Cats must clean glass, stop three-pointers against rivals

Here's a look at what Arizona needs to do — and more importantly, needs to not do — as it takes on Arizona State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena.

KEEP IT UP, UP, UP

OK, fess up, who put the fizzy lifting juice in Arizona’s water? The Wildcats are simply towering over opponents in recent weeks. Arizona has outrebounded its last three opponents – average margin of victory, 26.7 – by an average of 10 boards per game in the last couple weeks. The Wildcats rank first in the conference in rebounding defense at 2.81, but Arizona State is no slouch either, ranking third in the Pac-12 at 30.8. With a big size advantage, Arizona needs to make sure it stays focused on the glass.

DUCK AND COVER 

The Sun Devils do one thing particularly well, and that is shoot from outside, as their league-best 7.64 three-pointers per game attests. With a guard-heavy lineup and not a ton of size, the key for Arizona State is getting the ball around the perimeter to the open man. In their three Pac-12 wins this season, the Sun Devils have been dominant from downtown, hitting 29 combined 3-pointers.

TAKE IT TO THE RACK 

The Sun Devils do one thing particularly well, and that is shoot from outside, as their league-best 7.64 three-pointers per game attests. With a guard-heavy lineup and not a ton of size, the key for Arizona State is getting the ball around the perimeter to the open man. In their three Pac-12 wins this season, the Sun Devils have been dominant from downtown, hitting 29 combined 3-pointers.

KNOCK 'EM OFF BALANCE 

The Sun Devils do one thing particularly well, and that is shoot from outside, as their league-best 7.64 three-pointers per game attests. With a guard-heavy lineup and not a ton of size, the key for Arizona State is getting the ball around the perimeter to the open man. In their three Pac-12 wins this season, the Sun Devils have been dominant from downtown, hitting 29 combined 3-pointers.

DON'T SUFFER A GILLING KILLING 

The Sun Devils do one thing particularly well, and that is shoot from outside, as their league-best 7.64 three-pointers per game attests. With a guard-heavy lineup and not a ton of size, the key for Arizona State is getting the ball around the perimeter to the open man. In their three Pac-12 wins this season, the Sun Devils have been dominant from downtown, hitting 29 combined 3-pointers.

TRACK-A-SHAQ 

The Sun Devils do one thing particularly well, and that is shoot from outside, as their league-best 7.64 three-pointers per game attests. With a guard-heavy lineup and not a ton of size, the key for Arizona State is getting the ball around the perimeter to the open man. In their three Pac-12 wins this season, the Sun Devils have been dominant from downtown, hitting 29 combined 3-pointers.

KEEP SAVON OFF

Mr. Goodman, where have you gone? Arizona State’s Savon Goodman burst onto the scene this year after transferring from UNLV, scoring 46 combined points in his second and third games of the season. He even added 23 rebounds in those two games, both double-doubles. Now that’s a start. And since…nada. Goodman has reached double-figures in just two games since his brief ascension, and only two points against Arizona in the teams’ first matchup.