No. 11 Syracuse’s (20-13, 8-10 Atlantic Coast) draw in the NCAA Tournament is a team it hasn’t seen since 2009. The Orange will take on 11th-seeded Arizona State (20-11, 8-10 Pacific-12) Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio.

To learn more about the Sun Devils, The Daily Orange reached out to Anthony Totri, ASU beat writer for The State Press, the independent student newspaper of Arizona State.

The Daily Orange: It’s been an up-and-down season for ASU this year. At one point the team was 12-1 and ranked third in the country, but now, it’s lost five of its last six games. Which trend is more indicative of this Sun Devils team?

Anthony Totri: As you mentioned, everyone’s first taste of the Sun Devils this season was an unexpected 12-0 in non-conference and a No. 3 ranking in the AP Top 25. Recently, ASU looked like a lost cause in Pac-12 play. With both points made I’ve got to say the fall in conference play is what this team seems to be about. However, it’s not by much. The Sun Devils possess the offensive firepower to keep up with seemingly any high-scoring team in the country. That’s of course if ASU is playing at its desired pace. When the maroon and gold aren’t running in transition and constantly going on runs this team loses more often than not.

The D.O.: Arizona State has one of the most effective offenses in the country. How is that unit so effective, and is there a way to slow them down?

A.T.: Speed. ASU basketball thrives on being able to grab a board and run up the court with numbers. If and when they have the numbers in transition the Sun Devils aren’t shy to either pull up for a triple or take it to the rim. Once that happens, this team, led by senior guards Kodi Justice, Shannon Evans II and Tra Holder can go on a 12-0 run like it was nothing. So how does one slow down the Sun Devils? On the defensive side of the ball opponents found success in their 2-3 zones. It’s been hard to pinpoint exactly why ASU struggles so much with that scheme, it could be because their best mid-range shooters are always outside the arc and rarely find themselves in the hole of the zone to take advantage of it. Nevertheless, Justice has caught some teams sleeping from midrange. The other key to stopping the Sun Devils is simple — slow them down. This team feasts off energetic offensive runs, so limit the number of runs by taking advantage of the shot clock to find the best available shot.

The D.O.: Frank Howard and Tyus Battle, Syracuse’s two starting guards, both have big size advantages over ASU’s Tra Holder and Shannon Evans II. How do the Sun Devils guards match up and deal with size disadvantages?

A.T.: This will be tough for ASU, because typically their size disadvantages have plagued them in the paint, not on the outside. Frankly ASU is a small team all around. Nevertheless, they find ways to make up for a lack of size by scoring in bunches. If the Sun Devils want to slow down these giant guards they’ll need to get help from everyone. Even so, don’t underestimate ASU’s high-energy approach. The Orange may have size in its favor, but if size is the tell all be all, then Syracuse is David and ASU is Goliath. We all know how that turned out.

The D.O.: Who is someone under the radar that will be a big factor for the Sun Devils on Wednesday?

A.T.: As the newly dubbed “Guard U” I’d have to say freshman guard Remy Martin is the guy that shouldn’t be slept on. This kid dropped 21 points on the University of Kansas to go along with five steals. He is Co-Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year. If he’s on, then good luck, because although Martin comes off the bench, he is known to Sun Devil fans as the energizer bunny. From time to time he gets caught defensively, but in terms of speed, he can keep up with anyone in the country, and he’ll take advantage of anyone who wants to give it go playing him tight. Don’t be shocked if he is the game changer as he’s combined for 34 points and 11 assists in his last two games.

The D.O.: Who do you think wins and why?

A.T.: I think ASU shows up and gets the win in a tug-of-war contest. It’s a cliche, but it’s a new season. The Sun Devils play best when they’re sitting in the shadows, and that’s exactly where ASU sits. I anticipate a high-energy game from both teams, but I have a hard time believing ASU’s senior guards let them down come Wednesday evening. Justice said earlier this week that the Sun Devils are going into the tournament as the hunters, and I believe him.

Published on March 13, 2018 at 7:32 am

Contact Tomer: tdlanger@syr.edu | @tomer_langer