team in tackles (101), with 9.5 TFL, three interceptions, two forced fumb

El Paso, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The Duke Blue Devils and Arizona State Sun Devils will conclude their 2014 seasons on Dec. 27, as they meet up at Sun Bowl Stadium to take part in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. David Cutcliffes Blue Devils are taking part in their third straight postseason event after finishing the regular season at an impressive 9-3, including a second-place finish in the ACCs Coastal Division behind Georgia Tech. It is now safe to say Cutcliffe is building a strong program in Durham, as back-to-back seasons of 9+ victories is a first in school history for the Blue Devils. This marks Dukes 11th all-time bowl appearance, although the team is just 3-7 in prior bowl games. The Blue Devils will try to buck a trend of sorts, as the team hasnt won a bowl game since the 1961 Cotton Bowl against Arkansas (7-6). Dukes recent success is something Cutcliffe is proud of. To be selected to participate in the Sun Bowl is both a privilege and honor for our program, said Cutcliffe. The tradition of the Sun Bowl is well documented, and it is exciting to become a part of that prestigious history. Obviously, I could not be any more thrilled for our seniors, who together become the first class in Duke history to play in three bowl games. That means a lot, and it should. Todd Grahams Sun Devils also finished the year up at 9-3 and were also very much in the hunt in the Pac-12 Conference race. Arizona State however, dropped two of its last three games, leaving itself on the outside looking in on a conference championship bout. Still, a bowl bout with Duke is a nice consolation prize. This is a great opportunity for us to compete against a top-notch program and close out the 2014 season on a high note, Graham said. We look forward to representing our university in El Paso with character, class and dignity. Arizona States bowl resume is a bit longer than Dukes, with this game marking its 28th postseason appearance. ASU is 13-13-1 all-time in the postseason, including last years 37-23 loss to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl. This marks the first-ever meeting between these two teams. With the emergence of a run game that has eluded the Blue Devils in the recent past, Duke was able to keep opponents honest and take its offense to a new level in 2014. The team ranked fifth in the ACC and 42nd nationally in scoring at 32.5 ppg, while netting 183.3 ypg on the ground (45th nationally). Duke amassed 24 rushing TDs this season, but used several different ball carriers to get the job. Tailbacks Shaun Wilson (590 yards, 8.0 ypc, 5 TDs) was the most explosive back, although players like Shaquille Powell (501 yards, 4.8 ypc, 2 TDs) and quarterbacks Anthony Boone (346 yards, 5 TDs) and Thomas Sirk (232 yards, 8 TDs) contributed as well. Meanwhile, Boone had a strong season passing the ball, completing 56.9 percent of his throws, for 2,507 yards and 17 TDs. A deep receiving corps is highlighted by senior wideout Jamison Crowder. Dukes all-time leader in receptions, Crowder posted team-highs of 78 receptions, 942 yards and six TDs, en route to All-ACC first-team honors. Isaac Blackeney (43 receptions, 521 yards) matched Crowders TD catches (6). The Duke defense had its ups and downs this season, but that doesnt take away from the fact that there are playmakers at each level. Senior linebacker David Helton (All-ACC second team) had a huge season, earning All-ACC first-team honors with a team-best 125 tackles. There may not be a better safety tandem in the country than Dukes DeVon Edwards and Jeremy Cash. Edwards is second on the team with 119 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception and four forced fumbles. Cash (All-ACC second team) was the only defensive back in the nation to post 100+ tackles (103). 10+ TFL (10.5) and 5+ sacks (5.5). The 6-foot-2 junior also recorded two interceptions and four forced fumbles. Senior end Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo (42 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) had a solid season coming off the edge. Dukes defense will surely be tested in this contest by a potent Arizona State attack. The Sun Devils ranked third in the offensive-minded Pac-12 in scoring at 37.0 ppg, while churning out 446.5 yards of total offense. Quarterback Taylor Kelly missed a few games under center due to injury, but still managed to throw for 1,874 yards and 20 TDs. It certainly helps to have great players at the skill positions and Kelly benefited from two of the Pac-12s best. Junior wideout Jaelen Strong is a big target (6-3, 215) and certainly created mismatches all season long, finishing up with 75 receptions, for 1,062 yards and 10 TDs, en route to All-Pac-12 first-team honors as well as several All- America accolades. Meanwhile, junior tailback D.J. Foster (All-Pac-12 second team) also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, as he rumbled for 1,002 yards and nine TDs on a healthy 5.5 yards per carry. Arizona States defense could not match its offense in terms of production this season. The Sun Devils have given up plenty of yards (418.5 ypg) and have been known to be susceptible to the pass (261.8 ypg). However, that has led to opportunities as well, with ASU collecting 39 sacks on the season. Strong play in the secondary is not exclusive to Duke, as AU has its own safety tandem of note in senior Damarious Randall and junior Jordan Simone. Randall, an All-Pac-12 first-team selection, topped the team in tackles (101), with 9.5 TFL, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery). Simone (90) tackles made his share of plays as well, with two INTs and one forced fumble. Senior end Marcus Hardison (40 tackles, 14.0 TFL, 10.0 sacks, 2 INTs, 3 FF) earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention. Custom Arsenal Jerseys . 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Ainsley Maitland-Niles Arsenal Jersey . - The Minnesota Vikings have ruled Christian Ponder out for Sundays game at Baltimore, because the quarterback has not yet passed all of his post-concussion tests.MILWAUKEE -- It was just like old times for Rick Barnes and Texas. The Longhorns made a successful return to the NCAA tournament when Cameron Ridley converted a tiebreaking layup as time expired Thursday night, lifting his team to an 87-85 victory over Arizona State. Jonathan Holmes missed badly on a long 3-pointer for the Longhorns in the final seconds, but Ridley emerged from the scrum and banked it in as the buzzer sounded. The call stood after a video replay, handing Texas its first tourney win since 2011. "I went to the glass as hard as I could," Ridley said. Ridley finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Longhorns (24-10), who led by 14 with 12 minutes left. Freshman reserve Martez Walker had 16 points and Demarcus Holland scored 14 on 6-for-6 shooting from the field. "It was a great, great college basketball game and I thought it was really very unfortunate that either team had to lose this game," Barnes said. "We were fortunate. ... We didnt have great execution at the end but we found a way to make a couple plays." Texas will face No. 2 seed Michigan Saturday. The Wolverines advanced with a 57-40 victory over Wofford. Jordan Bachynski had 25 points and seven rebounds for No. 10 seed Arizona State (21-12), which was making its first tournament appearance since 2009. Jahii Carson had 19 points and nine assists, and Jermaine Marshall added 17 points and seven rebounds. "Its a tough one, its a tough way to end the game and end my career," Bachynski said. Texas went to the NCAA tournament in each of Barnes first 14 seasons, making it to the 2003 Final Four. But last season was a disaster for the Longhorns, who went 16-18 and lost in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational. Barnes lost three starters from that team, but Holmes and Ridley returned, and the Lonnghorns were determined to turn it around after the disappointing finish.dddddddddddd They stumbled a bit heading into the tournament, losing five of eight, but they stepped up at the most critical time against the Sun Devils. Holmes made two free throws to give Texas a 61-47 lead with 12:11 to go, and the Longhorns looked ready to blow out the Sun Devils. ASU then scored 17 of the next 22 points, trimming the deficit to two on Jonathan Gillings 3-pointer with 8:15 left. Arizona State had an 83-82 lead when Holmes grabbed an air ball by Javan Felix and scored while being fouled by Gilling. He made the resulting foul shot with 32 seconds to go. Gilling made two free throws on the other end, setting up the frantic finish. Gilling had four 3-pointers and 15 points for the Sun Devils, who lost their last four games of the season. "They just keep playing, theyve been a next-play, next-game team all season," Arizona State coach Herb Sendek said. "I can tell you right now its a very emotional, heartbroken locker room." The battle of at-large teams in the Midwest Regional featured a pair of coaches with a long history together. Barnes first met Herb Sendek at a 1978 basketball camp at the University of Pittsburgh, and Barnes had Sendek on his staff for one season when he was in charge at Providence. They also coached against each other for years in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Their only other meeting in the NCAA tournament occurred in 2006, when Texas beat North Carolina State 75-54 in the round of 32. Both teams got off to fast starts, with Bachynskis jumper for Arizona State tying it at 21 with 12:32 to go. But Texas responded with a 9-0 run, beginning with Walkers two free throws and ending with Walkers 3 from the wing. Walker added a layup with 31 seconds left to help the Longhorns to a 41-36 halftime lead. ' ' '