Things have not gone well for the Pac-12 as a whole so far this season, as Arizona State is the lone team from the conference ranked in the Top 25. The No. 20 Sun Devils will get their stiffest test yet as they face fellow unbeaten Nevada in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic on Saturday.
Both teams played in the Staples Center last season, so there is familiarity with the surroundings for both, and not much of an advantage for either side. And both squads are averaging more than 86 points per game, though No. 6 Nevada has done so in a more efficient manner, ranking second in the country in points per offensive possession while Arizona State is 61st.
Nevada also has the more veteran team, as every player in its starting five is a senior. This experience has allowed coach Eric Musselman to play a tight rotation as he knows what he has, more so than the opposing coach Bobby Hurley.
The good news for Arizona State is it has played a comparable schedule and both the Wolf Pack and Sun Devils have a first-half scoring margin of +10, which means both teams are getting off to fast starts with their top players on the floor.
Arizona State’s undoing in this one might be turnovers, as Nevada has the second-best turnover per possession rate in the country while Arizona State is 193rd.
Arizona State is doing a good job of getting points without taking many 3-pointers this season, but Nevada has guys who can rotate and defend every position on the floor. The Sun Devils likely will have to earn points at the free-throw line to stay close, which is not something they do well as the team is 246th among Division I teams in free-throw shooting percentage.
The play: Nevada, -8.