College basketball around Arizona: ASU hitting the road while UA will play at home

After opening the season with a couple of wins in the confines of Desert Financial Arena, the Arizona State Sun Devils are on the road this week.

Coach Bobby Hurley's team lost to Texas Southern 67-66 in overtime on Sunday afternoon in Houston to fall to 2-1 on the season. Now it is on to Brooklyn for two games at the Barclays Center, the first of those coming Tuesday against Virginia Commonwealth (2-0). The games are part of the Legends Classic. ASU will play again on Thursday against either Michigan or Pitt.

The Sun Devils have three players averaging double figures, led by returning veterans D.J Horne (14 ppg) and Marcus Bagley (12.5 ppg). Newcomer Frankie Collins (16.3 ppg), a transfer from Michigan, has been the catalyst of the offense.

The Sun Devils rank 11th in the country in blocked shots, averaging 7 per game and 19th in rebounding margin, with this year's version of the Sun Devils boasting more length and presence in the paint than in years past.

Arizona men host Utah Tech

The Wildcats (2-0) of coach Tommy Lloyd looked stellar in their first two outings and are now prepping for a 7 p.m. showdown on Thursday against Utah Tech (1-1) at McKale Center in a game to air on the Pac-12 Network. Arizona has five players averaging double figures led by Azuolas Tubelis (20 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Oumar Ballo (17.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg). The Wildcats rank fifth in the nation in scoring (106 ppg) and first in assist per game (27 apg) with point Kerr Kriisa coming off a triple double in a 95-78 win over Southern on Friday. Utah Tech boasts a local player in Gilbert HS product Jacob Nicolds, who is playing 19 minutes per game off the bench. . . . . Elsewhere Grand Canyon (2-1) is coming off a 59-46 loss to Nevada in which it shot just 29.1%. The Lopes have just one game this week. They will host Grambling State (2-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at GCU Arena. Veteran Jovan Blackshear (16.7 ppg, 5 rpg) , the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

Arizona women host two

The University of Arizona women (3-0) take the floor on Friday for a 6:30 p,m, nonconference game against Loyola Marymount at McKale Center. Long Beach State then comes in on Sunday for a 2 p.m. showdown. Senior forward Esmery Martinez, a transfer from West Virginia, and fifth-year senior guard Shaina Pellington tossed in 20 points each for Adia Barnes squad in a 113-56 win over Northern Arizona.

Elsewhere . . . the Arizona State women (2-0) take to the road for a game at Montana State Tuesday, then head to University of New Mexico for a contest on Sunday. Returning veteran Jaddan Simmons (17 ppg, 6 rpg) scored 22 points in the opener against NAU and 13 in the second game against Grambling State. . . . Grand Canyon (2-0) is on the road this week for a 4 p.m. game at Nicholls State Friday. Molly Miller's team is coming off a 63-56 win over Grambling State, led by the 14 points and 8 rebounds of junior guard Tiarra Brown.

Reach the reporter at Michelle.Gardner@gannett.com or 602 444-4783. Follow her on Twitter @MGardnerSports.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: College basketball around Arizona: ASU hitting the road while UA will play at home