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After being upset 48-43 by Cal in the Pac-10 tournament, the Arizona State Sun Devils took some time out to reflect on the loss.
"Everyting is a learning experience," senior guard Dymond Simon said. "After that loss, we went back to Arizona and really sat down to talk about what we really wanted. What we really want is to be a great team and start with a lot of team connectedness. We had a great week of practice and have really gotten back to that."
Temple, the No. 2-seeded team in the Atlantic 10 tournament, was upset by Dayton in the second round.
Coach Charli Turner Thorne said that the team wasn't necessarily considering itself a "favorite" in the game despite being the higher seed, preferring to approach it as an even matchup.
"We don't really talk about it that way," Thorne said. "When you talk about the seven, eight, nine or 10 seeds, it's a coin toss. You get into March Madness and there's not a bad team playing right now. If you get caught up in 'you're the favorite,' you'll lose fast."
Tricky trio
The Sun Devils should have their hands full defensively as they take on a potent tandem of guards. Qwedia Wallace, Kristen McCarthy and Shey Peddy all average more than 13 points per game.
"From the film we saw, they are quick, a good transition team," Simon said. "We just have to really focus on what we need to do, like talking on our defense, being in our stance, being there and helping each other out."
Finding more options
Simon, an All-Pac-10 player, has been the unquestioned go-to scorer for Arizona State. The Sun Devil senior returned from a devastating knee injury to lead the team in points and be a threat from the 3-point line and the free-throw line. The Owls will attempt to bottle Simon up and force others to score.
"We know we have to bring our best game offensively," Thorne said. "We know our offense can be anemic at times, so we have to rely on defense to help create offense."
Big-time blocker
Senior Becca Tobin is only two away from 100 career blocks, the number she needs to move past Fran Ciak into second place all-time on the ASU rejection list. Thorne said Tobin wouldn't need any extra motivation for Saturday's matchup, but the 6-foot-5 center will be a key piece defensively when the Sun Devils are trying to keep the Owls out of the paint.
Boost from Brandon
The team credits a 6-2 stretch to end the conference season in part to the emergence of forward Kim Brandon. The junior responded to a move into the post by averaging nearly a double-double. Brandon and fellow All-Conference Honorable Mention Tobin will have to dominate the boards inside to take down Temple. Both were among the top rebounders in the Pac-10, while Temple didn't have anyone place among the top 20 rebounders in the A-10.
Clutch closers
Although ASU hasn't always been able to score at will, close games are its specialty. In games decided by three points or less this season, the Sun Devils are 4-0. Even if Temple leads at points, as long as Arizona State can hang close, the odds are decidedly in its favor.
Déjà vu
History is on Arizona State's side in this matchup: In the 2008 tournament, the Sun Devils took out the Owls in a 61-54 win in College Park, Md. However, the game was before coach Tonya Cardoza took over at Temple, and only two players who played in the matchup — Simon and Tobin — remain on ASU's roster. Thorne said the game seemed as if it was "a lifetime ago."