ASU, Arizona basketball teams face the mountain schools as Pac-12 play commences
The calendar is flipping to January and that means one thing for college basketball fans, the conference season is in full go. No more nonconference tune-ups.
The Arizona State and Arizona men's teams will start the new year with home games this week against the mountain schools, both of whom loom as significant challenges.
ASU (8-5, 2-0) will host Utah at 9 p.m. Thursday at Desert Financial Arena in a game to air on ESPN2 and it will entertain Colorado at 6 p.m. Saturday with that one televised on ESPNU.
The Sun Devils are coming off a sweep of the Bay area schools. They snapped a three-game losing streak with a 76-73 win at Stanford on Friday in a game in which it didn't take its first lead until a bucket by Frankie Collins with just 30.3 seconds remaining after trailing by double digits much of the way.
They followed that up with a 71-69 win over Cal in a game in which they trailed by 16, with Collins again the catalyst with 25 points and six steals.
Coach Bobby Hurley has been dealing with a changing personnel situation, but things appear to be on the upswing with 7-footer Shawn Phillips making his return against the Cardinal after being out for eight games with a foot injury. Guard Adam Miller is now back in the mix after the NCAA deemed two-time transfers immediately eligible. He has now played four games and has provided a much-needed scoring boost.
Meanwhile, Arizona looked like it is in a class by itself in the Pac-12 with a win over Cal. The Wildcats play the same schools in reverse order with Colorado making a stop at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the McKale Center, that game airing on ESPN. Then it's Utah facing the Wildcats there at 6 p.m. Saturday, the game airing on Pac-12 Network.
Utah defeated Arizona by 15 points last year during the regular season and looks to be one of the most improved teams in the conference this season.
Arizona (10-3, 1-1) is coming off a stunning 100-81 upset at the hands of Stanford which won the game with a sizzling performance from log distance.
The Wildcats have five players averaging double figures led by newcomer Caleb Love (16.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and returning veteran Oumar Ballo (13.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg). Its losses this season have been to No. 1 Purdue and last year's Final Four participant Florida Atlantic, the latter coming in double overtime.
Arizona, ASU women also at home
The ASU and Arizona women will be facing the same foes as their male counterparts and they are also doing so at home.
ASU (8-5) will host Utah (10-3) at 7 p.m. Friday and Colorado (11-1) at noon Sunday. The Sun Devils have already matched their win total of a year ago but will have tough challenges ahead with both this week's foes, both of whom are nationally ranked.
Arizona, led by sophomore guard Kailyn Gilbert (15.3 ppg, 5 rpg), faces the teams in reverse order, with Colorado stopping by the McKale Center at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by Utah at noon on Sunday with both televised on the Pac-12 Network.
Local fans will get to see one of the top players in the country in 6-foot-2 senior forward Alissa Pili (23.8 ppg) of Utah, one of the country's leading scorers.
GCU men hit the road
The Grand Canyon men have been nearly unstoppable this season, so much so they have received votes in the national poll. The Lopes (12-1, 2-0) have won nine straight games, the only loss coming to South Carolina 75-68 on Nov. 19. They fended off a tough Louisiana Tech team 73-70 Saturday night, led by 22 points and five assists from Ray Harrison.
The Lopes are headed to Utah for a pair of Western Athletic Conference games this week. They will be at Southern Utah (4-8, 0-2) at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and at Utah Tech (5-7, 2-0) at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The GCU women will be at home for a pair of games against the same foes the men's team are playing on the road. GCU (10-3, 2-0). Southern Utah provides the opposition at 6:30 p.m. Thursday while it will be Utah Tech at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
GCU, Stephen F. Austin and Cal Baptist are tied at the top of the WAC, getting off to 2-0 starts.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pac-12 play underway for basketball, GCU men hit the road
