Sun Devils Will Face Florida in NIT Quarters
Florida advanced Friday night by defeating the Creighton Blue Jays 82-54 in Gainesville.
ASU defeated Southern Illinois Thursday night in the Second Round of the NIT and will host the 23-11 Gators Tuesday night at 6 pm LIVE on the Blaze 1260 AM. With the two-time defending national champions coming into town, Junior Forward Jeff Pendergraph says it will be a great game.
Thursday night was all about the Devils' two stars, Pendergraph and James Harden. Pendergraph fell two blocks short of a triple-double, with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 8 blocked shots, while Harden finished with 16 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.
The Devils struggled early, trailing for the first 11-plus minutes of the game before pulling ahead on a 3-pointer by Harden. The teams traded the lead for a while, before the Devils pulled away at the end of the first half for a 28-23 lead. In the second half the Sun Devils kept on the pressure, outscoring the Salukis by 9 for the final margin.
The crowd of just under 5000 was loud and into the game from the start, and Pendergraph talked about the fan support afterward.
Coach Herb Sendek agreed that, little by little, Tempe is becoming a basketball town.
In the end, Pendergraph left no doubt that the Devils
fully intend to win the NIT.
In the only other NIT game Thursday night, Syracuse defeated Maryland 88-72.
last updated on 08.03.21 at 1:31 AM