Feb 16, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Toreros head coach Steve Lavin gestures during the first half against the Saint Mary’s Gaels at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images San Diego coach Steve Lavin and assistant Earl Watson may find the going in Tempe, Ariz., on Tuesday tougher than when they were at UCLA together more than 20 years ago.
The Toreros (3-4) are playing an Arizona State team that is riding a five-game winning streak.
The Sun Devils (7-1) are coming off a 68-64 win over previously unbeaten Saint Mary’s in the championship game of the Acrisure Classic at Palm Desert, Calif., on Friday.
Lavin owns a 13-5 overall record against Arizona State, including a 7-3 mark in Tempe. Most of those results came from when he coached at UCLA from 1996 to 2003.
Watson was one of Lavin’s top guards with the Bruins from 1997 to 2001. He was 7-1 overall as a player, 3-1 against the Sun Devils at Tempe.
“Coach Lav is the best recruiter in America,” Watson, in his first season on Lavin’s staff, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “He recruited me twice, at UCLA and here.”
Watson is returning to the Phoenix area, where he was the head coach of the Phoenix Suns in 2016-17.
San Diego is coming off a 69-64 comeback win last week at home over Marian, an NCAA Division III school in Fond du Lac, Wisc.
The Toreros overcame an eight-point deficit in the second half behind Tony Duckett’s game-high 16 points. The freshman guard made 8 of 15 shots from the field.
Arizona State’s freshman duo of Joson Sanon and Jayden Quaintance were instrumental in Palm Desert.
Sanon scored 19 points against Saint Mary’s, after tallying 19 against New Mexico the night before, and was named the tournament’s MVP.
Quaintance had 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks against Saint Mary’s. His block total of 27 led the nation through the weekend.
“We have a lot of guys that can attack,” Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley said. “We can do it in the open court. We have guys that can get to the paint and guys that can shoot. We’re dangerous to play against.”
–Field Level Media
