NCAA Basketball: Baylor’s ceiling, Michigan’s return and more weekly takeaways
By Brian Rauf
5) Alonzo Verge Jr. is Arizona State’s X-factor
Arizona State has surprisingly risen to first place in the Pac-12 – and back into NCAA Tournament contention – thanks to a seven-game win streak that has included wins over UCLA, USC, at Stanford, and Oregon.
There are several reasons behind their recent rise (hot shooting, improved defense, etc.) but one of the biggest has been the play of JUCO transfer Alonzo Verge Jr.
Ranked as the No. 5 JUCO prospect in the country by the 247sports Composite, it took Verge a while to get his rhythm. He did show flashes of brilliance, including a 43-point outburst against Saint Mary’s when the rest of his teammates combined for 13 but was something of a non-factor in January.
That has changed during this win streak, as Verge as found his groove as a gunner off the bench. He’s averaging 20.6 points over Arizona State’s last seven games. With Verge’s newfound production, the Sun Devils boast an extremely dynamic perimeter attack along with starters Remy Martin and Rob Edwards.
If Arizona State goes on to win the Pac-12 and potentially wins in the NCAA Tournament, it will be because of Verge’s play off the bench.