TEMPE - Sun Devil Men's Basketball prepares for their first road trip of the season, visiting the Bay Area schools for the start of Pac-12 Conference play.
Arizona State (6-5) looks to snap a three-game skid when they travel to Stanford to take on the Cardinal on Friday at 9 PM MST. This is the Pac-12 opener for both teams, with the conference opening league play this week. The Sun Devils look to duplicate their success at Maples Pavilion a season ago, as they defeated Stanford 68-65 to pick up one of their six Pac-12 road wins in 2022-23. This is the first of a two-game road trip in the Bay Area, with ASU facing California on Sunday at 6 PM.
HOW TO FOLLOW
The broadcast of Sun Devil Men's Basketball's game on Friday will be on ESPN2 as they face off with Stanford, scheduled for a 9 PM MST tip-off with Dave Feldman (play-by-play) and Corey Williams (analyst) on the call. Make sure to listen to Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd on ESPN 620 AM (KTAR). The action can also be tracked via live stats available here.
PAC YOUR BAGS
Arizona State looks to duplicate the success they enjoyed on the road in Pac-12 play last season as they head on their first league road trip of the year. In 2022-23, the Sun Devils went 6-4 on the road in Pac-12 play, the best mark since the 1980-81 team went 8-1. The 5-4 Pac-12 road mark in 2018-19 was its best since the 2009-10 and 2008-09. Two of the best four Pac-12 road mark in the previous 39 seasons have come under Bobby Hurley.
BACK TO THE BAY
The Sun Devils swept two road Pac-12 series in 2022-23. In January, they took down both Oregon schools. They did the same during the Bay Area trip in February, as ASU defeated Stanford then Cal for their first sweep of the Bay Area schools since 2019-20. It is just the third time since joining the conference and the first since the 1980-81 season that Arizona State swept two road series in the same season.
STANFORD SWEEP
Coach Hurley's team picked up a pair of victories over Stanford last season, earning the season sweep over the Cardinal. ASU moved to 2-0 in league play midway through the 2022-23 campaign with a 68-64 home victory over Stanford in December before grinding out a 68-65 road victory over the Cardinal in February. The two wins gave Arizona State their first season sweep over Stanford since 2016-17 (3-0 in that year). The Sun Devils have won six of the last eight matchups with the Cardinal.
FRANKIE DOES IT ALL
Guard Frankie Collins has emerged as one of the top all-around players in the Pac-12 Conference. He is currently one of only two players in the nation averaging at least 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 steals. The only other player to boast those averages is Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey. Collins is stuffing the stat sheet in a historic manner while playing only 31 minutes per game.
WEGUARDU
ASU held its opponents to just 39.9% shooting from the field last season, the third-best mark in the league and 15th in the nation. It was also tied for the second-best mark in school history, one year after posting what is now the fourth-best. Through 11 games in 2023-24, ASU's field goal percentage defense is once again a strength. Opponents are shooting just 41.2% against the Sun Devils. The Sun Devil defense is also holding opponents to just 30.2% shooting from three.
COMFORTABLE WHEN IT'S CLOSE
After going 11-5 in games decided by six points or less (two possessions) last year, the Sun Devils are 2-1 in such games so far this season. Arizona State is now 37-19 (.661) in close games over the past five seasons. The 37 wins are the third-most in the nation during that span.
DON'T COUNT US OUT
Arizona State has come back to win a game when trailing at halftime 41 times during the Bobby Hurley era, including against SMU last time out. Since 2015-16, the Sun Devils are Top-15 in the nation with their 41 halftime comeback victories.
ASU RECORD BY STARTING LINEUP
Due injuries to Shawn Phillips Jr. and Zane Meeks early in the season, the Sun Devils have been shorthanded most of the year. With Adam Miller gaining eligibility, fluctuation continues with Arizona State's roster. This has resulted in Coach Hurley using six different starting lineup combinations through their first 11 games. Frankie Collins and Jamiya Neal are the only two Sun Devils to have started every game.
Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Bryant Selebangue, Alonzo Gaffney (4-1)
Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Alonzo Gaffney, Shawn Phillips Jr. (1-0)
Frankie Collins, Jamiya Neal, Kamari Lands, Alonzo Gaffney, Shawn Phillips Jr. (1-0)
Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Kamari Lands, Alonzo Gaffney (0-1)
Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Kamari Lands, Shawn Phillips Jr. (0-1)
Frankie Collins, Adam Miller, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Alonzo Gaffney (0-2)
PEREZ WILL MAKE YOU PAY
Graduate transfer Jose Perez has been a huge addition to the Sun Devil Men's Basketball roster. He is one of the best players in the country at getting to the free-throw line. He set a new career-high against SMU earlier in the month, attempting 15 free throws in the victory. Perez has now attempted 638 free throws in his career, the fifth-highest total among active NCAA Division I players. His 474 made free-throws puts him eighth among active NCAA Division I players. Perez is a career 74.3% shooter from the charity stripe.
Perez is one of only 19 active players at the NCAA Division I level that has reached 1,500 career points (1,596) and 370 career assists (372). Perez has the second-fewest total games played (108) of any player on the list (James Bishop IV, George Washington - 107). To take it a step further, Perez is one of only NINE players at the NCAA Division I level with 1,500 points, 370 assists, AND 490 rebounds (499) in their career (Tristen Newton - UConn, RayJ Dennis - Baylor, Andrew Taylor - Mississippi State, Marcus Domask - Illinois, Baylor Scheierman - Creighton, Jahmir Yong - Maryland, Tyler Robertson - Portland, Aaron Estrada - Alabama).
GAMES PLAYED (2023-24 | Career)
Kamari Lands - 11 | 43
Frankie Collins - 11 | 77
Braelon Green - 9 | 9
Brycen Long - 6 | 90
Jamiya Neal - 11 | 72
Malachi Davis - 7 | 7
Alonzo Gaffney - 11 | 95
Shawn Phillips Jr. - 3 | 23
Bobby Hurley - 4 | 16
Jose Perez - 11 | 108
Zane Meeks - 5 | 110
Akil Watson - 9 | 9
Bryant Selebangue - 11 | 41
Adam Miller - 2 | 66
Sun Devils have a combined 766 games of experience at the Division I Level (includes previous school).
60-POINT MARK
Arizona State has only one loss when they score 60+ points (88-83 loss to San Diego). They are 6-1 in such games this season. ASU is averaging 73.7 points in their six wins and 58.8 points in their five losses. By contrast, the Sun Devils are holding opponents to 64.0 points in their six wins and allowing 76.2 points in their five losses.
THREE-POINT NOTE
The Sun Devils have made at least one three-point field goal in 716 consecutive games dating back to 2/10/2001.
I'LL TAKE THAT
Through 11 games of the 2023-24 season, Frankie Collins has emerged as one of the best perimeter defenders in the nation. He has been causing opposing guards issues with his ball pressure and aggressiveness. Collins now has 33 steals, putting him 13th in the country in the category. He is currently fifth in the nation in steals per game, averaging 3.0 per contest. He matched a program-record with eight steals in the victory over UMass Lowell earlier in the year.
CONSTANT COMPETITION
Coach Hurley has challenged his team with an extremely difficult non-conference slate. Sun Devil Men's Basketball will be ready for Pac-12 play after facing one of the toughest schedules in the country so far this season. Here is a closer look at who ASU has played this season.
- Mississippi State - 10-2 record; NET of 32
- Texas Southern - No. 8 non-conference SOS
- UMass Lowell - 6-4 record
- BYU - 11-1 record; No. 14 ranking in latest AP Poll
- San Francisco - 9-4 record; NET of 48
- SMU - 8-4 record; NET of 52
- San Diego - 8-4 record; Undefeated at Home
- TCU - 10-2 record; NET of 47
- Northwestern - 9-2 record; Only team to beat No. 1 Purdue
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Arizona State will feature a total of 11 new players on their roster, joining returners Frankie Collins, Jamiya Neal, Alonzo Gaffney, Bobby Hurley, and Jordan Williams to make up the 2023-24 Sun Devil Men's Basketball roster. The following is a roundup of the ASU newcomer class.
2023 INCOMING TRANSFERS
G Kamari Lands - Louisville
G Brycen Long - Houston Christian
C Shawn Phillips Jr. - LSU
G Jose Perez - West Virginia
F Zane Meeks - San Francisco
F Bryant Selebangue - Tulsa
G Adam Miller - LSU
JUCO ADDITION
G Malachi Davis - Tallahassee CC
FRESHMAN CLASS
G Braelon Green - Southfield, MI
F Akil Watson - Middletown, NY
BY CLASS
Graduate Student (2): Zane Meeks (San Francisco), Jose Perez (West Virginia)
Redshirt Senior (1) Alonzo Gaffney
Senior (1): Brycen Long
Redshirt Junior (1): Adam Miller
Junior (6): Frankie Collins, Jamiya Neal, Malachi Davis, Bobby Hurley, Bryant Selebangue, Jordan Williams
Sophomore (3): Kamari Lands, Shawn Phillips Jr., Zack Markus
Freshman (3): Braelon Green, Andrew Mayock, Akil Watson
BY STATE (10 States Represented)
Ohio (3) – Jamiya Neal (Toledo), Alonzo Gaffney (Cleveland), Shawn Phillips Jr. (Dayton)
New York (3) – Jose Perez (Bronx), Zack Markus (New York City), Akil Watson (Middletown)
California (2) – Frankie Collins (Sacramento), Jordan Williams (Los Angeles)
Canada (2) – Malachi Davis (Toronto), Bryant Selebangue (Montreal)
Arizona (2) – Brycen Long (Gilbert), Bobby Hurley (Scottsdale)
Indiana (1) – Kamari Lands (Indianapolis)
Michigan (1) – Braelon Green (Southfield)
Connecticut (1) – Andrew Mayock (New Canaan)
Kansas (1) – Zane Meeks (Prairie Village)
Illinois (1) – Adam Miller (Peoria)
SOLIDIFYING HIS STAFF
Head Coach Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program officially announced the final additions to the 2023-24 staff in October. Arizona State welcomes Yusuf Ali and Jarryn Skeete to the Sun Devil Family, with Nick Irvin and Mickey Mitchell receiving promotions. The news comes after Greg Lansing (Special Assistant to the Head Coach) and Hunter Eisenhower (Associate Head Coach - Sports Performance) joined the staff earlier in the offseason. ASU now boasts an experienced and diverse staff from top to bottom, featuring some of the nation's top rising talent in the coaching industry.
HERE TO STAY
The Arizona State Board of Regents announced in March of 2023 that Sun Devil Men's Basketball Head Coach Bobby Hurley has agreed to an extension that will keep him with the program through the 2026 season.
NCAAS UNDER COACH HURLEY
ASU has made the NCAA Tournament three times in the past five chances (2023, 2019, and 2018) and won two games. In the previous 32 seasons (1986-2017), ASU made two NCAA Tournaments and was 2-3.
PAC-12 PLAY
With several marquee non-conference matchups away from home, Arizona State was once again been challenged early in the year. The Sun Devils finished up an extremely challenging 11-game stretch before the holidays, including six games away from home. Beginning with a late December trip to the Bay Area, the Maroon & Gold will now play 20-straight conference games. All 31 of Arizona State's games will be televised, with Coach Hurley's squad making appearances on ESPN, FOX, CBS Sports, Pac-12 Network and several major network affiliates in addition to online streaming platforms.
PHOENIX HOSTING THE 2024 MEN'S FINAL FOUR
The 2024 Men's Final Four will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., with the national semifinals on Saturday, April 6 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 8, 2024. This is the second time the state of Arizona has hosted the Final Four, also doing so back in 2017. Arizona State will once again serve as the host institution as they did for the 2017 edition.
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