TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State cannot replace departed point guard Jahii Carson in kind, of course. The quickness that Carson used to push and penetrate is as hard to find as it is to defend.
In true freshman Kodi Justice, however, the Sun Devils just might have found Carson's successor.
The sample size is minuscule -- seven games, two starts.
But it is tantalizing.
"In today's popular vernacular, he has swag . . . in a good way," Arizona State coach Herb Sendek said.
Justice, like center Eric Jacobsen, is a local high school product who stayed home, and both were key contributors in the Sun Devils' 77-55 dismantling of UNLV at Wells Fargo Arena on Wednesday.
Justice had 13 points, six assists, five rebounds and zero turnovers in 30 minutes of his second start of the season, while Jacobsen had his second career double-double -- 16 points, 12 rebounds -- to go with four assists and three blocked shots as the Sun Devils (5-2) won their 13th consecutive home game to give Sendek his 400th career victory.
Justice's command of the position is noticeable. He has yet to commit a turnover In 64 minutes as a starter, Job 1 for a point guard and something that has always been a point of emphasis for him throughout his career at Dobson High and in club competition.
"That's a big point -- turn the ball over, you can't run the point," said Justice, 6-for-5 and 180 pounds. "Great point guards don't turn the ball over. They run the team. They make sure you get the ball to your scorers. If you're the point guard and you are going to have seven turnovers or five turnovers, that is hurting the team. So you have to be the leader to set the tone on the turnover end."
That does not mean, however, that Justice only takes the conservative route. His behind-the-back pass to Jacobsen on a drive to the basket showed his flash. Jacobsen was fouled after taking the feed, and later in the same possession, he hit a follow shot that tied the game at 23, part of a 27-5 run that brought the Sun Devils back from 21-6 hole.
Justice's 3-pointer from the left wing gave ASU its first lead, 26-23. He made 3 of 5 3-point attempts, including one from the right wing for a 70-53 lead with 4 1./2 minutes left. He scored on a nifty 5-footer moments earlier, driving into the paint, faking a taller defender into the air and moving under him for the short hoop.
"One thing he has going for him is, he is fearless. Fearless," ASU coach Herb Sendek said of Justice. "And when he does make a mistake, he is unflappable. He just has that something you can't give 'em."
Freshman Tra Holder and sophomore Chance Murray were considered the most likely candidates to replace two-year starter and two-year leading scorer Carson, who signed to play professionally in Australia after being bypassed in the NBA draft.
Holder had 11 points, eight assists and nine turnovers while starting the first four games before Justice made his first start in a loss to Alabama in the CBE Classic in Kansas City. Justice was 2of 9 from the field, but he ran the offense and had four assists and no turnovers. Holder, a higher profile recruit from the Brentwood School in Los Angeles, returned to the starting lineup against Colgate on Saturday when Justice missed the game because of back spasms suffered in practice the day before. Holder had 11 points, three assists and two turnovers in the 78-71 victory.
After Justice's breakout game, Sendek was asked if he had found his point guard.
"Right now, each game we learn more about our team," Sendek said. "Certainly Kodi continues to gain confidence and play better and better. He was terrific tonight. What can you say?"
Justice will take things as they come.
"I'm just here for the team," Justice said. "If Tra needs to come get me and go make a play, it is not going to hurt my confidence. I feel comfortable running the role. Me, Tra and Chance have to run that position. We're all comfortable as a unit. It's so early in the season to say it is my position. We are all going to do it as a unit right now."
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