Game Preview: UW WBB Huskies Face ASU Sun Devils, Sunday Jan. 19th at 11 AM

The Washington Huskies (10-9 overall; 2-7 PAC) go on the road to face the Arizona State Sun Devils (7-11 overall, 0-7 PAC) — at 11am PST, Sunday, January 29th.

The Arizona State Sun Devils are a bad team that remains winless in Pac-12 play.

(However, they are coming off their best game of the season, a narrow loss to Washington State, 61-57.

The Sun Devils shoot 34.8% overall from the field and 29.9% from three-point range.

ASU allows opponents to average 78.7 points per game.

Per Synergy, the Sun Devils rank in the Bottom 25% of all Division teams in defending these play types: spot-up shooters, pick-and-roll ballhandlers; the pick-and-roll roll man; post-ups; cuts and isolation plays.

On the other hand, the Sun Devils rank in the Top 33% nationally in defending these play types: handoffs; players coming off screens and putbacks from offensive rebounds.

The Huskies’ offense relies heavily on handoffs and screens at the elbow of the free throw line– it will be interesting to see if the Huskies struggle against an (otherwise) ineffective defensive team.

ASU’s junior 5’5″ guard #2 Tyi Skinner averages a team-leading 16.7 points in Pac-12 play, along with 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 35.8 minutes.

Arizona State’s first and second-leading scoring combinations feature Skinner as the scorer.

1. Jaddan Simmons (assister) to Tyi Skinner (scorer)
2. Trayanna Crisp (assister) to Tyi Skinner (scorer)

6’2″ junior guard Treasure Hunt averages 14.3 points in Pac-12 play, along with 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.9 blocks in 38.4 minutes.

Arizona State’s third and fourth-leading scoring combinations feature Hunt as the scorer.

3. Tyi Skinner (assister) to Treasure Hunt (scorer) to
4. Jaddan Simmons (assister) to Treasure Hunt (scorer)

Jaddan Simmons, a 5’9″ junior guard, averages 12.4 in Pac-12 play, along with 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals in 38.1 minutes.

Arizona State’s fifth and eighth-leading scoring combinations feature Simmons as the scorer.

5. Tyi Skinner (assister) to Jaddan Simmons (scorer)
8. Trayanna Crisp (assister) to Jaddan Simmons (scorer)

Jaddan hits double figures ‼️

📱 https://t.co/Y5eRHil34t#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/TsPhmwPkB7

— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) January 28, 2023

Treasure Hunt triple forces a wildcat timeout!

📺 Pac-12 Arizona
📱 https://t.co/iS0PlHRWdD#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/4Bm1GOXfHo

— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) January 22, 2023

Tyi makes it a 3pt game 🥵

📱 https://t.co/Y5eRHil34t#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/kLPk0NTCKd

— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) January 28, 2023

The Huskies should win this game, if:

1. Washington utilizes pick-and-roll actions on offense to take advantage of ASU’s very poor performance in defending pick-and-roll;

2. generate Husky offense inside the lane, preferably around 30 points in-the-paint;

3. the Huskies take limited three-pointers but convert the three-point shots they do take at a 30% or better rate;

4. control the defensive boards to limit Arizona State’s offensive rebounds and putbacks; and

5. limit Washington’s own turnovers to less than 10, while forcing 10 or more turnovers by ASU.

GO DAWGS!