1.4	22.2	0.7	0.9	76.5	0.6	1.2	1.8	0.5	0.4	0.6	0.1	1.0	3.5
Taylor Rohde	20	8.9	1.0	1.9	51.4	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.9	1.7	54.5	0.5	1.0	1.4	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.0	1.2	2.8
Victor Rudd	13	6.0	0.9	2.5	37.5	0.5	1.9	24.0	0.4	0.6	62.5	0.3	0.9	1.2	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.9	2.7
Rusian Pateev	17	8.9	0.8	1.5	53.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6	1.0	64.7	0.8	1.1	1.9	0.5	0.5	0.2	0.7	1.1	2.3
Marcus Jackson	7	3.0	0.1	0.4	33.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6	0.7	80.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.9
Brandon Thompson	9	3.2	0.2	0.4	50.0	0.2	0.4	50.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.2	0.7