The Arizona State Sun Devils (9-11; 2-5) host the Washington schools to close the first half of the Pac-12 season as the Washington Huskies play at Wells Fargo Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 9 p.m. MT for an ESPNU tilt with Rory Philpott and Brad Daugherty on the call. ASU then hosts Washington State at high noon on Sunday, Jan. 29, with J.B. Long and Don MacLean on the Pac-12 Network broadcast. ASU closed an opening stretch of five road games (including Arizona, UCLA and USC) in its first seven Pac-12 tilts and now has seven of final 11 at home. Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd have the call on the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network, presented by MidFirst (98.7 FM both games this week.) ASU will face the Huskies twice in 23 days (also Feb. 16 in Seattle) and the Cougars twice in 21 days (also Feb. 18 in Pullman).
CAREER CHART: Junior Tra Holder moved past the 1,000-point mark at UCLA on Jan. 19 with 22 points as he is the 36th member of the Sun Devil 1,000-point club. ASU now has a backcourt with two 1,000-point scorers, as Shannon Evans has 1,053 career points, 754 of them coming in 62 games at Buffalo.
SUN DEVIL CAREER POINTS
1. Eddie House/2,044
31. Bobby Lazor/1,077
32. Royce Youree/1,036
33. Derek Glasser/1,028
34. Tra Holder/1,019
SEASON RESET: ASU zig-zagged across North America three times (Orlando, Bahamas and New York City) and got solid road wins at San Diego State (Dec. 10) and Stanford (Dec. 30)...Sun Devils returned two starters (Tra Holder and Obi Oleka) and four total lettermen from last year that posted eight wins against top-100 RPI teams in Bobby Hurley's first season...four players average more than 13 ppg., while Obi Oleka is one of four Pac-12 players averaging a double-double (13.6 ppg./10.6 rpg.)...Obi is tied for the league lead in double-figure rebounding games with 13 and is averaging 15.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in the past 11 games.
QUICK HITTERS: The 81.4 points per game posted by ASU is its best since the 1997-98 squad averaged 84.5, as ASU ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring and third in free throw shooting (.749). ASU is averaging just 11.0 turnovers (first in the league) and 9.9 three-pointers made, second in the Pac-12.
TORIAN-ING IT UP: Torian Graham posted a career-high in each tilt of a three-game December span with 24 vs. Creighton, 26 vs. Central Arkansas and then 30 off the bench at Stanford. In his past eight games he is 77-of-151 (.510) from the field, 32-of-77 (.416) from three and averaging 21.6 points. He is shooting .518 (71-of-137) from the field in the 11 games he has come off the bench, averaging 31.8 minutes and 18.1 points.
MOST SUN DEVIL POINTS OFF BENCH (1989-90 TO PRESENT)
31-Steve Moore, 2/10/05 at UCLA
30-Torian Graham, 12/30/16 at Stanford
29-Shawn Redhage, 2/8/03 at Washington
27-Lester Neal, 12/28/92 vs. Duquesne
26-Torian Graham, 1/19/17 at #3 UCLA
THREE IN TOP 10: ASU has three scorers in the Pac-12's top-13 entering play this weekend. Torian Graham (18.8 ppg.) is second followed by Tra Holder (17.0/fifth) and Shannon Evans II (15.0/T-13th).
FIVE OF FIRST SEVEN ON THE ROAD NOT NORMAL: ASU started its Pac-12 season with five of its first seven on the road, something that now has happened to the Sun Devils five times in the past nine years. How odd is that? In that time frame ASU is the only team to have that happen to it five times, while four teams have had it happen only once (USC, CU, Utah) and it has never happened to Stanford.
STARTING PAC-12 WITH FIVE OF FIRST SEVEN ON THE ROAD
2016-17: ASU (2-5), CU (0-7)
2015-16: UA (4-3), USC (4-3), UTAH (4-3)
2014-15: ASU (2-5), UCLA (3-4), WSU (3-4)
2013-14: CAL (5-2), OREGON (2-5)
2012-13: CAL (3-4), WASHINGTON (4-3)
2011-12: ASU (3-4), UCLA (3-4)
2010-11: ASU (1-6), CAL (3-4)
2009-10: UA (4-3), OREGON STATE (2-5)
2008-09: ASU (5-2), UCLA (5-2)
FREE THROW THREE-DOT DATA: The Sun Devils are making free throws at a rate that is third-best in school history, as ASU is shooting 301-of-402 (.749) from the charity stripe. ASU shot .756 in 1977-78 and .754 in 1954-55 for its best seasons...ASU went 12-of-12 in the second half of a tight win at San Diego State on Dec. 10 and was 16-of-18 for the game to seal that road tilt...junior Tra Holder is 318-of-433 (.734) from the charity stripe in his 84 games...Shannon Evans II made his first 20 free throws to start the season. He 249-of-307 (.811) from the free throw line in his career...Obi Oleka is 136-of-184 (.739) from the free throw line.
COULD BE THE THE THIRD: Shannon Evans II currently leads the Pac-12 in free throw percentage, as he has made 65-of-76 (855). Two Sun Devils have led the Pac-12 in free throw percentage, as Chris Beasley shot .875 (112-of-128) in 1983-84 and Alex Austin made 69-of-80 (.863) in 1988-89.
OBI PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Senior 6-8 forward Obi Oleka has to do much of the big man work this year, as he has led or tied for team lead in rebounding in all but two games. He has 11 double-doubles and in the past 11 games he is averaging 15.3 points and 11.4 rebounds. He had a career-best 17 rebounds vs. Central Arkansas on Dec. 22.
SUN DEVIL SEASON DOUBLE-DOUBLES (PAC-10/12 ERA OF 1978-79 TO PRESENT)
Ike Diogu, Jr., 2004-05, 15
Carrick Felix, Sr., 2012-13, 13
Kurt Nimphius, Sr., 1979-80, 13
Alton Lister, Sr., 1980-81, 12
Jordan Bachynski, Sr., 2013-14, 12
Obi Oleka, Sr., 2016-17, 11
FINAL FOUR IN 2017: ASU and Glendale/Phoenix host the 2017 Final Four, the first Final Four held west of Texas since Seattle in 1995. It will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals. The 2017 Final Four also marks the 25th anniversary of Bobby Hurley earning 1992 MOP.
JETHRO NOTE: Freshman Jethro Tshisumpa -- with a 7-5 1/2 wingspan and 6% body fat -- has 23 blocks in 163 minutes on the year. Sun Devil Jordan Bachynsnki, the Pac-12 career leader, had 20 his freshman season when he played 240 minutes. Mario Bennett has the Sun Devil freshman record with 55 in 1991-92.
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN BLOCKS
55-Mario Bennett, 1991-92
33-Jamal Faulkner, 1990-91
31-Ike Diogu, 2002-03
24-Shawn Redhage, 1999-2000
23-Jethro Tshisumpa, 2016-17
23-Jeff Pendergraph, 2006-06
OBI ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: It was the Jan. 14 WSU game where forward Obinna Oleka (Oh-BEE-nah Oh-LEH-ka) began to emerge last season. Obi was in double figures in 13 of the final 16 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and was 41-of-49 (.837) from the free throw line in that time. He also had three of his four double-doubles in that span. Oleka had no points and one rebound in the first two games, but because he only played five games for State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota the previous two seasons and didn't play in 2014-15, a slow start was expected. Consider this: Before he took the court in the opener Nov. 13, his previous official game was Dec. 7, 2013...a 705-day break between games.
OBI OLEKA FIRST 10 CAREER GAMES/PAST 42
MPG: 19.0/29.9
FT: 17-27 (.630)/119-157 (.758)
PPG: 6.4/12.3
RPG: 4.9/8.5
TOP CAREER SCORING GAMES FOR OBINNA OLEKA
22 at #16 Arizona (1/12/17)
20 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
19 vs. #9 Creighton (12/20/16)
19 vs. Kennesaw State (11/18/15)
18 at California (1/1/17)
18 vs. Central Arkansas (12/22/16)
OBI OLEKA'S 11 DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
17/14 at USC (1/22/17)
10/12 at #3 UCLA (1/19/17)
15/10 vs. Colorado (1/5/17)
18/17 vs. Central Arkansas (12/22/16)
19/16 vs. #9 Creighton (12/20/16)
15/11 vs. New Mexico State (12/17/16)
15/12 at San Diego State (12/10/16)
14/11 vs. #1 Kentucky (11/28/16)
20/15 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
11/10 vs. Nothern Iowa (11/17/16)
17/13 vs. Cal Poly (11/13/16)
MOST REBOUNDS IN TWO-YEAR SUN DEVIL CAREER
1. Paul Stovall, 1920-72/647
5. Isaac Austin, 1989-91/454
6. Obi Oleka, 2015-17/406
FALL SIGNINGS: From one coast to the other one, Bobby Hurley's staff signed a pair of top-100 players this past fall, as 6-6 swingman Kimani Lawrence (New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H.) and 6-2 guard Remy Martin of Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon will join the Sun Devil program in 2017-18. A four-star signee according to Scout, Martin averaged 14.5 points as a junior. Lawrence, a four-star small forward from The New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H., is the nation's 54th overall prospect according to ESPN.
SCOUT.COM SUN DEVIL TOP-100 RECRUITS ON ROSTER NEXT FALL
54. Kimani Lawrence, 2017 (freshman next year)
81. Romello White, 2016 (sitting this year/academic redshirt)
98. Remy Martin, 2017 (freshman next year)
100. Tra Holder, 2014 (2015 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team)
ASU 78, COLORADO 77 (1/5/17): ASU has now won the past four against CU in Tempe after the Jan. 5 78-77 win as Tra Holder hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left...ASU made 10-of-11 (.909) from the free throw line...there were 14 lead changes in the final 10:47 (no lead of more than four points in that span) and Colorado led 64-62, 66-64, 68-67, 73-71, 75-74 and 77-76...Shannon Evans had 18 as did Torian Graham off the bench...Obinna Oleka notched his ninth double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
ASU 98, @STANFORD 93 (12/30/16): Lots of three-dot data from the Pac-12 opening win over on Dec. 30...ASU made 33-of-43 free throws (second-most made in a Pac-12 game in school history)...52 first-half points were ASU's most in Pac-12 game since Feb. 2, 2010 (54 vs. Stanford)...98 points most by ASU in a Pac-12 road game since 99-90 2OT win at Cal on Jan. 17, 2008, and the most in regulation Pac-12 road game since Jan. 17, 2004 (100-85 at USC) ...Torian Graham's 30 points was most by a Sun Devil in Pac-12 opener since Jeff Pendergraph had 31 at Stanford on Jan. 2, 2009...Torian's 30 points off bench most by a Sun Devil since Steve Moore had 31 at UCLA on Feb. 10, 2005...ASU's last win in Palo Alto was Feb. 25, 2010.
ASU'S HIGHEST SCORING PAC-10/12 ROAD GAMES
ASU 111, @California 108, 2OT (Jan. 8, 2000)
ASU 103, @Arizona 98, 2OT (Mar. 11, 1995)
ASU 100, @USC 85 (Jan. 17, 2004)
ASU 99, @California 90, 2OT (Jan. 17, 2008)
@Arizona 127, ASU 99 (Jan. 15, 1998)
ASU 99, @Oregon 84 (Jan. 30, 1993)
ASU 98, @Stanford 93 (Dec. 30, 2016)
BEST THING ABOUT FRESHMAN IS THEY BECOME SOPHOMORES: Tra Holder averaged 14.2 points in 2015-16 after averaging 7.0 in his freshman season. The +7.2 increase is the best from first year to second year Sun Devil since Jeremy Veal went from 7.4 in 1994-95 to 18.9 in 1995-96 (+11.5).
BIGGEST SUN DEVIL SCORING IMPROVEMENTS (FIRST SEASON TO SECOND)
Jeremy Veal, +11.5 (7.4 in 1994-95 to 18.9 in 1995-96)
Dennis Hamilton, +11.1 (6.2 in 1963-64 to 17.3 in 1964-65)
Art Becker, +10.1 (9.0 in 1961-62 to 19.1 in 1962-63)
Arthur Thomas, +9.4 (4.3 in 1984-85 to 13.7 in 1985-86)
Tra Holder, +7.2 (7.0 in 2014-15 to 14.2 in 2015-16)
PAC-12 DOUBLE-DOUBLES (1/23)
11-Obi Oleka, ASU
11-Kyle Kuzma, UTAH
10-Josh Hawkinson, WSU
HE CAN PLAY: Transfer Shannon Evans II arrived at ASU after having spent two seasons under Coach Hurley at Buffalo. As a sophomore in 2014-15 he averaged 15.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists and led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament as he earned second-team All-MAC honors. As a freshman, he averaged 8.5 points and 3.3 assists per game and was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team. He sat the 2015-16 season but has two years to play starting in 2016-17.
SHANNON EVANS II 20-POINT SCORING GAMES (14/5 AT ASU)
33 vs. Cornell (1/3/15)
28 vs. UNLV (12/3/16)
25 at Ball State (2/4/15)
24 at UT-Arlington (11/18/14)
23 vs. Central Arkansas (12/22/16)
23 at Western Michigan (1/10/15)
23 at Grand Canyon (11/25/14)
21 vs. Utah (1/7/17)
21 vs. Tulane (11/18/16)
21 at Kent State (2/28/15)
21 at St. Bonaventure (12/3/14)
20 vs. Niagara (12/19/14)
20 vs. Manhattan (12/21/13)
20 vs. Cal Poly (11/13/16)
QUICK QUESTIONS WITH SHANNON EVANS
Most upset you have ever been on the court: Losing the NCAA tournament
Happiest you have ever been on the court: Winning the MAC championship
You can go watch a past sporting event live...which one? 1991 Duke vs UNLV
Past Sun Devil (any sport) you wish you could have watched compete: Pat Tillman
JUSTICE SERVED: Kodi Justice has made 109 three pointers in 70 career games. He suffered a fractured navicular bone in his left foot on Jan. 25, 2015 (freshman year) and missed the remainder of that season, but bounced back with a solid sophomore season. His injury happened the game following a season-high 16 points at California, so he was just starting to get in the groove, and then adapted to a new coaching staff in the summer of 2015 while getting healthy. He posted 10 double-digit scoring games last year (three in 18 games in 2014-15). He tied for second on the team in assists with 76 and third in steals with 30.
FOUR QUESTIONS WITH KODI JUSTICE
You can pick the brain of any coach, who is it?: John Wooden
You can go watch a past sporting event live...which one? Rumble in the Jungle
Past Sun Devil (any sport) you wish you could have watched compete: Pat Tillman
Biggest challenge in my life: Being dyslexic
KODI JUSTICE TOP SCORING GAMES
20 vs. Citadel (11/23/16)
20 vs. Houston Baptist (12/19/15)
17 vs. Utah (1/7/17)
17 vs. Washington (1/16/16)
16 vs. Washington State (1/14/16)
16 at California (1/22/15)
BOBBY HURLEY QUOTES...
On Markelle Fultz…
He's a complete guard with great size and he's very fluid with the ball and has great decision-making. He's like a lot of high-level point guards that see plays develop before a lot of people see them. He has the ability to score and hurt you with his vision and his passing ability. He's having a great individual season and putting up great numbers. Even his defense, his shot blocks and the other things that he does. He's a high-end player.
On the key to Torian playing well…
Torian, really, has been good all year. He started out against Stanford with a big game. He got off to a great start in league play. He just has been really consistent with that. We can count on him to put points on the board for us. He's rebounding and, like our other guards, he is at times guarding players a lot taller than he is. He's doing everything I could've asked. I knew, coming into the year, the things he was doing in our workouts that he was always a standout. He was positioning himself to have a great season and he's backed it up with his play on the court.
On what he needs to add to move onto the NBA…
He's got to continue to develop his handle and be able to create a shot off the bounce at a really high level. He's such a threat with his great first step, whether it's getting to his floater or getting to his pull-up, and he elevates so well. And he can catch and shoot it. That breakdown and some handles, he can continue to build that as he develops as a player. Then just being a warrior on defense. You have to have a killer instinct and that goes for all our guys. Defensively, you have to do it at a high level. You have to be a two-way player to have success at the highest level.
On whether Torian's shot selection is where he wants it to be…
We give him the leeway because he can make difficult shots. He can make clutch shots. He can make them when we need them, so we give him the freedom. He's been good with me too, telling me, 'Hey coach, I'm in a good groove right now,' which is nice. The couple times he's done that with me during games we've gotten him the ball and he's come through. We're going to let him be himself. As long as he does everything I need him to do in terms of effort, attitude, being a good leader and other things we ask him, he's going to have the freedom on offense.
On the effort he's seeing in his team to come back from late deficits…
I liked it. I think we have to take another step and not put ourselves in that position. I think it was a one-point game with seven minutes to go at USC and then going three minutes where both ends of the floor have breakdowns. We miss shots, we have some poor defensive possession and then, all of a sudden, it's 14 and we're trying to win a game down that margin within three minutes. It isn't going to work very often. If we can get ourselves out of those situations and make it more of a possession game late, we're have more chances to win closer games.
On whether he expects to use the same rotation he used against USC moving forward…
This game is going to be a difficult game. A lot of energy is going to be exerted in this game. When you talk about Washington, you talk about comebacks. They've gotten themselves into some tough spots too and they've rallied in a number of conference games. They posses that quality also: having a good fight in them. Having a player like [Markelle] Fultz, you're never really out of a game no matter what the margin is. They have that also, so we're going to have to be ready to play 40 minutes. That being said, we're going to need contribution from our bench and production and minutes from our bench.
On Obi's season…
We were convincing to do what we needed him to do and he's bought in. The buy-in is there from him and, again, he's a combo forward that's playing the five. He's using every bit of his athletic ability and the gifts he has to use his athleticism to rebound. He's taking it personal, rebounding. He wants to get every one. If there's one of our players that's in the neighborhood of him getting a rebound, he's going to get him out of the way to go get it. He selfishly wants the rebounds. That's terrific. He's scoring more around the basket. He really helped us out in the USC game finishing around the hoop and then he can step away and do what he does away from the basket. He's another guy that's having a really good season for us and I'm very proud of what he's doing.