Before we tip-off tomorrow's game, we decided to get a little Pre-Game chat going with House of Sparky, the SB Nation Arizona State blog. We asked Cory Williams some questions about tomorrow's game, and his responses are below. To see our answers to Cory's questions, go here. Enjoy!
Q. Who has been the best player so far for the Sun Devils? Who should Beaver fans be looking out for?
A. Believe it or not, our team hasn't been extremely consistent this season. Ty Abbott, our senior shooting guard, is probably our most reliable player. He dropped 22 points on Oregon on Thursday night, and he's playing with purpose right now. He has a lot of pride, and in his four seasons here we went to the postseason 3 years in a row (NIT, NCAA, NIT) so going 11-18 this season has hurt his mojo. Expect to see him working hard and taking a lot of three pointers tomorrow afternoon in his final home game.
Q. If you were on the selection committee of the "Worst Teams of BCS Conferences Tournament", and you got to choose one of these four teams, who would you pick and why? The teams are: Georgia Tech (11-17), Texas Tech (12-17), Oregon State (10-16), or Arizona State (10-17)
A. It would have to be a toss-up between the OSU and ASU. We play in the Pac-10. The Techs are in solid basketball conferences, and this is another down year for the west coast. We really couldn't do any better? Our schools should be ashamed.
Q. What are your expectations for the Sun Devils in the Pac-10 Tournament? From what I've seen of them, I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled an upset in the first two rounds.
A. I'd love to see them play to their full potential. They are a feast or famine team that can score in bunches if the three ball is falling. If they are missing their shots, they have very little rebounding and will not win much. Judging by their competition, they could easily win their first game but after that, it's unlikely. ASU just isn't very good this season.
Q. Who do you want to punch in the face?
A. The doctor who advised Steven Threet to retire from football. Threet's a good quarterback and we had a great shot with him next season. Hopefully Brock Osweiler can fill his shoes.
Rest of the Q&A after the break
A. Herb Sendek blew it last year with his recruits, and half of them transferred to other programs. He is notorious for letting underclassmen ride the bench while playing the older players. That worked last season when we won 22 games, but it cost him some good talent.
This year, he has been more willing to play the freshmen (which makes sense, because we aren't going anywhere this season). I've liked what I've seen from the young guys. Next season holds a lot of promise, as we're bringing in Jahii Carson, a very highly touted point guard from Mesa, Az. If they adjust the style of play to his specifications, we could have a resurgence next winter. If not, Sendek is in trouble.
Q. Which newcomer has had the biggest impact for the Sun Devils?
A. Kyle Cain has been the starting power forward all season, and he is very effective when it comes to rebounding and being a presence down low. If he gains 15 pounds and works on his jumper, he could be a great package for us in the next few years. Watch out for him. On the other hand, Carrick Felix has incredible athleticism and I'm hoping he can become a good ball player.
Q. Did you guys lose anyone from last year's team, and if so, were they key player(s)?
A. Well, we lost Derek Glasser and Eric Boateng, our starting PG and C. They were solid role players who knew what it meant to win, and we've missed them dearly this season. They graduated. We also lost 5 or 6 players to transfers, and Jerren Shipp graduated as well. There was a ton of turnover this year, and it showed in the W-L columns.
Q. Predictions for the game?
A. I really think ASU is going to win. They are playing motivated basketball and Ty Abbott doesn't like to lose. I expect the Sun Devils to win 71-58. Who knows, though. Just a classic matchup on Saturday afternoon.
Go Beavers!