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| Thursday, February 27 Give Sun Devils their due ... an NCAA bid By Ed Graney Special to ESPN.com |
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Rob Evans has liked his basketball team since the beginning this season, liked its attitude and hunger and passion and resolve. From early November until late February, he's liked Arizona State's chances to earn the first NCAA Tournament bid in Evans' five-year tenure. "We've got some experience on this team," said Evans. "Win or lose, we come to practice every day and get after it. Win or lose, the kids are prepared and able to concentrate."
Arizona State needs to continue its consistent effort these last few weeks of the regular season, as March comes into view and seedings for at-large berths are determined. It's a safe bet the Pac-10 will be extended five NCAA bids (Arizona, Stanford, Cal, ASU and Oregon). But potential upsets in the conference tournament and/or multiple losses down the stretch could create nervous moments for whichever team finishes fifth. ASU -- sitting in fourth place alone at 17-8 overall and 9-5 in conference entering the week -- now makes a critical road swing to Cal and Stanford. The Sun Devils are coming off a 20-point home loss to No. 1 Arizona and need to re-discover the formula that produced four straight wins before that lopsided defeat to their in-state rival. "The kids are disappointed coming off (the Arizona game)," said Evans. "But, like I said, we have always been a team that bounces back well since I've been here. I know we will be ready to play this week." They will be ready because of that experience, because of names like Tommy Smith and Kyle Dodd and Donnell Knight and Shawn Redhage -- players who were part of Evans' first full recruiting class in Tempe, who have worked for and wondered when that initial NCAA experience might arrive. Now, finally, they are standing at its doorstep, boasting an RPI in the high 20s and confident they can make this March Madness a memorable one. "When you play together for three or four years like a lot of their guys have, it becomes a big advantage," said Arizona associate head coach Jim Rosborough. "But you also want to get into the NCAA Tournament. It's every kid's dream. (ASU) is playing well and hard right now." There is no question the solid play of seniors has contributed to an impressive season by freshman Ike Diogu, the relentless post player averaging 18.7 points and 7.3 rebounds. Diogu has certainly made the difference between the letters NCAA and NIT when talking ASU basketball, but he has also benefited from an effective supporting cast. The team's experience has been even more apparent in recent weeks, when Dodd had 29 assists in five games and fellow senior Curtis Millage made 30-of-35 free-throws over nine outings. "I don't know how improved they are since we last played them," said Stanford coach Mike Montgomery, whose team won 58-57 in Tempe on Feb. 1. "I just know they're pretty good. (Diogu) is a legitimate Player of the Year candidate in our conference. They have veterans on the perimeter and play very hard. They're just good." ASU's trip to the Bay Area is followed by home games against Oregon and Oregon State, meaning the fight for fourth and fifth place is hardly over. It would take more than a little for the Sun Devils to overtake either Stanford or Cal for third, but it's certainly possible. "Guys are very serious about getting better all the time and making the most of this season," said Evans. "They just have a determination about them. I really like this team." He has from the beginning.
Good-Bye to Selland "Technically, on paper, that's correct," said Lopes, the first-year head coach. "But we have three games left and they will all be difficult. I have to keep my players from thinking we have arrived or accomplished anything just yet." Fresno State (19-6, 12-3) leads Nevada (15-10, 10-5) by two games, and yet the fact Lopes' team has the league's best RPI of 65 suggests even a regular-season title won't come close to guaranteeing the Bulldogs an NCAA at-large berth. Still, Lopes in his inaugural season has positioned Fresno State for just its second outright WAC title. "Nevada, at Tulsa and at Rice to finish up," said Lopes. "You never know what can happen. We're still far away from winning anything. We just have to play the games and see how we do." Know this: Selland Arena has been the team's home since 1967-68, and the Bulldogs boast a 405-136 record in the venue. Fresno State moves into its new on-campus arena, Save Mart Center, next season. How did Fresno State, picked as low as fifth by some to begin the season, reach such a lofty point? The Bulldogs played six of their first nine conference games in Selland, allowing them to build momentum before the second half of league. You have to like the Bulldogs' chances of winning a championship. They have not dropped consecutive games this season and own the lone winning conference road record at 6-5. Those at-large NCAA hopes would have been bolstered had the Bulldogs been able to win at Creighton during Bracket Buster Saturday. Instead, Fresno State lost a 67-66 decision. "I was really proud of the way we competed," said Lopes. "All you can ask for in a situation like that is a chance at the end. We had that. I still think it was great for our conference in terms of national television exposure. And it was a great opportunity to play a very good team."
Around the West The Bears host No. 1 Arizona in a key Pac-10 game on Thursday, and a victory would push Cal within a game of first in the loss column. Braun, smartly so, sidestepped any questions this week about his team's NCAA seeding. "I hate to be rude, but I'm not concerned about that," said Braun. "I can't address it. We can't think about championships or tournaments. We have the No. 1 team in the country coming here, a team that has lost just once at home and once on the road. In today's game, that's pretty impressive. "But we can't make the game any bigger than it is. To play harder or try and reach a different level just because they're No. 1 is a mistake. We have to play the best we can, regardless of who it is. I know that's contrite and coach-talk, but it's also a fact." Here's another: Arizona is the last team to win in Haas Pavilion, taking out Cal 68-58 last year. The Bears are 29-1 at home over the last two seasons, including a current 17-game win streak.
This could be Gonzaga's toughest road to a tournament title in years, especially if the Toreros (who trail the Zags by just a game entering the week) advance to the final on their home court. USD has a pair of all-conference talents in seniors Jason Keep and Jason Blair. Keep is the 6-10, 280-pound transfer center from Oklahoma State who is trying to become the first player to lead the WCC in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (9.2) since the late Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount in 1988-89. Blair is a versatile forward who averages 17 points and 7.4 rebounds. If anything, Gonzaga will enter the WCC tournament with a heightened sense of motivation. The Zags have an RPI in the high 40s range and might be bubble material with conference losses to LMU and Portland.
In the best way possible, of course. Utah defeated BYU 71-64 on Big Monday, increasing the No. 23 Utes' lead to two games in the standings with four remaining. It hasn't been easy for anyone to pull away. Consider: Through the first 39 conference games, 27 were decided by 10 points or less, including 15 by five or less. As for Douglas, the New Mexico senior continues to lead the nation in scoring with a 28.5 average. In conference games, that average is 33.5. He tied his career high with 43 in a loss at San Diego State on Monday, when Douglas scored his team's first 11 points and 20 of its first 26. "It's just not often a player in a conference as good as the Mountain West is the nation's leading scorer," said first-year coach Ritchie McKay. "Ruben is just a tremendous player who has carried us on and off the floor. Words can't describe how well he has played." Since transferring from Arizona less than three years ago, Douglas has become the Mountain West's single-season and career scoring leader.
Who's Hot Ray Young: UCLA's senior stepped into the point guard role in place of the injured Cedric Bozeman and responded by averaging 20 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in two games. Young's 18 points and four assists helped the Bruins snap a 10-game conference losing streak in beating Cal.
Who's Not San Francisco: The Dons lost a critical home game to San Diego by 18, ending their bid for second place in the West Coast Conference and a guaranteed spot in the league tournament semifinals. If USF can't find success at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine this week, fourth place and a likely semifinal date with Gonzaga beckons.
Quotes to Note Ed Graney of the San Diego Union-Tribune is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at ed.graney@uniontrib.com. |
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