ASU

[LU65Participant]

Game Notes

LU’s
http://www.lehighsports.com/custompages/Game%20Notes/Men's%20Basketball/2014-15/10%20-%20Arizona%20State%20Notes%2012.20.14.pdf

ASU’s
http://www.thesundevils.com/pdf9/3053202.pdf

KenPom Projections

LU (4-5) Ranked 206th
@
ASU (7-3) Ranked 73rd
AZ. State wins 78-65 (88% chance)

Welcome Home Tim!

You can rightfully argue, in terms of W’s and L’s, Arizona State is playing much as expected. They easily dispatched 3 teams ranked 250 and above, struggled briefly but came out on top in games against teams ranked between 100 and 200 (including Colgate), and fell to teams the likes of Texas A&M, Alabama, Maryland and Marquette – each ranked in the Top 100. What you can’t argue with is their success at home. In Tempe, they’re a perfect 6-0 and carry a 17 point average margin of victory into our game tomorrow night.

The Long Ball

Clicking on 40.6% of their 3-point attempts and ranked 21st in the nation in that regard, ASU will be the toughest deep threat we will have faced this year. That is until we face-off against our friends over in Easton who currently rank 8th @ 43.1%.

Speaking of the long ball, here’s someone you might care to watch – if lucky enough to catch the action on PAC 12 TV. His name is Jonathan Gilling, the Sun Devil’s 6’8” Senior Forward and 3-Point Specialist!?
While he may not start tomorrow night – he hasn’t yet this year – the 24 year old Dane with prior overseas experience (averaged 15.2 points for the Horsholm 79ers in Denmark prior to coming to Arizona State), puts in an average of 24 mpg and shoots nothing but threes. Well, almost nothing but threes. After all, he did attempt 8 from inside the circle in the first nine games played this year. But, this guy is 25 of 46 from deep and sits @ .543.

http://www.thesundevils.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207923208&DB_OEM_ID=30300

[RichHParticipant]

I get Pac12 Network,so I should watch. Hope not a Q repeat.

[toddcuddParticipant]

I don’t get Pac12, but could go to a local sports pub that gets everything. Undecided. I’m fearing the worst. By any measure, ASU should be MUCH better than Q was.
I’d love to see TK have a good showing for his “homecoming”, but at this point I’m afraid best hope is that everyone stays healthy.
So much for my “half-full” perspective…

[RichHParticipant]

Must admit,kinda hoping W keeps me out shopping til game over.

[LUHoops00Participant]

TK senior said asu is for the taking if we play well…of course he said that prior to LU laying the egg of all egg performances at Q…

[toddcuddParticipant]

Listening on espnlv, but couldn’t get ASU live stats link. If interested, ESPN gamecast is working:

gamecast

[TMHParticipant]

I’m just watching the stats, so I’m not sure what the announcers are saying. With 5:30 left in the game, Kahron Ross has tied a Lehigh record with 13 assists in a game. Record shared with Mike Mckee.

[lehigh90Participant]

Wow, that will go down as one of the greatest Lehigh games winning in triple ot vs a PAC 12 team. Great gutty win. That is a bad ASU team but thrilled to beat ASU and DePaul in OOC.

[RichHParticipant]

So proud. Tough gutty TEAM win. Not likely I’ll get these old bones to bed anytime soon

[StablerBumParticipant]

Nice win on the road vs a top 100 team! Watched on online stream. Kahron was terrific and AP played very well. Tim had some trouble with ASU’s size/quickness that resulted in a bunch of turnovers but put up some good #’s. JG was his great, bringing his energy and athleticism.

In the CJ, GK, and HG class I believe they only beat one power conference team (obviously bonus points for it being in the tournament) in four years. One thing I have envied of other solid mid major programs is their ability to beat major conference teams with some regularity (Bucknell as a great example), so I love the fact that we are not just hanging around in these games but winning. Winning these games can only be good for the future of this young team and their mentality. I expect the inconsistency to continue for the rest of the year, but it’s nice to pick up some good wins and confidence boosters along the way.

[TMHParticipant]

1.) KR ends up setting the Lehigh assist record with 14. He will likely push the season record as a freshman too.
2.)As AP goes, so goes the team. Rider seems to be the 1 exception.
24 vs Villanova…we almost beat a Top 10 team
2 vs Canisius…we lose
3 vs Columbia we lose
14 vs Depaul..nice upset
15, 13, 11 over the next 3 and we win them all
2 vs Quinnipiac and we lose
Tonight he scores 18 and another victory.

Only against Rider to he score in double figures and the team underperformed.

3.)Keeping track of TK’s development curve. After 10 games, he is almost exactly at last year’s average. His shooting % is down quite a bit though.

[LU65Participant]

I can never recall listening to a basketball game for nearly 3 hours straight. Sure, I have watched one or two (Duke comes to mind), but glued to an earpiece as I was last night, no. I’m sure those lucky enough to see it in person or have access to the PAC-12 network coverage will have far more to say about the performance of our guys, but for me it was a treat to hear – just like olden days – the radio coverage and visualize the play as described by WEEX’s Tom Fallon. It was by far his best broadcast of the season – maybe his career. Tom, great work!

[toddcuddParticipant]

Nice video recap from Pac12 network (free). AP impressed their guys.

LU – ASU Recap

[jimk72Participant]

I’ve seen seven game so far (DePaul on TV). Did not see any of this game. Just piecing together written accounts, the box score, and the PAC12 Network video recap Todd linked.

Biggest win in program history? No. But certainly in the top five or six. Despite losing a 14 point 2nd half lead they didn’t fold in 3OT’s, and according to the Arizona Republic “out lasted” the Sun Devils. Just read that TK fouled out in the 2nd OT. We were 13-23 at foul line. And still won. I’m not the first to say this group has a high ceiling. But to me this adds more proof that they could be, overall, as talented, as deep, and as inconsistent as any team ever at Lehigh.

Couple of things also now apparent. JG is the starting 4. Period. From what I read he was the difference in the overtimes. KR is every bit as good as he showed against Villanova. Maybe better. And echoing TMH’s comments (and those of the PAC12 announcers and their video highlights in the post game), AP is an offensive force, from deep or to the basket. He still has his timid moments, but his quickness, smooth moves, and length are just a bit…….dare I say it…. CJ-esque? And yet, UMBC is next and the memories of Quinnipiac linger.

In summary, and getting way ahead of where we are right now, the ultimate goal in the PL is winning the league tournament and the NCAA tournament appearance. And the holy grail is an NCAA win. As we all know there have only been three. I doubt this team can become consistent enough to win the PL tournament. Plus the league schedule is going to be a real grinder. So even if they did win the PL bid, I don’t see how their regular season record could be good enough to get a high enough RPI to avoid the dreaded 16th seed. At least not this year. But the talent’s there. And there’s apparently more coming next year.

If you think I’m a dreamer, or just crazy, let me know.

[toddcuddParticipant]

I’m not sure what to expect for RPI come tournament selection time. It certainly seems like the PL is having an unusually good OOC run; several big wins and plenty of games against big-time programs. I agree that we’ll probably beat each other up during PL schedule; hard to imagine anyone coming out with a glowing in-conference record. How much will the OOC wins and SoS help?
I’m now interested to see Bucky vs. Wake Forest tonight. Would be another very good PL win, and I don’t think it’s beyond the realm of possibility.

[Author]

Posts