[4:30 PM] Northern Iowa v. Arizona State

Who will WIN this matchup?

Northern Iowa Panthers (1-0)

Arizona State Sun Devils (2-0)

 

• New-look Arizona State hopes to continue its offensive production when the Sun Devils face Northern Iowa on Thursday in the first round of the Tire Pros Invitational at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Three players averaged more than 19.5 points in two victories to open the season for Arizona State, which shot 50 percent overall from the field and scored 92 per game. Hurley said he is going with a four-guard lineup until his big men develop and junior Tra Holder leads the way with 23.5 points per game while transfers Torian Graham and Shannon Evans II are close behind.

• Missouri Valley Conference preseason Player of the Year Jeremy Morgan is the only double-figure scorer back from last season’s NCAA Tournament participant and Northern Iowa opened 2016-17 with a 74-37 win over Division III Coe College.

• Morgan, a senior guard who averaged 11.3 points per contest last season, and 6-9 junior Bennett Koch scored 11 each in the opener as the Panthers pulled away. Northern Iowa, which forced 18 turnovers against Coe, will hope to get production from a pair of freshmen as guard Isaiah Brown scored 10 and 6-11 Justin Dahl had nine in their debuts. Senior guard Jordan Ashton, a transfer from Iowa State, will also be depended upon to contribute after recording nine points, four rebounds and three assists in the opener.

• Junior Kodi Justice joined Holder, Graham and Evans in the four-guard lineup with senior forward Obinna Oleka doing most of the work inside. Graham is 6-for-10 from 3-point range in the early going while Buffalo-transfer Evans has drained all 13 of his free throws. Graham has chipped in 6.5 rebounds per game to help the 6-8 Oleka, who is averaging 12.5 points and 13 boards in the early going and hopes to improve on a 39.5 shooting percentage last season.

• Northern Iowa has held an opponent to fewer than 50 points on 44 occasions in coach Ben Jacobson’s tenure and is 43-1 in those contests.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Arizona State Sun Devils

Confidence: 5/10

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