Sun Devils rout Oregon State

January 08, 2009

<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/harden_james00.html">J… Harden</a> scored 22 points, and No. 20 Arizona State used a smothering zone defense to rout Oregon State 69-38 on Thursday night.<separator></separator>The Beavers' 38 points are the fewest the Sun Devils have allowed against a Pac-10 opponent in 31 years as a conference member.<separator></separator>Arizona State (13-2, 2-1) rebounded quickly from a loss last weekend at California. Harden was 10-of-11 shots from the field, his only miss coming from beyond the arc.<separator></separator><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/kuksiks_rihards00.html… Kuksiks</a> added 13 points for Arizona State, which has won nine of its last 10.<separator></separator>Oregon State (6-7, 1-2) was coming off an overtime victory over Southern California, its first Pac-10 win in two seasons. But the Beavers were baffled by Arizona State's matchup zone, shooting a season-low 36.4 percent.<separator></separator>Lathen Wallace led Oregon State with 13 points.<separator></separator>Arizona State had been allowing 59.8 points per game, third in the Pac-10. But the Sun Devils turned up their defense against the Beavers, who average 62.6 points, ninth in the conference.<separator></separator>On the offensive end, the Sun Devils present plenty of problems for opposing defenses. They have the Pac-10's leading scorer (Harden, at 23.4 points per game) and the league's best shooters from the field (<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/pendergraph_jeff00.htm… Pendergraph</a>, 66.4 percent) and from beyond the arc (Kuksiks, 2.8 made per game).<separator></separator>Pendergraph, who played with a sprained MCL in his right knee, did not score in the first half and finished with seven points.<separator></separator>ASU also leads the Pac-10 in shooting from the field (51 percent) and the free throw line (76 percent).<separator></separator>But the Sun Devils struggled early against the Beavers' zone defense, scoring only 15 points in the first 10 minutes.<separator></separator>That's when Harden took over. He dunked off a fastbreak feed from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/glasser_derek00.html">… Glasser</a>, hit a short jumper, converted a three-point play and connected from beyond the arc.<separator></separator>Harden scored 10 points in about 6 minutes, and by the time he was finished the Sun Devils led 25-15, on their way to a 30-15 halftime lead.<separator></separator>The Sun Devils are 21-5 when Harden scores at least 20 points.<separator></separator>Arizona State fans stand until the opponent's first field goal of each half. In the second half, they didn't sit until Rickey Claitt hit a jumper with 14:15 to go. By then, the Sun Devils led 39-17.