ASU-TCU rewind
A look back at ASU's 52-49 win over Texas Christian
THE RECAP
I've seldom seen ASU react so strongly after a win. After listening to the coaches in the locker room, Ty Abbott, a smile on his face, went jogging down the hall in full uniform. Coach Herb Sendek concluded his postgame news conference by telling reporters, "Let's go to Denny's." He then shadow boxed with Jamelle McMillan outside the locker room. Yes, the game was ugly at times, but get used to it. That's how this team has to win. And they made just enough big plays to pull it out. Abbott's game-winning floater with 21 seconds left not only was clutch, it's probably a shot he doesn't even take last year. Eric Boateng had a career night with 21 points and 12 rebounds, seven on offense. And the defense was solid, too, ASU holding TCU to 36.2-percent shooting.
ASU advances to the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals in New York, where they'll face No. 9 Duke on Wednesday. No. 12 Connecticut and Louisiana State will square off in the other semifinal.
THE SIGNIFICANCE
Getting to New York is big for Sendek's program. A soft non-conference schedule suddenly doesn't look so soft, which is how the ASU coaching staff envisioned it to start. Playing Duke and UConn or LSU will boost the Sun Devils' RPI, which could be helpful near the end of the season, if they're in position to make the NCAA Tournament.
Then there's the stage. This is a young, inexperienced team. Win or lose, playing in Madison Square Garden against one college basketball's premier programs on national television will serve as a learning experience. And if that's not enough, there' s Dick Vitale. It is believed this will be the first time he has worked an ASU game since 1997.
THE BIG MAN
Eric Boateng didn't want to make a big deal about his effort, but his teammates didn't mind. "He carried us tonight,'' junior guard Jamelle McMillan said. "We won because of him."
The 6-foot-10 senior center had a hand in nearly every significant play that brought ASU back from a 48-40 deficit with 3:54 to go.
Consider:
*After an ASU time out, Boateng set the screen that freed Rihards Kuksiks for an open 3-pointer.
*He went to the opposite side of the lane to rebound a missed Trent Lockett foul shot, drawing a foul. He hit both free throws, bringing ASU to within 48-46.
*Boateng tied up TCU guard Ronnie Moss, resulting in a turnover.
*He scored on a nice pass from Kuksiks to tie the game, completing an 8-0 run.
"What can you say about Eric?" Sendek said. "Career best game. He literally put us on his back and carried us across the finish line."
Through three games, Boateng is averaging a team-high 14.7 points and 10 rebounds. He's shooting 70.8 percent from the field and 62.5 from the foul line. He's scored 44 points, just 13 shy of last season's total of 31 games.
"What's more gratifying is just the win," Boateng said when asked about his production. "The fact that we came together and we found a way to win."
THE FINAL PLAY
Trailing 49-48 with 36 seconds left, ASU had two main options: Feed Boateng in the post or let Lockett penetrate. It didn't go as planned.
Ty Abbott inbounded to Derek Glasser, who passed to Lockett on the left wing. Boateng flashed from the far block, but Ronnie Moss, guarding Glasser in the corner, stepped over to help. Lockett dribbled right and dished to Abbott behind the 3-point line.
Abbott saw the left lane open and drove. He took two dribbles and lofted a right-handed floater over TCU forward Zvonko Buljan. It swished, giving ASU a 50-49 lead with 21 seconds left.
"Ty made a big-time shot," Boateng said. "I love him for that."
THE FRESHMAN
Trent Lockett started in place of Jerren Shipp. Sendek really had no choice. In just two games, Lockett, a 6-4 guard, proved to be ASU's best rebounder. In Monday's win, ASU outscored Texas State by 30 when Lockett was on the court.
"His play, his production," Sendek said when asked about his reasons for starting Lockett. "He's clearly rising to another level and producing. He's really earned that."
Against TCU, Lockett was awful offensively. He missed 7 of 8 from the field, many of them lay-ups. He had two unforced turnovers -- missing a pass and dribbling off his foot. But he also had 11 rebounds, five on offense. Through three games, Lockett is averaging 8 boards a game. He has 12 offensive rebounds and 12 defensive rebounds.
THE COMEBACK
ASU faced adversity for the first time, down 48-40 in the final four minutes. Last year, in similar situations, everything would've gone through James Harden or Jeff Pendergraph. This time, the Sun Devils had no such luxury, yet they never panicked.
"No, surprisingly not," guard Jamelle McMillan said. "This was definitely one of those moments where you would have seen James or Jeff get nine or 10 possessions out of 10 or 12. But tonight we had to recognize where guys seemed comfortable with the ball. Trent seemed comfortable on the left wing, penetrating to the middle. Boateng was good on the left block all night long. When you put guys into position to be successful, then we as a collective group can make it work."
Said Sendek about the situation: "If anything, I saw those guys come together and battle even harder."
THE DEFENSE
The media picked TCU to finish seventh in this year' s Mountain West Conference, but Sendek had greater respect for the Horned Frogs.
"Honestly, I watched TCU (on Monday) and I was thoroughly and totally impressed," Sendek said. "On offense, they're really good. I told our players as I tried to create a picture of them that they reminded me of BYU last year, and I think BYU is one of the best offensive programs in the country."
Still, ASU limited the Horned Frogs to 36.2 percent shooting. Zvonko Buljan, averaging 18 points and 16.5 rebounds, was held scoreless with six boards.
"Our defense allowed us to stay around," Sendek said.
Through three games ASU is liming opponents to 31.8 percent shooting, including 27.6 from 3-point range. Duke, of course, should challenge those percentages.
THE DETAILS
*After starting ASU's first two games, senior Jerren Shipp didn't play.
*Senior Derek Glasser was scoreless until he hit two free throws with one second left to seal the outcome.
*Trent Lockett and Rihards Kuksiks each took charges. Kuksiks' charge set up Abbott's winning basket.
*Sendek improved to 3-1 in games in which he coaches against his former assistants. TCU coach Jim Christian coached under Sendek at Miami (Ohio) during the 1995-96 season.
THE NEXT GAME
ASU plays San Francisco at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
"Four-thirty -- it's an early Business Man Special,'' Sendek said. "We play all kinds of time, 9:30 at night, 4:30 on a week day. It's like a gym class, you never know when we're going to play."
