ASU’s Holder scores career-high 40 in statement win over No. 15 Xavier
Nov 24, 2017, 6:00 PM | Updated: 6:16 pm
Arizona State's Tra Holder reacts after a play against Xavier during the first period of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
(AP Photo/John Locher)
The Arizona State men’s basketball team is for real this season.
At least, that’s the impression they put off after a 102-86 statement win in Las Vegas over No. 15 Xavier Friday that moved them to 6-0 on the season and made them the champions of the Las Vegas Invitational.
After senior guard Kodi Justice scored a career-high 28 points in Thursday night’s win over Kansas State, senior guard Tra Holder topped him with a career-high 40 Friday.
Facing some inferior competition early in the season, there were concerns that ASU’s high-powered offense might not be legitimate and there was a desire to see them against better teams.
Well, the Sun Devils have maintained its streak of scoring at least 90 points in every game this season after the two games in Las Vegas.
With Justice, Holder, senior Shannon Evans II and freshman Remy Martin in the backcourt, ASU has consistent shot creation and perimeter scoring while keeping the tempo high.
Evans added 22, Justice had 16 and the senior trio combined to shoot 13-of-24 from 3-point range.
Any of the four is a threat for 20-plus points a night and that makes Bobby Hurley’s team a dangerous one to come up against in the Pac-12 this season.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the win was them doing so without much of a contribution from their interior power duo of redshirt freshman Romello White and JUCO transfer De’Quon Lake.
After the two got off to terrific starts on the offensive boards, finishing inside and protecting the rim this season, White had four points and five rebounds while Lake had seven points and eight rebounds off the bench. Neither blocked a shot.
With redshirt sophomore forward Mickey Mitchell back in early December and freshman forward Kimani Lawrence hopefully back by the start of conference play, ASU will have even more firepower to add to an offense that could see them as threats to not only make the NCAA Tournament but be ranked in the top-25 as well.
