What does ASU basketball need to do to pull a major upset Saturday against No. 3 Iowa State?

TEMPE, Ariz. – After a road loss to Cincinnati less than a week ago, ASU basketball was spiraling. The Sun Devils had lost four straight games and were 1-5 in Big 12 conference play. ASU’s NCAA Tournament hopes had nearly disappeared, and a successful season looked dormant.

However, ASU traveled to Morgantown and shocked No. 23 West Virginia in a dominant 65-57 victory. The Sun Devils beat a top-25 opponent for the first time this season and played a complete game. ASU had four players in double figures and held West Virginia to 31 percent from the field and less than 14 percent from 3-point range.

Now, the Sun Devils get a chance to add another Quad 1 win in a matter of five days. ASU welcomes No. 3 Iowa State to Tempe with a chance to make a major statement. The Sun Devils have shown the ability to compete with any team in the country but have struggled to do so for a complete game.

The Cyclones (16-2, 6-1) have just one loss in conference play, which came in Morgantown. West Virginia gave Iowa State its lone loss in the game before ASU saved its season against the Mountaineers. Will the Sun Devils be able to upset No. 3 Iowa State at Desert Financial Arena on Saturday?

Here are three keys to the game if ASU wants a chance to upset the third-ranked Cyclones.

ASU must limit its turnover

This may seem mundane, as ASU is averaging more than 13 turnovers per game. However, it will be especially important on Saturday. Iowa State is No. 8 in the country in turnover margin while ASU is No. 300.

The Cyclones have forced opponents to turn it over 281 times this season and have only committed 177 turnovers. Iowa State is in the top 10 in the country in generating steals and averages 21.3 points per game off of opponents’ turnovers.

“We have to play with aggression. We have to make sure we’re active on defense. If you just sit back and let them dictate the terms, then you’re just in trouble,” head coach Bobby Hurley said. “So, we have to make sure that we’re trying to be the aggressor.”

Iowa State’s offense thrives on creating turnovers and scoring in transition. ASU has turned the ball over at least 14 times in five of its last six games. In four of those five games, the Sun Devils allowed at least 10 steals. ASU must limit Iowa State’s transition opportunities on Saturday.

“It starts just getting, you know, building your transition, getting back quickly, getting matched up fast,” Hurley said. “Regardless of what happens on offense, making sure we’re identifying the threats right away. We have to help; we have to get back. We have to do it all.”

Control the 3-point game

ASU’s 3-point shooting has been a storyline all season long. The Sun Devils are shooting 40 percent from 3-point range in their wins. Meanwhile, that drops to nearly 30 percent in their losses.

This is one area throughout the season where ASU has been better than its opponents. That trend continues heading into its matchup with Iowa State. The third-ranked Cyclones are ranked No. 134 in 3-point shooting. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils are ranked No. 66.

In ASU’s wins, it has held opponents to under 30 percent from deep. In its losses, that number climbs to 33.6 percent. However, if the Sun Devils can hold the Cyclones under 34 percent (their season average) and find their own success, ASU can keep it close on Saturday.

Keep in mind freshman guard Joson Sanon is set to return to ASU’s lineup. Sanon has missed five of ASU’s last six games and leads the team shooting 47.5 percent from deep.

Stay focused on both ends of the court

ASU has struggled for most of the season to put two complete halves together. Hurley said Friday the key is to be locked in and focused for every possession. The Sun Devils have had stellar offensive halves but lacked defense. Vice versa, they’ve had stellar defensive halves but lacked the offensive support. Iowa State is too talented for ASU to lose focus on one end of the court.

“I remember watching this team the year we went to the NCAA Tournament, two years ago, and they played really hard, and they really defend. But they couldn’t score,” Hurley said. “Now fast forward, they still really guard, they defend and play hard, and they’re now one of the better scoring teams in the conference.”

After ASU’s loss against UCF at home, freshman forward Jayden Quiantance said the team needed to trust each other more both on the offensive and defensive end. Quiantance put an emphasis on doing better with defensive rotations and keeping opponents out of the paint.

The young star has flourished in the last few games, scoring at least 15 points in three straight. Quiantance is quickly growing into a leader for ASU despite being just 17 years old. He has 33 rebounds and 13 blocks over the last three games.

Every possession will matter on Saturday. If the Sun Devils want to take down the Cyclones in Tempe, they’ll need to trust each other in passing lanes on the offensive side and communicate their defensive rotations.

ASU’s season looked bleak at the beginning of the week, but a win on Saturday against No. 3 Iowa State would put ASU back in the NCAA Tournament discussion.

ASU tips off against Iowa State at 12 p.m. on ESPN Plus.

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