Arizona State @ Stanford preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 20, 2019 ) Stanford 62, Arizona State 80

Arizona State looks to continue its ascent in the Pac-12 standings when it goes after a fourth straight victory Thursday night at struggling Stanford. Junior Remy Martin’s basket with 19 seconds remaining gave the Sun Devils a 66-64 victory over USC at home Saturday for their fifth win in six contests and they sit in a third-place tie with rival Arizona in the Pac-12, just 1 1/2 games behind first-place Colorado.

Coach Bobby Hurley’s team has won three in a row for the first time since early December after rallying from an eight-point halftime deficit Saturday as Martin led the way with 22 points and Arizona State forced 24 turnovers overall. “We know we’re supposed to have been doing this,” Sun Devils junior guard Alonzo Verge Jr. told reporters after the latest triumph. “It’s just finally starting to string together now.” Stanford is going the opposite direction after coughing up a 16-point lead in an 81-74 loss to Colorado on Saturday for its fifth setback in the last six games and is expected to be without its leading scorer and rebounder indefinitely. Junior Oscar da Silva (averaging 15.9 points and 6.3 rebounds) suffered a head injury in Saturday’s loss after hitting the floor hard when the 6-9 German tried to stop a fast-break basket.

TIME: 11 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (15-8, 6-4 Pac-12): Martin has scored at least 20 in eight of his last 11 games to lead the team at 19.3 per outing overall, and the 6-0 guard also tops the Sun Devils in assists (4.0) and steals (1.7). Verge is second on the team at 13.4 points per game after averaging 20 over the past three contests while guard Rob Edwards is next at 10.8, but the senior is 10-for-34 from the field in his last three outings. Junior forward Romello White is the top threat inside for Hurley’s team, averaging 10.7 points on 61 percent shooting and grabbing a team-best 9.4 rebounds per contest.

ABOUT STANFORD (16-7, 5-5): More players will have to step up without da Silva’s production, and sophomore guard Jaiden Delaire came through with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting against Colorado -- his highest scoring output since Nov. 19. Freshman guard Tyrell Terry scored 18 versus Colorado and is just behind da Silva at 15.3 points per game while freshman forward Spencer Jones (9.4) had 14 on Saturday after managing 19 points combined in the previous four contests. Junior guard Daejon Davis also is a threat offensively (8.6 points) and leads the Cardinal in both assists (3.6) and steals (1.7).

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Stanford junior G Isaac White had 12 points Saturday against Colorado to match his season high, draining 4-of-5 from 3-point range.

2. Arizona State sophomore F Taeshon Cherry (4.3 points, 3.2 rebounds) suffered a foot injury late in Saturday's game and is questionable.

3. The Cardinal have won three of the last four meetings, including an 85-71 triumph at home last season.

PREDICTION: Arizona State 76, Stanford 66