Arizona State Sun Devils
Record: 21-11
Head coach: Herb Sendek (8th season)
Season summary: Arizona State heads into the tournament on a 3-game losing streak and was eliminated in the first round of the Pac-12 playoffs by Stanford in a 21-point blowout. The team’s biggest upset this season came against No. 1 Arizona in overtime in February. The Sun Devils had an almost perfect home court record of 16-1. The team is led by Jordan Bachynski, Pac-12 defensive player of the year, and Jahii Carson. Bachynski is the nation’s leading shot blocker with 132 blocks. He is blocking one of every 14.4 opponents' shots and leads in the NCAA with and average of 4.1 blocks per game. Carson leads the team in scoring with an average of 18.6 points per game, followed by Jermaine Marshall with an average of 15.0 points per game.
How they make a run: Bachynski, the NCAA's leading shot-blocker, leads the 'swat team' against the Sun Devils' opponents.
How they falter: Opposing teams focus on Carson and effectively silence Arizona State's top scoring threat, and the rest of the Sun Devils cannot make up for Carson's lack of offensive production.
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