Arizona State @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2019 ) Arizona State 72, Arizona 64

No. 24 Arizona failed to garner an NCAA Tournament bid during a disappointing 17-15 campaign in 2018-19 that included a 8-10 eighth-place finish in Pac-12 Conference play. The first step toward changing that takes place Saturday night when the Wildcats host in-state rival Arizona State in the conference opener for both schools.

Arizona will have had a 15-day break since its last game, a 70-67 loss to St. John's in the Al Attles Classic in San Francisco, its third loss inits last four games. "I think it's a break we've tried to take advantage of," said coach Sean Miller. "We've had good practices. The attitude of the team is very, very good. I think all of us recognize that we have to get better. ... So much this time of the year is to keep getting better." The Wildcats, who began the season with nine straight wins before losing at Baylor (63-58) and to No. 1 Gonzaga (84-80) before the loss to the Red Storm, will be facing a Sun Devils team that swept them last season and have earned NCAA tourney berths in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1980-81. "You play at this level to be in games like at Arizona, that environment," ASU coach Bobby Hurley told azcentral.com. "So as a competitor you want to be in those spots and see how you respond."

TIME: 9:30 p.m. ET TV: Pac-12 Network

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE ( 9-4, 0-0 Pac-12): Junior point guard Remy Martin leads the Sun Devils in scoring (17.9 points per game) and assists (4.1) and leads the Pac-12 in steals (2.1). He and junior guard Alonzo Verge Jr. both scored 23 points in the team's final non-conference tuneup, a 98-81 home win over Texas Southern on Saturday. Verge is second on the team in scoring (15.2) while junior forward Romello White, who left the win against the Tigers with a sprained ankle and is questionable for Saturday's contest, also is averaging double digits (11.6) while also pulling down a conference-best 10.1 rebounds per game.

ABOUT ARIZONA (10-3, 0-0): The Wildcats, who lead the Pac-12 in scoring (83.7), are led by dynamic freshman point guard Nico Mannion who is second on the team in scoring (14.6) while also ranking second in the Pac-12 in assists (6.2). Zeke Nnaji, a 6-11 freshman forward, leads Arizona in scoring (16.5) and rebounding (7.8) and also paces the Pac-12 in field goal percentage (69.6). Another freshman guard, Josh Green, also is averaging double figures (13.1) while 6-10 senior Chase Jeter, who began his career at Duke, mans the middle and is averaging 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Martin had 31 points in a 95-88 double-OT win over the Wildcats last season and followed that up with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 72-64 victory at Arizona.

2. Arizona leads the Pac-12 in scoring margin (18.38), free throw percentage (74.8), field goal percentage defense (37.4) and assists (17.1) while Arizona State is No. 1 in steals (8.92).

3. Arizona State's win last year in Tucson was the team's first there since 2010.

PREDICTION: Arizona 84, Arizona State 79