ASU Basketball: Sun Devils scoring more points off shorter shot clock

It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Arizona State Sun Devils' scoring is up this season.

That's mostly the result of a shortened 30-second shot clock the NCAA introduced this season that replaced the previous 35-second limit. Shorter shot clocks equal more possessions, which should equal more opportunities to score points.

ASU coach Bobby Hurley has expressed himself as an avid supporter of the shortened shot clock since it was mandated, and believes it improves the quality of the game on the collegiate level.

"I think it's good for the game," Hurley said prior to the season. "I think it's positive for making our product better. Fans and people are watching, want to see more points scored. They want to see a quicker-paced game. I think that shortening that will address some of those issues."

Let's compare some figures from last season to this year, as of Nov. 26:

Obviously, ASU's points per game average is up, as well as possessions per game. However, an indication whether the Sun Devils have been getting the most out of their opportunities is the points per possession stat, which is a quick efficiency measure. In this case, the Sun Devils are just a nudge over par from last year's offense that ranked 118th in the nation in points per game.

It's hard to analyze whether a quicker shot clock benefits ASU just five games into the season, as non-conference play is a volatile time to judge a team. It's already worth noting though ASU is scoring eight more than last year, and we'll track these figures later on in the season.