ASU scorches Gardner-Webb
Arizona State coasted to a 71-48 victory over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs (6-7, 1-1) Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils had three players in double figures. Ty Abbott led all scorers with 18 points. Trent Lockett added 16 points and 7 rebounds. Freshman Kyle Cain grabbed 11 rebounds while adding 8 points.
Sloppy starts by both teams over the first few minutes of the game kept the score close but ASU was able to find some offensive rhythm and go into double digits. The Sun Devils kept a solid lead throughout the remainder of the game.
Arizona State was able to establish some offensive productivity early and maintain it. The Sun Devils shot 45 percent (25-of-56) from the field, as well as 46 percent (11-of-24) from three. Rihards Kuksiks was 50 percent (4-of-8) from behind the arc as he put up 15 points. Kuksiks is 16-of-31 (.516) from beyond the arc over the last five games.
ASU's defense was too much for the Bulldogs forcing them to shoot only 30 percent (17-56) from the field and 30 percent (7-23) from behind the arc. The Bulldogs 48 points was the lowest point total put up against the Sun Devils this season as well as the biggest point differential yet this season at 23 points.
Ty Abbott commented on the defense, "I think it was a big thing to hold them to 48. We'd been struggling defensively and we had a good hard defensive week, so it's good to see that translate to the court."
Consecutive three pointers by Abbott sealed the deal for the Sun Devils mid way through the second half. The Sun Devils (4-4) went on to claim their fourth win of the season.
Arizona State travels to Nevada next to take on the Nevada Wolf Pack Saturday, December 17 at 6 p.m. PT on ESPNU.
FIVE FULL DAYS BEFORE GAMEDAY
The Sun Devils are now 13-3 (.813) in the past four years when Coach Sendek and his staff have at least five full days in between games, with seven of the wins coming against teams that would make the NCAA Tournament in that same season. Included in the tilts last year were wins over MWC Tournament champion San Diego State (on a five-game win streak at the time last December), Pac-10 Tournament champion and then No. 24 Washington and a road win at Arizona. In 2008-09 the five-day layoff wins included ASU's first NCAA Tournament win since 2003 (over Temple), a win over Arizona who entered the game on a seven-game win streak and a neutral site win over a 10-0 BYU team. In 2007-08, the wins included ASU's first win in Tucson in 12 seasons, an overtime win at California in which ASU was playing as a ranked team for the first time in 13 seasons and a 22-point win over #17 Xavier in December of 2007 that is the school's largest victory margin over a ranked opponent in ASU history.
COACH SENDEK IN GAMES WITH AT LEAST FIVE FULL DAYS TO PREPARE IN PAST FOUR SEASONS (13-3)
2007-2008 (4-0)
ASU 77, #17 Xavier (NCAA) 55 (Dec. 15, 2007)
ASU 95, Saint Francis (Pa.) 56 (Dec. 20, 2007)
#22 ASU 99, @California (NIT) 90, 2 OT (Jan. 17, 2008)
ASU 59, @Arizona (NCAA) 54 (Feb. 10, 2008)
2008-2009 (5-1)
#20 ASU 59, IUPUI 58, OT (Dec. 14, 2008)
#20 ASU 76, BYU (NCAA) 75 (Dec. 20, 2008 @Glendale)
#17 ASU 84, Central Connecticut State 47 (Dec. 20, 2008)
Washington State (NIT) 65, #14 ASU 55 (Jan. 28, 2009)
#14 ASU 79, Arizona (NCAA) 68 (Feb. 22, 2009)
#19 ASU 66, Temple (NCAA) 57 (Mar. 20, 2009 @NCAA)
2009-2010 (3-2)
ASU 55, San Diego State (NCAA) 52 (Dec. 19, 2009)
@UCLA 72, ASU 70 (Dec. 31, 2009)
ASU 68, #24 Washington (NCAA) 51 (Jan. 8, 2010)
Arizona 77, ASU 58 (Jan. 23, 2010)
ASU 73, @Arizona 69 (Feb. 21, 2010)
2010-2011 (1-0)
ASU 71, Gardner-Webb 48 (Dec. 11, 2010)