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| Sunday, November 3 Updated: November 4, 8:40 AM ET Team Preview ESPN.com |
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TOUGH ENOUGH.............................. Shoddy outside shooting last season made strong inside play critical, and it's an area where ASU should be even better. Diogu -- who averaged 23 points and 11.5 rebounds as a senior in high school -- will battle for big-time minutes. Chris Osborne, a 6-9 senior, will pick up all the dirty work and toughness lost by the departure of Awvee Storey. Another promising youngster to go with Diogu is forward Serge Angounou, who's not afraid to mix things up. TOUGH ENOUGH?.............................. ASU lost its leading scorer in center Chad Prewitt, and while Smith might not be able to match the 17-point scoring average, he should emerge the team's leader in all phases. That will demand he stay on the court. Fouls and turnovers have limited Smith for three years in the program, and he needs to demonstrate more mental toughness. He has NBA quickness, but seems to wear down late in seasons. Smith needs to be strong in mind and body for ASU to succeed. BOTTOM LINE.............................. ASU is better than last season, when it beat Arizona for the first time in seven years, but then dropped its final five games to finish 14-15. But the schedule -- open against Kentucky in the Maui Classic, vs. Purdue in Las Vegas -- is difficult. Deeper and better at the defensive end, ASU has enough to finish the Pac-10 race in fourth if everything falls right. If not, this remains a bubble team come Selection Sunday.
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