It’s OK to exhale again
December 19th, 2007, 2:26 am · Post a Comment · posted by Mark Heller
Some overtime notes following Tuesday’s wacky Montana State-Arizona State game (which almost went to overtime):
Was Montana State that good (14-of-24 from 3-point range), or did ASU really have the letdown its players preached to one another wasn’t going to happen?
Both. I can remember the Bobcats getting three open looks from beyond the arc. All the others were either contested or at least not wide open.
But the Sun Devils’ offense stagnated. Cuts weren’t sharp, and coach Herb Sendek wasn’t impressed with his team’s passing.
James Harden entered the game as the leading free-throw shooter in the Pac-10 at 87.5 percent, but he missed two key ones in the final minute, which would have sealed the deal for ASU.
He wasn’t alone. Pendergraph is normally a good stripe shooter, but he missed three, as did Eric Boateng.
One of those nights.
“Why won’t someone make a free throw?”
The 14 3-pointers made by Montana State tied for third-most allowed by an ASU team. Indiana State holds the record by hitting 18 in 1988.
Think the presence of Harden and Ty Abbott isn’t making a difference to others? Jerren Shipp made 36-of-107 from outside last year (33.6 percent). He’s made 18-of-37
(48.6) percent this year.
