Game #117. RTC Live makes its first trip to the desert Southwest with a trip to Tempe for some Pac-10 basketball.
It’s been a trying first half of the Pac-10 season for Herb Sendek’s Arizona State Sun Devils, but there’s a lingering sense that they should be better than they are. Having only played two home games en route to a 1-6 start, the schedule certainly breaks favorably for a renaissance. Two of the issues are that ASU’s usually staunch defense has been lacking and guard/forward Rihards Kuksiks has been in what seems like a season-long funk. Tonight’s visit from USC provides an opportunity, as the Trojans come in struggling as well. After starting off strongly by beating Washington State and UCLA, and nearly knocking off league gorilla Washington, USC lost to both Oregon schools away and split against the Bay Area schools last weekend at home. Jio Fontan and Nikola Vucevic have played well, but there hasn’t been much consistency beyond those two. It should make for an interesting game here tonight in Tempe. Join us for a little Pac-10 hoops from the desert.