TEMPE - Sun Devil Men's Basketball hits the road for a one-game trip to Seattle where they will face Washington on Thursday night.
Arizona State (10-5, 4-0) will put their four-game win streak on the line in the 9 PM matchup with the Huskies (9-6, 1-3) at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. The Sun Devils have won 10 of their last 14 games on the road in conference play and are off to only their fourth 4-0 Pac-12 league start in program history. Head Coach Bobby Hurley's team lone game of the week has them facing yet another challenge away from home.
HOW TO FOLLOW
The broadcast of Sun Devil Men's Basketball's game on Thursday will air on FS1 when they battle Washington, scheduled for a 9 PM MST tip-off with Aaron Goldsmith (play-by-play) and Eldridge Recasner (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.
MILESTONE ACHIEVED
Bobby Hurley secured his 150th victory as the head coach of Sun Devil Men's Basketball over Utah on Jan. 4. The win makes him just the third coach in program history to win 150 games at ASU.
ASU MEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH CAREER WINS
406, Ned Wulk (1957-82)
159, Herb Sendek (2006-15)
151, Bobby Hurley (2015-present)
Hurley also collected his 75th win in Pac-12 Conference play this past week, the most of any coach in program history (Pac-10/12 era).
MOUNTAIN SWEEP
The Sun Devils put together arguably their best performance of the season when they defeated Utah 82-70 last Thursday. Jose Perez delivered a season-high 26 points on 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc while Frankie Collins added 19 points and three steals. Two days later, Arizona State completed their first home sweep of the Mountain schools since 2013-14 when they defeated Colorado 76-73 on Saturday. Jamiya Neal led the way with 19 points followed by 18 points from Adam Miller.
PAC YOUR BAGS
Arizona State looks to duplicate the success they enjoyed on the road in Pac-12 play last season and during 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 marks in the previous 39 seasons have come under Bobby Hurley. Thanks to their wins over Stanford and Cal, ASU is off to a 2-0 start in league play on the road this season. Arizona State has won 10 of their past 14 on the road in the conference dating back to the end of the 2021-22 season, the second-best record of any team (UCLA, 11-3).
4-0 PAC-12 START
ASU has started 4-0 in the Pac-12 for the fourth time in program history. It is the first time the program has accomplished the feat since 2007-08. The 4-0 start has Arizona State tied for first with Oregon atop the Pac-12 Standings. Coach Hurley's squad is looking to go 5-0 to start league play for just the second time in program history, with the only other instance coming back in 1979-80.
BEST PAC-10/12 STARTS
1979-80 (5-0)
1987-88 (4-0)
2007-08 (4-0)
2023-24 (4-0)
Arizona State is one of only six schools off to a 4-0 start in conference play. Only five of those teams have won two road games as part of their four wins. The Sun Devils are one of only two Power 5 teams currently boasting a 4-0 league mark (Oregon).
I'LL TAKE THAT
Through 15 games of the 2023-24 season, Frankie Collins has emerged as one of the best perimeter defenders in the nation. Collins has 47 steals, putting him 4th in the country in the category. He is currently third in the nation in steals per game, averaging 3.13 per contest. He matched a program-record with eight steals in the victory over UMass Lowell and is coming off his tenth 3+-steal performance in the win over Colorado.
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 13.7 points (1st on team), 5.1 rebounds (2nd on team), 3.5 assists (1st on team), and 3.1 steals (1st on team). 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. He combined for 31 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, and six steals during the sweep of Colorado and Utah. Collins has reached double figures scoring in 14 of the 15 games this season.
COMFORTABLE WHEN IT'S CLOSE
After going 12-5 in games decided by six points or less (two possessions) last year, the Sun Devils are 5-1 in such games so far this season. Coach Hurley's team beat Stanford by three and Cal by two, adding to the strong record. Arizona State is now 40-19 (.678) in close games over the past five seasons. The 40 wins are the most in the nation during that span. ASU is 5-0 in games decided by three points or fewer this season. The rest of the Pac-12 is 9-12 in such games. To take it a step further, ASU is 6-1 over its last seven tilts when the game is decided by a two-point deficit or less. Overall ASU is 25-15 in two point or less games under Bobby Hurley. Below are the most recent.
SUN DEVILS IN TWO-POINT GAMES (DEC. 1, 2022-PRESENT)
ASU 71, @ Cal 69 (Dec. 31, 2023)
ASU 76, SMU 74 (Dec. 6, 2023)
ASU 71, UMass Lowell 69 (Nov. 16, 2023)
TCU 72, ASU 70 (Mar. 17, 2023 at NCAA Tournament/Ball Arena in Denver)
ASU 89, @Arizona 88 (Feb. 25, 2023)
ASU 73, Creighton 71 (Dec. 12, 2022 at Jack Jones Hoopfest in Las Vegas)
ASU 60, @Colorado 59 (Dec. 1, 2022)
DON'T COUNT US OUT
Arizona State has come back to win a game when trailing at halftime 43 times during the Bobby Hurley era, including in both games on the Bay Area road trip to start of Pac-12 play. They trailed by nine points against the Cardinal at the break before pulling off a 76-73 victory. Two days later, they found themselves trailing Cal by ten at half before storming back to come away with a 71-69 win. The 10-point halftime comeback was the fifth in which ASU made up a double-digit deficit under Hurley. It was the first time in the Hurley era that Arizona State has completed consecutive road halftime deficit comeback wins. Since 2015-16, the Sun Devils are Top-15 in the nation and lead the Pac-12 with their 43 halftime comeback victories.
2023-24 (4)
(-10) Cal 35, ASU 25/Dec. 31, 2023/ASU 71, Cal 69
(-9) Stanford 37, ASU 28/Dec. 29, 2023/ASU 76, Stanford 73
(-3) SMU 40, ASU 36/Dec. 6, 2023/ASU 76, SMU 74
(-9) UMass Lowell 31, ASU 22/Nov. 16, 2023/ASU 71, UMass Lowell 69
ASU trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half of the Cal game, making this the second straight season in which they overcame a deficit of at least 16 to win a conference game. The Sun Devils won at Oregon St on 1/14/23 after trailing by as many as 16 in the first half.
ZO SAYS NO
Sun Devil forward Alonzo Gaffney is one of the most versatile defenders in the Pac-12 and is a key to the Arizona State defense. He is one of two players in the conference with at least 23 blocks and 16 steals this season (Adem Bona, UCLA). He gets ready to play in his 100th career game at the Division I level.
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 midway through the campaign, fluctuation continues with Arizona State's roster. This has resulted in Coach Hurley using six different starting lineup combinations through their first 15 games. Frankie Collins and Jamiya Neal are the only two Sun Devils to have started every game. ASU has at least one win with four different lineup combinations. The Sun Devils are 4-0 when Adam Miller and Shawn Phillips Jr. are both available to play.
Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Bryant Selebangue, Alonzo Gaffney (4-1)
Frankie Collins, Adam Miller, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Alonzo Gaffney (4-2)
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)
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 658 free throws in his career, the fifth-highest total among active NCAA Division I players. His 485 made free-throws puts him eighth among active NCAA Division I players. Perez is a career 74% shooter from the charity stripe. He currently ranks 28th in the nation and first in the Pac-12 this year with 103 free throw attempts.
Perez is one of only 16 active players at the NCAA Division I level that has reached 1,640 career points (1,646) and 380 career assists (382). Perez has the second-fewest total games played (112) of any player on the list (James Bishop IV, George Washington - 109). In the win over Stanford, he secured his 500th career rebound, making him one of only 30 active players at the Division I level with 1,600 career points and 500 career rebounds (507). To take it a step further, Perez is one of only EIGHT players at the NCAA Division I level with at least 1,640 points, 380 assists, AND 500 rebounds in their career (Tristen Newton - UConn, RayJ Dennis - Baylor, Andrew Taylor - Mississippi State, Marcus Domask - Illinois, Baylor Scheierman - Creighton, Jahmir Yong - Maryland, Aaron Estrada, Alabama).
The entire skill set of Perez was on display last week as Arizona State swept Utah and Colorado at home. Perez led the way by averaging 17.5 points on 48% shooting, but it was his shooting from deep that was the difference. He came into the game 3-for-10 from three-point range on the season. He stepped up in a major way in that facet this weekend, helping spark the Sun Devils. Perez finished 5-for-8 (63%) from three-point range over the two games. Scoring was far from the only way he made an impact, as he also averaged 3.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds. The undersized Sun Devils asked Perez to guard bigger players in both matchups and he was up to the task. He generated a block and a steal in each contest.
In the 82-70 win over Utah, he delivered a season-high 26 points on 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc while adding four rebounds and three assists and finishing +24. He is now one of nine players in the Pac-12 to have four or more 20+ point performances. The passing of Perez was critical in the 76-73 win over Colorado, as he dished out four assists while only turning the ball over once. He also added five rebounds and nine points.
GAMES PLAYED (2023-24 | Career)
Alonzo Gaffney will play in his 100th career game at the Division I level against Washington. He will become the third Sun Devli on the current roster to reach that mark, joining Zane Meeks and Jose Perez. ASU has seven players with over 70 games of experience at the Division I level.
Kamari Lands - 15 | 47
Frankie Collins - 15 | 81
Braelon Green - 13 | 13
Brycen Long - 6 | 90
Jamiya Neal - 15 | 76
Malachi Davis - 7 | 7
Alonzo Gaffney - 15 | 99
Shawn Phillips Jr. - 7 | 27
Bobby Hurley - 4 | 16
Jose Perez - 15 | 112
Zane Meeks - 5 | 110
Akil Watson - 11 | 11
Bryant Selebangue - 15 | 45
Adam Miller - 6 | 70
Sun Devils have a combined 804 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 10-1 in such games this season. ASU is averaging 74.7 points in their ten wins and 58.8 points in their five losses. By contrast, the Sun Devils are holding opponents to 66.9 points in their ten 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 720 consecutive games dating back to 2/10/2001.
CONSTANT COMPETITION
Coach Hurley has challenged his team with an extremely difficult non-conference slate. Sun Devil Men's Basketball was 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 - 11-3 record; undefeated in neutral sites; NET of 32; ranked in AP Poll for two weeks
- vs. Texas Southern - No. 6 NET non-con SOS
- vs. UMass Lowell - 10-4 record, 1-0 in AEC; 6-3 road record
- BYU - 12-2 record; No. 18 ranking in latest AP Poll
- vs. San Francisco - 12-4, 1-0 in WCC; NET of 46; best winning % in WCC
- vs. SMU - 10-5 recrd; NET of 43; Road wins over Florida St. & Murray St.
- at San Diego - 10-7 record; 9-2 at home
- TCU - 11-3 record; NET of 37
- Northwestern - 11-3 record, 2-1 in Big Ten; Only team to beat No. 1 Purdue
- at Stanford - 6-2 at home including win over No. 10 Arizona
- vs. Utah - Quad 1 victory; 11-4 record, NET 29
- vs. Colorado - 11-4 with win over Miami; NET 41
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Arizona State features 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.
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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