Some are saying a win could punch ASU’s ticket
Arizona State (21-11) could put more pressure on the bubble tonight when it faces No. 3 seed USC (22-9) in round two of the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Game Details
- Date: Thursday, March 9th, 2023
- Time: 9:30 p.m. MT
- Location: T-Mobile Arena
- Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has Arizona State listed as 4-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 139.5 points.
TV/Radio
- Watch: ESPN
- Listen: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Predictions
Kevin Redfern: Even by winning ugly over Oregon State in round one, Arizona State is largely considered a win-away from being projected in the NCAA Tournament. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Sun Devils as the “First Team Out.” Three of the four teams in the “Last Four In” play Thursday: Oklahoma State (vs. Texas), Utah State (New Mexico) and Penn State (Illinois).
If the Sun Devils win, and one of those teams loses (particularly Utah State or Penn State), then Lunardi will likely have them projected in the First Four.
Throw all the labels on this one: must-win, game of the year, Bobby Hurley legacy game, all of it.
In both previous games this season, USC was clearly the better team. I see that translating into a high-stakes game in Vegas, with the Trojans shooting better than ASU and playing a more physical game. In the most crucial match of the season, the Sun Devils lose 72-67.