After an offseason that saw massive roster turnover, only one Arizona State starter decided to return to Tempe and play for Bobby Hurley in the fall: redshirt senior guard Adam Miller.
As a veteran who possessed familiarity with Hurley’s system, many expected Miller to lead the way in the scoring department for the Sun Devils in his second year.
But Miller hasn’t exactly gotten off to a fast start this season.
Before ASU’s game against Cal Poly, Miller eclipsed double-digit points just once (16 pts against Santa Clara) in the team’s first five games.
Part of Miller’s early season slump can be attributed to him still trying to find his niche. With many new additions to the roster, Hurley has asked Miller to play a multitude of roles.
At times, he serves more as a playmaker who looks to set up his peers. In other instances, the Sun Devils ask him to be a scorer off the ball.
With the team looking to develop chemistry, Miller has taken a backseat in many instances. Instead, he’s looked to get his teammates involved and help them get into a rhythm early in the season.
“I know that I can play make, so (I’m) just also trying to go out there and play make and still find my shot when I can” Miller said. “You know, trying to find that fine line of being a combo guard trying to find my role out there and continue to be a leader.”
However, in a back-and-forth affair against Cal Poly, the Sun Devils needed Miller to score.
Despite still only shooting six times from the field, the senior made the most of his touches.
Miller contributed 16 points and came up huge down the stretch for ASU in what quickly became a tight game.
“It was a good veteran thing to do,” Hurley said. “I know a lot of people have been talking a lot more, for good reason, about our freshman and new guys, but Ace, I thought in a game in a game that we were in a little bit of trouble, he came in and made some big shots.”
Taking over @AceWolf44 💪
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) November 21, 2024
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The bulk of Miller’s points came late in the game, as he scored 13 points in the second half. This clutch three-point shooting proved to be vital for the Sun Devils late. Miller’s pair of triples in the last five minutes helped stave off some late Mustang runs and powered ASU to a 93-89 home win.
Perhaps more impressive than the point total itself was Miller’s efficiency. He shot an uber-efficient 4-5 from the three-point line and 4-6 from the field: both season highs for Miller.
Even after his best scoring night of the season so far, Miller still embraced a team-first mentality. It speaks to how he’s willing to sacrifice personal success to ensure that his team reaches its full offensive potential.
“(When) you share the sugar everybody gets to eat,” Miller said. “When I think when we continue to understand with the pace of the game, (and that) everybody has a chance to score, we will continue to get even better.”
Miller will look to carry his hot hand into ASU’s next outing when the Sun Devils take on New Mexico in Palm Springs on Thanksgiving night at 9:30 p.m. MST.
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