Arizona State Preview

I think I’ll do previews of all 11 teams, including Stanford, this year, including Utah and Colorado to get us used to what may be the Pac 12 next season. ASU has both their schedule and roster out, so it’s a good place to start. I know it’s early but 11 previews and 1-2 other stories and suddenly we are playing our first exhibition game.

Last year was very disappointing for Charlie Turner Thorne’s Sun Devils, 18-14 and no NCAA after 9 straight trips. They were 9-9 in the conference and 9-5 non conference.

LOSSES:
Top scorer Danielle Orsillo graduated after scoring 14 points per game. She was their top three point shooter, although the team as a whole didn’t make many more than Jeanette Pohlen. Orsillo also led the team in steals.

Kayli Murphy also graduated. Murphy was the 4th leading scorer, 7 points per game and 2nd leading rebounder, 6 per game.

Sabrina McKinney had another year left I believe. McKinney started 8 games last season but averaged just 2 points per game.

ADDITIONS:
Dymond Simon returns for her final season after missing the entire 2009-2010 season with a knee injury. Two years ago Simon averaged 14 points and over 3 assists per game.

Olivia Major is a JC transfer from Central Arizona JC where she averaged 20 points and made 142 threes. That’s an incredible number of threes, shooting 39% from beyond the arc. She was a JC All American and led her team to the national (non CA JC’s) Championship.

Markisha Patterson was another who missed last season with a knee injury after transferring in also from Central Arizona JC. Patterson averaged 6 points per game in both her JC years.

Olivia Simmons is a frosh from Australia. She actually played for the Cal Sparks, an elite East Bay Travel team a year ago.

Adrianne Thomas is the lone American HS recruit. Thomas was ranked as the # 140 Guard by HoopGurlz.

NON CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:

Tennessee at Knoxville on Nov 21st is the only top 20 team they will face. Other good teams include Florida State, a maybe in a tournament, depends on the first game, New Mexico, DePaul and Marist at home. The other six games are against weak teams.

BY POSITION:

POSTS:

Becca Tobin is a 6-5 Sr who averaged almost 10 points and 6 rebounds a game last season, while starting all but 4 games. With ASU and their hockey style rotation you really need to point out minutes per game, so Becca averaged 24 minutes per game. She is big and strong and a load on defense.

Kali Bennett is a 6-5 Jr who transferred from Washington and averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds in 14 minutes. Another big and strong post.

Joy Burke is also 6-5, a soph, who averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds in 6 minutes per game. Burke was bothered by an injury early in the season.

So three good solid, although not spectacular post players, but at 6-5 each, they will be imposing to all but a few teams.

POWER FORWARDS:

Kimberly Brandon is a 6-2 Jr who played very well late in the season. Her sister is at Cal. Brandon averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds in 20 minutes. She is quick and moves extremely well for a 6-2 player.

Janae Fulcher is a 6-3 Soph in eligibility who averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds in 14minutes.

WINGS:

To be consistent I’ll call by position One Post, One Power Forward, 2 Wings and a Point Guard. Seems to me most teams play that way now.

Tenaya Watson, 5-9 Sr. played mostly the Point last year but I presume that will be Dymond Simon this season. Watson averaged 8 points per game last season in 22 minutes per game.

Alex Earl, 5-10 Sr 4 points and 17 minutes per game and the 2nd best 3 point shooter to Orsillo. A High School teammate of JJ Hones.

Olivia Major, 5-7 Jr. The JC transfer was a tremendous three point shooter in JC ball, and this is something ASU needs badly.

Deja Mann, 5-7 Soph, averaged 2.4 points and 13 minutes per game.

POINT GUARD:

Dymond Simon, 5-5 Sr, 14 points per game 2 years ago and returning from a knee injury. Maybe Simon is a 2 with Watson the Point, we shall see. In any case Watson will probably back up Simon here. Simon was 6th in the Pac 10 in three point % 2 years ago.

FORECAST:

If Simon is 100% this will be a good team, maybe back to Top 25. With an average at best non conference schedule, they could start the Pac 10, 9-2, 10-1.