ASU Basketball: Sun Devils look to rewrite history against Utah

After two straight road losses to begin conference play, Arizona State, (12-2, 0-2 Pac-12) travels to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Utes, (10-4, 2-1) on Sunday at 6 p.m. MST.

Utah started Pac-12 play with wins over Oregon and Oregon State, respectively, before losing to Arizona their last time on the court.

The Utes are led by 6-foot-10 senior Tyler Rawson who is averaging 11.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocker per game. As his statistics show, Rawson is an absolute force on both sides of the ball for Utah.

In the back court, Justin Bibbins is averaging 13.1 points while dishing out 4.7 assists per game. This Utah team is led by veterans, as their starting five consists of four seniors and a junior. The Utes’ experience should be even more beneficial at home since Arizona State hasn’t won at Utah since 1975.

It’s also worth noting that since Utah and Colorado joined the Pac-12, Arizona State is just 1-10 combined on the road against these two teams since 2012, including Thursday’s loss at Colorado.

Utah averages 76.1 points per game, while allowing just 68.6 to their opponents. On the other hand, ASU’s offense is still pouring it in with 90 points per game while allowing 73.9.

However, in conference play ASU has averaged 79.5 points per contest with just a 36.6 field goal percentage. On defense the Sun Devils have allowed 87 points per game on 46 percent shooting.

Arizona State will be going into Utah looking to prove their impressive non-conference play wasn’t a fluke. The Sun Devils will be hungry to get back on track, as they look for their first conference win of the season and their first victory in the Jon M. Huntsman Center in 43 years.