Desert Financial Arena Showdown: Arizona State Sun Devils to Host UCLA Bruins
As the Arizona State Sun Devils prepare to face off against the UCLA Bruins at Desert Financial Arena, fans are eager for what promises to be a thrilling encounter. The upcoming game, scheduled for January 17th at 7:00 PM local time, will see the Sun Devils aiming to bounce back from their recent performances.
The ASU team has shown a pattern of inconsistency that could be cause for concern. In their last game on December 20th against Northwestern Wildcats, they suffered a disappointing loss with a final score of 46-65. The statistics from that game paint a picture of struggle; ASU had zero blocks and only managed to convert approximately 31 percent of their field goals while shooting an abysmal roughly 17 percent from beyond the arc.
However, it's not all doom and gloom for the Sun Devils. Their resilience is notable as they improved their scoring in the second half of that game by scoring 33 points compared to just 13 in the first half. This shows that when pushed into a corner, ASU can find ways to elevate their performance.
Looking further back provides some optimism as well. On December 16th against TCU Horned Frogs, despite losing with a score of 59-79, ASU demonstrated defensive prowess with six blocks and seven steals but were let down by committing nineteen turnovers which led directly to eleven points off turnovers for TCU.
In contrast, one can't overlook ASU's impressive victory over San Diego Toreros on December 9th where they scored an impressive total of eighty-four points. They showed excellent ball movement with nineteen assists and capitalized on fast-break opportunities leading them to thirty-one fast break points.
The UCLA Bruins will undoubtedly pose a significant challenge; they are known for their disciplined play and strong defense which could exploit ASU's turnover issues seen in past games. However, if there is anything fans have learned this season it’s that you cannot count out the Sun Devils when they're playing at home.
ASU must focus on reducing turnovers and improving shot selection if they hope to overcome UCLA's robust defense strategy. With home-court advantage and lessons learned from previous outings, there is potential for an upset here – provided ASU brings its A-game right from tip-off.
Fans should mark their calendars for January 17th at Desert Financial Arena where this exciting matchup will take place at precisely nine o'clock in the evening Eastern Time (7:00 PM local time). The action can be caught live on Pac-12 Network – an opportunity no fan should miss as Arizona State looks forward towards claiming victory over UCLA Bruins under Tempe’s bright lights.