The Sports Bank’s college basketball season previews undergo a facelift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference, breaking down each team beginning with the Pac-12.
In losing Jahii Carson, Jermaine Marshall, and Jordan Bachynski; the Arizona State Sun Devils have some major holes to fill from last year’s NCAA Tournament team. As a result, Herb Sendek’s squad figures to fall in the Pac-12 standings.
ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
Last Season: T-3rd, 10-8 in Pac-10, 21-12 overall
Predicted Pac-12 Finish: 9th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Eric Jacobsen (Jr)/Connor MacDougall (Fr)
F: Jonathan Gilling (Sr)/Willie Atwood (Jr)/Sai Tummala (Jr)
SF: Shaquielle McKissic (Sr)/Savon Goodman (So)/Gerry Blakes (Jr)
SG: Roosevelt Scott (Jr)/Bo Barnes (Sr)/Chance Murray (So)/Kodi Justice (Fr)
PG: Tra Holder (Fr)
Gone: PG-Jahii Carson, C-Jordan Bachynski, SG-Jermaine Marshall, PF-Richie Edwards, SF-Egor Koulechov (transfer-Rice), SF-Brandon Kearney (transfer-Detroit), PG-Calaen Robinson (transfer-Portland State)
2014-2015 Outlook:
Herb Sendek received some positive news this off-season when Shaquille McKissic was granted a sixth year by the NCAA. McKissic is the team’s top returning scorer and his all-around ability makes him an asset on both ends of the floor. Jonathan Gilling is another returning starter who brings experience and the ability to stretch defenses with his outside shooting. That frontcourt duo will be relied upon heavily by Sendek as the roster faces a good amount of turnover.
Replacing Carson and Marshall in the backcourt is a huge question mark for the Sun Devils. Freshman Tra Holder is the only true point guard on the roster and will be thrust into the starting role right away. The shooting guard position is up for grabs with three-point threat Bo Barnes and JUCO transfers Roosevelt Scott and Gerry Blakes expected to compete for minutes.
ASU gets a boost after the first semester when former UNLV forward Savon Goodman becomes eligible. Goodman is a former top 100 recruit who didn’t play last season due to some off-the-court issues but will add versatility to the Sun Devil frontcourt since he is capable of playing either forward spot. Another JUCO transfer, Willie Atwood should also be an immediate contributor in a frontcourt where Eric Jacobsen will be asked to take over part of the production in the paint that Bachynski provided as a rebounding/shot blocking threat.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/24 vs. Maryland (CBE Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City)
11/25 vs. Iowa State/Alabama (CBE Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City)
12/3 vs. UNLV
12/6 at Texas A&M
12/16 at Marquette
OTHER PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.