LET'S GET IT STARTED: The Sun Devil men's basketball team opens the 2016-17 season with two games in three days, starting with a Friday, Nov. 11 tip vs. Portland State and then a Sunday (Nov. 13) game with Cal Poly. Both games begin at 7 p.m. MT on the Pac-12 Network, with Jim Watson and Eddie House on the call Friday and Daron Sutton and Matt Muehlbach on the call Sunday. ASU returns starters Tra Holder and Obi Oleka from last year's team along with rotation regular and two-year letterman Kodi Justice.
BEST THING ABOUT FRESHMAN IS THEY BECOME SOPHOMORES: Tra Holder averaged 14.2 points in 2015-16 after averaging 7.0 in his freshman season. A look at ASU's records shows that the +7.2 increase is the best from first year to second year by a Sun Devil since Jeremy Veal went from 7.4 in 1994-95 to 18.9 in 1995-96 (+11.5). BIGGEST SUN DEVIL SCORING IMPROVEMENTS (FIRST SEASON TO SECOND SEASON)
Jeremy Veal, +11.5 (7.4 in 1994-95 to 18.9 in 1995-96)
Dennis Hamilton, +11.1 (6.2 in 1963-64 to 17.3 in 1964-65)
Art Becker, +10.1 (9.0 in 1961-62 to 19.1 in 1962-63)
Arthur Thomas, +9.4 (4.3 in 1984-85 to 13.7 in 1985-86)
Tra Holder, +7.2 (7.0 in 2014-15 to 14.2 in 2015-16)
Kurt Nimphius, +7.0 (1.5 in 1976-77 to 8.5 in 1977-78)
OBI ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: It was the Jan. 14 WSU game where now senior forward Obinna Oleka (Oh-BEE-nah Oh-LEH-ka) began to emerge last season. Obi was in double figures in 13 of the final 16 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and was 41-of-49 (.837) from the free throw line in that time. He also had three of his four double-doubles in that span. Oleka had no points and one rebound in the first two games, but because he only played five games for State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota the previous two seasons and didn't play in 2014-15, a slow start was expected. Consider this: Before he took the court in the opener Nov. 13, his previous official game was Dec. 7, 2013...a 705-day break between games.
OBI OLEKA FIRST 10 GAMES/FINAL 22
MPG: 19.0/27.4
FG: 22-61 (.361)/82-202 (.406)
3PT: 3-16 (.188)/24-70 (.343)
FT: 17-27 (.630)/56-67 (.836)
RPG: 4.9/6.6 PPG: 6.4/11.1
LET'S ADD UP THE MILES: The Sun Devils last year had a very tough out-of-conference schedule, playing three OOC road games for just the fifth time in past seasons. This year, it has one true "road" game but its travel schedule is even tougher. ASU between Nov. 16 (travel day) and Dec. 10 (game at San Diego State) will travel 12,900 miles and sleep in a hotel in 11 of 25 nights. ROAD TRIP(S)!!! ROUND TRIP MILES FROM PHOENIX
Orlando/Tire Pros Invitational (Nov. 17-20)=3,680
Bahamas vs. #2 Kentucky (Nov. 28)=4,320
Jimmy V Classic @NYC vs. #15 Purdue (Dec. 6)=4,300
San Diego @SDSU (Dec. 10)=600
ABOUT OPENERS: Bobby Hurley is 1-2 in season openers, as his Buffalo squad lost at Texas A&M 82-58 on Nov. 8, 2013 in his first game as collegiate head coach, and then won 69-67 on Nov. 14, 2014. ASU fell to Sacramento State 66-63 to open last season. As a player Duke was 4-0 in season openers, and in his first game for the Blue Devils they beat Harvard 130-54 on Nov. 25, 1989.
ABOUT THAT OOC SCHEDULE: Last year's Sun Devil non-conference schedule was the 13th-best in the nation, and this year expect the same. In non-conference action, ASU will face Associated Press preseason top-25 teams Kentucky (#2), Purdue (#15) and Creighton (#22). ASU will face Kentucky in the Bahamas on Nov. 28, play in the Jimmy V Classic against Purdue on Dec. 6 and host Creighton at 7 p.m. MT on ESPN2 on Dec. 20. ASU is one of four Pac-12 teams hosting an preseason AP Top-25 team on its home court this year.
PAC-12 SCHOOLS HOSTING AP PRESEASON TOP-25 TEAMS #17 Saint Mary's at Stanford, Nov. 30 #7 Xavier at Colorado, Dec. 7 #22 Creighton at Arizona State, Dec. 20 #8 Virginia at Cal, Dec. 21
THREE!: Sun Devil coach Bobby Hurley has said that with his three-guard lineup, we can expect a lot of threes being tossed up. Last year ASU made 254 three-pointers, fifth-most in Sun Devil history, and took 756, third-most and most since 2008-09.
SUN DEVIL THREE-POINTERS MADE
288/2009
271/2010
268/2014
263/1993
254/2016
SUN DEVIL THREE-POINTERS ATTEMPTED
778/2009
772/1993
756/2016
ABOUT THE TIRE PROS INVITATIONAL: ASU will compete in the Tire Pros Invitational Nov. 17, 18 and 20 in Orlando and will open with Northern Iowa on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 4:30 ET/2:30 MT on ESPNU. ASU will then play either Tulane or Oklahoma on Friday (Nov. 18), with the winner's bracket game at 7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT, and the loser's bracket game tipping at 5 p.m. ET/3 p.m. MT, with both games on ESPNU. Also in the field are Xavier, Davidson, Clemson and Missouri.
FIRST GAME FRESHMAN STARTER: Only Jahii Carson and Tra Holder have been freshman opening game starters in the past eight seasons (2008-09 to 2015-16). Holder started the first game of the 2014-15 against Chicago State while Jahii did the same in 2012-13 Prior to Jahii, an ASU freshman hadn't started the first game since Nov. 19, 2007, when Ty Abbott, James Harden and Jamellel McMillan all got the starting nod in the Maui Invitational.
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN OPENING NIGHT STARTERS
1972-1973: Gary Jackson
1976-1977: Johnny Nash
1979-1980: Bryon Scott
1984-1985: Chris Sandle
1985-1986: Alex Austin
1981-1982: Shawn Holiday
1986-1987: Tyrone Mitchell
1990-1991: Jamal Faulkner, Stevin Smith
1991-1992: Mario Bennett, Tony Ronaldson
1992-1993: Ron Riley
1999-2000: Donnell Knight
2002-2003: Ike Diogu
2003-2004: Tron Smith, Keith Wooden
2006-2007: Christian Polk, Jerren Shipp
2007-2008: Ty Abbott, James Harden, Jamelle McMillan
2012-2013: Jahii Carson
2014-2015: Tra Holder
RANDOM THREE-POINT NOTE: Entering the 2016-17 season ASU has made a three-pointer in 522 straight games. The last time ASU did not make a three-pointer was in an 89-57 win over Washington in Tempe on Feb. 10, 2001.
ASU is celebrating Salute to Service week: Bound by Service, Driven by Innovation. #PitchforkSalute https://t.co/3cc8znCGhy pic.twitter.com/8hQTZ0IyhB
— ASU Alumni (@ASU_Alumni) November 6, 2016
BEST THING ABOUT FRESHMAN IS THEY BECOME SOPHOMORES: Tra Holder averaged 14.2 points in 2015-16 after averaging 7.0 in his freshman season. A look at ASU's records shows that the +7.2 increase is the best from first year to second year by a Sun Devil since Jeremy Veal went from 7.4 in 1994-95 to 18.9 in 1995-96 (+11.5). BIGGEST SUN DEVIL SCORING IMPROVEMENTS (FIRST SEASON TO SECOND SEASON)
Jeremy Veal, +11.5 (7.4 in 1994-95 to 18.9 in 1995-96)
Dennis Hamilton, +11.1 (6.2 in 1963-64 to 17.3 in 1964-65)
Art Becker, +10.1 (9.0 in 1961-62 to 19.1 in 1962-63)
Arthur Thomas, +9.4 (4.3 in 1984-85 to 13.7 in 1985-86)
Tra Holder, +7.2 (7.0 in 2014-15 to 14.2 in 2015-16)
Kurt Nimphius, +7.0 (1.5 in 1976-77 to 8.5 in 1977-78)
OBI ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON: It was the Jan. 14 WSU game where now senior forward Obinna Oleka (Oh-BEE-nah Oh-LEH-ka) began to emerge last season. Obi was in double figures in 13 of the final 16 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and was 41-of-49 (.837) from the free throw line in that time. He also had three of his four double-doubles in that span. Oleka had no points and one rebound in the first two games, but because he only played five games for State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota the previous two seasons and didn't play in 2014-15, a slow start was expected. Consider this: Before he took the court in the opener Nov. 13, his previous official game was Dec. 7, 2013...a 705-day break between games.
OBI OLEKA FIRST 10 GAMES/FINAL 22
MPG: 19.0/27.4
FG: 22-61 (.361)/82-202 (.406)
3PT: 3-16 (.188)/24-70 (.343)
FT: 17-27 (.630)/56-67 (.836)
RPG: 4.9/6.6 PPG: 6.4/11.1
LET'S ADD UP THE MILES: The Sun Devils last year had a very tough out-of-conference schedule, playing three OOC road games for just the fifth time in past seasons. This year, it has one true "road" game but its travel schedule is even tougher. ASU between Nov. 16 (travel day) and Dec. 10 (game at San Diego State) will travel 12,900 miles and sleep in a hotel in 11 of 25 nights. ROAD TRIP(S)!!! ROUND TRIP MILES FROM PHOENIX
Orlando/Tire Pros Invitational (Nov. 17-20)=3,680
Bahamas vs. #2 Kentucky (Nov. 28)=4,320
Jimmy V Classic @NYC vs. #15 Purdue (Dec. 6)=4,300
San Diego @SDSU (Dec. 10)=600
ABOUT OPENERS: Bobby Hurley is 1-2 in season openers, as his Buffalo squad lost at Texas A&M 82-58 on Nov. 8, 2013 in his first game as collegiate head coach, and then won 69-67 on Nov. 14, 2014. ASU fell to Sacramento State 66-63 to open last season. As a player Duke was 4-0 in season openers, and in his first game for the Blue Devils they beat Harvard 130-54 on Nov. 25, 1989.
ABOUT THAT OOC SCHEDULE: Last year's Sun Devil non-conference schedule was the 13th-best in the nation, and this year expect the same. In non-conference action, ASU will face Associated Press preseason top-25 teams Kentucky (#2), Purdue (#15) and Creighton (#22). ASU will face Kentucky in the Bahamas on Nov. 28, play in the Jimmy V Classic against Purdue on Dec. 6 and host Creighton at 7 p.m. MT on ESPN2 on Dec. 20. ASU is one of four Pac-12 teams hosting an preseason AP Top-25 team on its home court this year.
PAC-12 SCHOOLS HOSTING AP PRESEASON TOP-25 TEAMS #17 Saint Mary's at Stanford, Nov. 30 #7 Xavier at Colorado, Dec. 7 #22 Creighton at Arizona State, Dec. 20 #8 Virginia at Cal, Dec. 21
THREE!: Sun Devil coach Bobby Hurley has said that with his three-guard lineup, we can expect a lot of threes being tossed up. Last year ASU made 254 three-pointers, fifth-most in Sun Devil history, and took 756, third-most and most since 2008-09.
SUN DEVIL THREE-POINTERS MADE
288/2009
271/2010
268/2014
263/1993
254/2016
SUN DEVIL THREE-POINTERS ATTEMPTED
778/2009
772/1993
756/2016
VS. PORTLAND STATE: ASU leads the series 3-2, with all five meetings taking place in Tempe, but Portland State has won the past two games, taking home a 71-67 win on Nov. 18, 2006 and a 79-69 overtime win on Nov. 20, 2001. ASU beat Portland State 79-57 on Nov. 20, 1999, in its season opener as Pac-12 Network color analyst Eddie House began his senior season with a 10-point effort, while radio analyst Kyle Dodd added six points in the first game of his career.Raise both hands if you are freshman w/ size 15 shoe, 7-5 1/2 wingspan & 6% body fat @j_tshisumpa @hollywood_XI @DougHaller @lifeisgreatsut pic.twitter.com/VCHgXE3lg4
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) November 8, 2016
ABOUT THE TIRE PROS INVITATIONAL: ASU will compete in the Tire Pros Invitational Nov. 17, 18 and 20 in Orlando and will open with Northern Iowa on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 4:30 ET/2:30 MT on ESPNU. ASU will then play either Tulane or Oklahoma on Friday (Nov. 18), with the winner's bracket game at 7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT, and the loser's bracket game tipping at 5 p.m. ET/3 p.m. MT, with both games on ESPNU. Also in the field are Xavier, Davidson, Clemson and Missouri.
FIRST GAME FRESHMAN STARTER: Only Jahii Carson and Tra Holder have been freshman opening game starters in the past eight seasons (2008-09 to 2015-16). Holder started the first game of the 2014-15 against Chicago State while Jahii did the same in 2012-13 Prior to Jahii, an ASU freshman hadn't started the first game since Nov. 19, 2007, when Ty Abbott, James Harden and Jamellel McMillan all got the starting nod in the Maui Invitational.
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN OPENING NIGHT STARTERS
1972-1973: Gary Jackson
1976-1977: Johnny Nash
1979-1980: Bryon Scott
1984-1985: Chris Sandle
1985-1986: Alex Austin
1981-1982: Shawn Holiday
1986-1987: Tyrone Mitchell
1990-1991: Jamal Faulkner, Stevin Smith
1991-1992: Mario Bennett, Tony Ronaldson
1992-1993: Ron Riley
1999-2000: Donnell Knight
2002-2003: Ike Diogu
2003-2004: Tron Smith, Keith Wooden
2006-2007: Christian Polk, Jerren Shipp
2007-2008: Ty Abbott, James Harden, Jamelle McMillan
2012-2013: Jahii Carson
2014-2015: Tra Holder
RANDOM THREE-POINT NOTE: Entering the 2016-17 season ASU has made a three-pointer in 522 straight games. The last time ASU did not make a three-pointer was in an 89-57 win over Washington in Tempe on Feb. 10, 2001.