Runnin' Utes head south in search of first road win

TEMPE, Ariz. — Getting beaten badly by the No. 1 team in the nation isn't exactly a good thing, but getting seven days before your next game to work out the kinks might be.

For Arizona State, it's been a week since rival Arizona beat it by 23 points, and the Sun Devils will be ready to rebound when they play at home for the first time in 17 days by hosting Utah on Thursday. Coach Herb Sendek's squad could use a better performance after dropping two straight and three of their first five Pac-12 contests.

For Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak, it may be a matter of making sure his players don't look past the Sun Devils to their own meeting with the top team in the nation this weekend. The Runnin' Utes have won two straight, including an upset of UCLA last weekend, but are 0-3 on the road this season. Delon Wright is coming off a Pac-12 Player of the Week honor after averaging 17 points, seven rebounds and 5.5 assists in Utah's two wins last week.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac 12 Network

ABOUT UTAH (14-4, 3-3 Pac 12): The Utes are excited about the possibilities of freshman guard Kenneth Ogbe from Germany, who looks to be ready to make the next step toward being a solid contributor for the team. The 6-6 Ogbe had 12 points in 12 minutes off the bench against UCLA after scoring just two points in his last four games, showing some of the potential the team saw when he scored 20 at the Utes' intrasquad scrimmage in October. "He's a great example of a kid who stays with it," Krystkowiak said after Utah's win over UCLA. "It's just a lot for a college freshman to handle. He's much improved defensively and the entire locker room is off the charts happy for him because he hasn't pouted."

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (13-5, 2-3): Senior center Jordan Bachynski has stood tall against most of the Sun Devils' competition this year, leading the nation in blocks with 4.5 per game. He gets to face someone he's used to seeing when the Utes come to town, as younger brother Dallin has become a key reserve for Utah this season and will likely be matched up against Jordan quite a bit, though the elder Bachynski isn't looking to take it easy on anyone. "That's something I pride myself in, being a nice guy, treating people around me like I wanted to be treated," Jordan Bachynski told USA Today. "You can't really do that if you want to be successful on the basketball court. You have to flip a switch and turn into someone completely different."

TIP-INS

1. Utah has won 12 of its 14 games this season by double figures and is third in the nation in scoring margin at plus-19.9.

2. Sun Devils G Jahii Carson is 24 points away from the 1,000-point plateau, with only Ike Diogu and James Harden reaching the milestone faster in Arizona State history.

3. The Utes are third in the country in shooting percentage at 51.0 and rank 10th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.59).

PREDICTION: Arizona State 72, Utah 68

Quickchart Matchup

Utah Off vs Arizona St. Defense

75.4 Points For 66.2 Points Against 48.7 FG% 40.0 FG% 32.5 Reb 34.7 Reb

 Arizona St. Off vs  Utah Defense

 76.7 Points For  62.8 Points Against  46.5 FG%  41.4 FG%  34.7 Reb  28.7 Reb

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