The Arizona State Sun Devil men's hoops team (4-2) -- coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time since 1980-81 and the only Pac-12 team to make the NCAAs the past two seasons -- opens with five of its first seven away from Tempe, as after its trip to China for a non-conference game against Colorado on Nov. 9 it hit the road again after two home games with two neutral site games in Connecticut and a 67-65 road win vs. Princeton on Nov. 26. Next up is a tilt at San Francisco on CBS Sports Net on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
REMY OFF TO GREAT START: Junior Remy Martin is off to a great start for the Sun Devils through six games. He posted a career-high 33 points at Princeton on Nov. 26 and already has four 20-point games (11 in career). He is averaging 21.7 points per game this year after averaging 11.3 in his first two years. REMY MARTIN: FIRST TWO YEARS/2019-20
FG (PCT): 246-582 (.422)/48-95 (.505)
3PT (PCT): 66-200 (.330)/13-31 (.419)
PPG: 11.3/21.7
ON THE ROAD: After playing three neutral site games early, ASU's has two tilts in old-school road games in home-and-home series. ASU topped Princeton on Nov. 26 and now faces San Francisco (Dec. 3), as it is 6-2 (.750) in out-of-conference road games under Bobby Hurley, after going 8-22 (.267) in its previous 30 efforts.
SUN DEVIL OUT OF CONFERENCE ROAD GAMES UNDER BOBBY HURLEY (6-2)
ASU at San Francisco (Dec. 3, 2019)
ASU 67, Princeton 65 (Nov. 26, 2019)
Vanderbilt 81, ASU 65 (Dec. 17, 2018)
#20 ASU 76, Georgia 74 (Dec. 15, 2018)
#16 ASU 95, #2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)
ASU 74, San Diego State 63 (Dec. 10, 2016)
ASU 66, UNLV 56 (Dec. 16, 2015)
#5 Kentucky 72, ASU 58 (Dec. 5, 2015)
ASU 79, Creighton 77 (Dec. 2, 2015)
VS. USF: The Dons went 21-10 in 2018-19, 22-17 in 2017-18 and 20-13 in 2016-17 giving them three straight 20-win seasons for the first time since 1978-82. ASU beat USF 75-57 on Dec. 2, 2017, and topped San Francisco 104-65 in Tempe in the previous meeting on Nov. 20, 2009, as ASU leads the series 5-4. One of the best wins in school history took place vs. USF as ASU beat No. 5 San Francisco 89-70 in Tempe on Dec. 3, 1977.
ASU VS. SAN FRANCISCO (ASU LEADS 5-4)
#20 ASU 75, San Francisco 57 (Dec. 2, 2017)
ASU 104, San Francisco 65 (Nov. 20, 2009)
ASU 70, at San Francisco 67, 2 OT (Dec. 5, 1989)
ASU 82, San Francisco 76 (Dec. 28, 1988)
#19 San Francisco 102, ASU 90 (Dec. 30, 1977 at Oklahoma City)
ASU 89, #5 San Francisco 70 (Dec. 3, 1977)
#3 San Francisco 114, ASU 96 (Dec. 28, 1976 at Honolulu)
at San Francisco 93, ASU 74 (Jan. 27, 1968)
at #8 San Francisco 91, ASU 75 (Jan. 30, 1965)
LAST MEETING VS. USF (DEC. 2, 2017): Playing in its first game as a ranked team since 2009, the No. 20 @SunDevilHoops squad moved to 7-0 for the first time since 1980-81 with a 75-57 win over the USF Dons. Romello White led the way with a double-double, putting up 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, as four other players reached double-digits. After the Dons started off the game with a three, the Sun Devils went on a 25-3 run over a span of 11 minutes. With six minutes left to go in the half, the Devils built their lead to 21 points, the largest lead of the game. The Dons went on a quick 9-0 to trim the lead heading into the half. In the second half USF lessened the gap multiple times to 12 points, but eventually, the Sun Devils pulled away. USF shot 28.6 percent (18-of-63) and just 27.5 percent (11-of-40) from three. It marked ASU's best defensive field goal percentage since it held LMU to .281 on Nov. 20, 2014.
SUN DEVIL RECAPS
GAME #6 -- ASU 67, PRINCETON 65 (NOV. 26/PRINCETON, NJ): Khalid Thomas, who had scored one bucket in the first six games, came off the bench to score 14 points, including the game-winning three with less than three seconds left. Remy Martin had 33 points and three assists, including the dish to Thomas on the wing for the game winner. ASU held the Tigers to 13-of-30 (.433) from the field in the second half and 7-of-26 (.269) from three-point range for the game. ASU was 8-of-16 (.500) from three as Romello White added 11 points and nine rebounds.
GAME #5 -- #7 VIRGINIA 48, ASU 45 (NOV. 24/UNCASVILLE, CT): ASU fell behind 20-10 early at the Mohegan Sun Resort but posted a 19-0 run over two halves to take a 35-26 lead with 13:32 left, but 2019 NCAA champion Virginia came back for three-point win. ASU was 10-of-20 (.500) from the field in the second half and held Virginia to 7-of-25 (.287).
GAME #4 -- ASU 80, ST. JOHN'S 67 (NOV. 23/UNCASVILLE, CT): ASU fell behind 15-2 and 40-31 at the half but notched its 22nd halftime comeback under Bobby Hurley with an 80-67 win over St. John's at the Mohegan Sun Resort. Remy Martin had 19 points while Romello White had 15 points and nine rebounds and made all six shots. Rob Edwards added 13 while Jaelen House had 11 and Elias Valtonen 10 in his first career start. ASU shot 18-of-30 (.600) in the second half and held SJU to 10-of-30 (.333). The lead reached 18 late.
GAME #3 -- ASU 92, RIDER 55 (NOV. 17/TEMPE): Rider jumped out to a 12-4 lead six minutes into the game but ASU went on a 37-10 run to put the game away before the half. ASU posted 43 bench points, led by Jaelen House notching 20 in just 21 minutes. Remy Martin also had 20 while Romello White and Alonzo Verge Jr. had 11 each. ASU forced 29 turnovers (most since 2003) and had 16 steals (most since 2009).
GAME #2 -- ASU 90, CCSU 49 (NOV. 14/TEMPE): The Sun Devils (1-1) trailed for 31 seconds in the first two minutes but that was it as 16 players saw action in holding CCSU to the fewest points by an opponent in the Bobby Hurley era. Rob Edwards had 23 points and Remy Martin and Jaelen House added 14 each as the Sun Devils posted 14 steals and forced 23 turnovers.
GAME #1 -- COLORADO 81, ASU 71 (NOV. 9/SHANGHAI): In the first Pac-12 China game between two conference teams, Colorado raced to a 42-29 halftime lead, ASU tied it at 59 but the Buffs held on for an 81-71 win. The non-conference loss was ASU's first in November since 2016. Remy Martin had 23 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and five steals, but CU outrebounded ASU 48-36. Rob Edwards had 20 points. ASU shot .321 (9-of-28) in the first half and .385 (25-of-65) for the game. It had 10 steals, but also had 16 turnovers. Jalen Graham had five blocks.
NOT MUCH AT HOME: The two ASU tilts Nov. 12 and 19 were the only home games prior to Dec. 7 game with Louisiana, the fewest in the Pac-12 to start the season. Four Pac-12 teams will have played six home games (Arizona, Stanford, UCLA and Washington) before ASU's plays its third. Only WSU (three) and ASU (two) play less than four in that time span.
PHYSICAL NOTES: The top wingspans on the team are Jalen Graham (7-2), Romello White (7-0) and Kimani Lawrence (6-11 1/2). The best standing vertical on the team is Graham (32.5"), while Remy Martin is next (31.5") while best approach verticals are Remy (40.5"), Jaelen House (39.5") and Graham (39").
COOL IF PAC-12 TEAMS DO THIS: Since Bobby Hurley took over, ASU leads the league in wins over ranked out-of-conference teams during the regular season with a 5-5 mark with wins over Kansas (twice), Xavier, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Four of the wins have been away from Tempe. UCLA is 4-6 and Arizona 3-4. Take out ASU's 5-5 mark and the rest of the league is 15-42 in those four seasons and seven of the teams have one or zero wins.
PRETTY COOL NOTE: ASU had been to four NCAA Tournaments (1995, 2003, 2009 and 2014) in 26 seasons (1992-2017) and not been to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years since 1980-81. Remy Martin, Kimani Lawrence and Romello White have now gone to the Dance in each of their first two seasons.
LET'S ADD A NATION: Bobby Hurley took the ASU job in April of 2015 and said ASU was going to play some folks and not be afraid to go on the road. ASU's tally of non-conference states in his five years is up to to 11 with other trips to the Bahamas (vs. Kentucky) and China. ASU has played non-conference games in New York (MSG and Barclays), Nebraska (Creighon), at Kentucky, Nevada (at UNLV), Florida, California, at Kansas, at Georgia, Tennessee (Vanderbilt) and New Jersey (at Princeton). The Sun Devils logged some serious air miles and hotel nights in November. The team slept in a hotel bed 15 of the first 26 nights and will notch 18,610 miles counting the San Francisco trip, as it plays just two of its first seven games at home.
2018-19 QUICK REVIEW: ASU was 23-11 and 12-6 in the Pac-12 in 2018-19, good enough for second in the league after being picked sixth in the preseason media poll...defeated No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 22, first win over No. 1 at home in program history and second all-time (won at Oregon State in March of 1981)...notched first NCAA Tournament win since 2009 with a 74-65 victory over St. John's on March 20 in Dayton...prior to its past two NCAA appearances under Bobby Hurley, ASU had made the NCAA Tournament three times in previous 22 seasons (1996-2017).
WHO WE LOST: Three regular rotation players are gone from last year, including All-Pac-12 performers Zylan Cheatham and Lu Dort (Pac-12 Freshman of the Year), as well as De'Quon Lake.
SOLID: ASU finished second in the Pac-12 for just the fourth time in its 41-year Pac-10/12 history last year (2009-10, 1980-81 and 1979-80). ASU won 12 loop games for just the sixth time.
BEST PAC-12 RECORDS
16-2 (1): 1980-81
15-3 (2): 1979-80
12-6 (4): 2018-19, 2009-10, 1994-95, 1982-83
NOVEMBER TOUGH: Not many have been better early than the Sun Devils in the past three seasons, as they are 16-2 the past three seasons in November. Also worth a darn: the win list includes five teams that would eventually make NCAA Tournament that same season.
ASU 16-2 NOVEMBER RECORD PAST THREE SEASONS
ASU 67, @Princeton 65 (Nov. 26, 2019)
#7 Virginia 48, ASU 45 (Nov. 24, 2019)
ASU 80, St. John's 67 (Nov. 23, 2019)
ASU 92, Rider 55 (Nov. 17, 2019)
ASU 90, Central Connecticut State 49 (Nov. 14, 2019)
Colorado 81, ASU 71 at Shanghai (Nov. 9, 2019)
ASU 89, Omaha 71 (Nov. 28, 2018)
ASU 87, Utah State 82 at Las Vegas (Nov. 21, 2018)/2019 MWC Champ and NCAA Team
ASU 72, #16 Mississippi State 67 at Las Vegas (Nov. 19, 2018)/2019 NCAA Team
ASU 90, Long Beach State 58 (Nov. 12, 2018)
ASU 80, McNeese State 52 (Nov. 9, 2018)
ASU 102, Cal State Fullerton 94, 2 OT (Nov. 6, 2018)
ASU 102, #15 Xavier 86 at Las Vegas (Nov. 24, 2017)/eventual No. 1 seed in 2018
ASU 92, Kansas State 90 at Las Vegas (Nov. 23, 2017)/Elite Eight in 2018
ASU 99, UC Irvine 78 (Nov. 19, 2017)
ASU 97, NAU 62 (Nov. 17, 2017)
ASU 90, San Diego State 68 (Nov. 14, 2017)/2018 NCAA team and MWC Tourney champ
ASU 94, Idaho State 74 (Nov. 10, 2017)
THAT HALFTIME STAT: ASU has 23 wins (11 on the road) when trailing at the half under Bobby Hurley in five seasons, after going 12-64 (.157) the previous five seasons. It did it seven times in 2017-18 and did it in 2018-19 at Georgia, vs. No. 1 Kansas, at California, at UCLA, vs. Cal and at Oregon State. This year it has comeback wins over St. John's and at Princeton.
GONNA' PLAY FOLKS: Bobby Hurley is going to play some folks. In his first year after looking at a schedule he inherited that included tilts against NC State in Brooklyn, at Creighton, at UNLV and against eventual No. 18 Texas A&M, he put the wheels in motion to play at Kentucky and filled a holiday break hole that could have been a yawner with Stephen F. Austin. In 2016-17, the squad played No. 1 Kentucky in the Bahamas, Purdue in New York City, at San Diego State, and finished a series with No. 9 Creighton. Kansas returned a trip to Tempe last year after ASU's win on Dec. 10, 2017. Coach Hurley has played six top-10 non-conference opponents in his five years, after ASU faced one in the previous 17 seasons.
ASU REGULAR SEASON OOC GAMES VS. TOP-10 TEAMS (SINCE JOINING PAC-10)
#7 Virginia 48, ASU 45 (Nov. 24, 2019 at Mohegan Sun Resort)
#18 ASU 80, #1 Kansas 76 (Dec. 22, 2018)
#16 ASU 95 @#2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)
#9 Creighton 96, ASU 85 (Dec. 20, 2016)
#1 Kentucky 115, ASU 69 (Nov. 28, 2016 at Bahamas)
@#5 Kentucky 72, ASU 58 (Dec. 12, 2015)
#7 Duke 64, ASU 53 (Nov. 25, 2009 at MSG)
#2 Kansas 90, ASU 88, OT (Nov. 26, 1997 at MSG)
ASU 97, #7 Maryland 90 (November 23, 1994 at Maui)
@#8 Oklahoma St. 87, ASU 69 (December 2, 1993)
@#9 Kentucky 94, ASU 68 (December 14, 1991)
@#2 Kansas 90, ASU 67 (December 22, 1989)
#10 North Carolina 85, ASU 66 (December 23, 1984 at Tokyo)
#6 Missouri 48, ASU 47 (December 27, 1982 at Honolulu)
DOWN GOES RANKED TEAM: ASU has defeated six ranked teams in Bobby Hurley's Sun Devil tenure, including five out of conference. The Nov. 24, 2017, Xavier win was the highest ranked non-conference team ASU had topped since it beat No. 7 Maryland in the 1994 Maui Invitational...until it won at #2 Kansas on Dec. 10...until it beat #2 Kansas on Dec. 22, 2018.
@SUNDEVILHOOPS OOC WINS VS. RANKED TEAMS PAC-10/12 ERA
#18 ASU 80, #1 Kansas 76 (Dec. 22, 2018)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 72, #15 Mississippi State 67 (Nov. 19, 2018)/Bobby Hurley
#16 ASU 95, @#2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 102, #15 Xavier 86 (Nov. 24, 2017 at Las Vegas)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 67, #18 Texas A&M 54 (Dec. 5, 2015)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 79, #25 Marquette 77 (Nov. 25, 2013)/Herb Sendek
ASU 77, #17 Xavier 55 (Dec. 15, 2007)/Herb Sendek
ASU 97, #7 Maryland 90 (Nov. 23, 1994 at Maui Invitational)/Bill Frieder
ASU 79, #13 Michigan 62 (Nov. 22, 1994 at Maui Invitational)/Bill Frieder
#14 ASU 71, #7 Ohio State 58 (Dec. 20, 1980)/Ned Wulk
ASU 96, #12 Iowa 88 (Dec. 6, 1980)/Ned Wulk
REMY: Everyone loves Remy. Those in maroon and gold really love Remy because his two best scoring games last year were wins over Arizona -- 31 in 95-88 double overtime win on Jan. 31 and 27 in final game of regular season on road on March 9).led ASU to first sweep over Arizona since 2008-09 and first win in Tucson since 2010...40-inch vertical jump... second-team All-Pac-12 by the league's coaches in 2018-19...notched 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals to spark Sun Devils back from an 18-point deficit to a 76-74 victory at Georgia on Dec. 15,, 2018, leading to his Dec. 17 Pac-12 Player of the Week Award. Had 12 points, five boards, two assists and two steals in the second half, including back-to-back baskets inside the final 3:11 which gave ASU its first lead of game at 71-70....led Pac-12 with a 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio and second in league at five apg..had his November and early December of 2018 ruined by a bum ankle.
ROB EDWARDS: Dropped buckets in some big wins in 2018-19, with 15 off the bench vs. #1 Kansas, 19 vs. Arizona, 28 at Utah and 13 at Oregon State...when he scored 15, ASU was 6-1 in 2018-19...entered ASU with 909 points in 63 games (14.4 ppg.)...71-of-85 (.835) from the free throw line in 2018-19...missed six games early and only scored 14 points in the first nine games (14 in opener, six DNPs due to a back injury and zero points vs. Nevada and Georgia)...stats last year look a lot better when you remember he went from Nov. 7-Dec. 16 without scoring a point. In those three games he did play, he was 4-of-26 (.154) from field and 2-of-9 (.222) from three and had 14 points (all against CSF in the opener).
ROMELLO WHITE NOTES: When he shoots it, he usually makes it. Romello made .625 of his shots in his first two seasons including 120-of-184 in his freshman year...coached by Jerry Stackhouse in the Atlanta AAU circuit...started 63 of 65 games his first two years and led team in offensive boards in each of the past two seasons with 77 last year and 79 in 2017-18...has two of the best field goal percentage mark's in Sun Devil history as he shot .652 in freshman year (fourth in Sun Devil record book) and .598 last year (ninth-best).)
KIMANI NOTES:Long-armed and mobile swingman could guard any and all positions...seems to find himself in the right place at the right time..good mid-range jumper and helps in any and all rebounding and defensive categories...solid free throw shooter (73-of-96/.760)...posted double digits in 14 games in 2018-19 and team was 5-0 when he scored 15...best game was 22-point effort vs. Mississippi State in Las Vegas on Nov. 19, which included the game-clinching three-pointer with the scored tied and 29 seconds left...made all six free throws in Jan. 24 win at Pauley Pavilion.
REMY OFF TO GREAT START: Junior Remy Martin is off to a great start for the Sun Devils through six games. He posted a career-high 33 points at Princeton on Nov. 26 and already has four 20-point games (11 in career). He is averaging 21.7 points per game this year after averaging 11.3 in his first two years. REMY MARTIN: FIRST TWO YEARS/2019-20
FG (PCT): 246-582 (.422)/48-95 (.505)
3PT (PCT): 66-200 (.330)/13-31 (.419)
PPG: 11.3/21.7
ON THE ROAD: After playing three neutral site games early, ASU's has two tilts in old-school road games in home-and-home series. ASU topped Princeton on Nov. 26 and now faces San Francisco (Dec. 3), as it is 6-2 (.750) in out-of-conference road games under Bobby Hurley, after going 8-22 (.267) in its previous 30 efforts.
SUN DEVIL OUT OF CONFERENCE ROAD GAMES UNDER BOBBY HURLEY (6-2)
ASU at San Francisco (Dec. 3, 2019)
ASU 67, Princeton 65 (Nov. 26, 2019)
Vanderbilt 81, ASU 65 (Dec. 17, 2018)
#20 ASU 76, Georgia 74 (Dec. 15, 2018)
#16 ASU 95, #2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)
ASU 74, San Diego State 63 (Dec. 10, 2016)
ASU 66, UNLV 56 (Dec. 16, 2015)
#5 Kentucky 72, ASU 58 (Dec. 5, 2015)
ASU 79, Creighton 77 (Dec. 2, 2015)
VS. USF: The Dons went 21-10 in 2018-19, 22-17 in 2017-18 and 20-13 in 2016-17 giving them three straight 20-win seasons for the first time since 1978-82. ASU beat USF 75-57 on Dec. 2, 2017, and topped San Francisco 104-65 in Tempe in the previous meeting on Nov. 20, 2009, as ASU leads the series 5-4. One of the best wins in school history took place vs. USF as ASU beat No. 5 San Francisco 89-70 in Tempe on Dec. 3, 1977.
ASU VS. SAN FRANCISCO (ASU LEADS 5-4)
#20 ASU 75, San Francisco 57 (Dec. 2, 2017)
ASU 104, San Francisco 65 (Nov. 20, 2009)
ASU 70, at San Francisco 67, 2 OT (Dec. 5, 1989)
ASU 82, San Francisco 76 (Dec. 28, 1988)
#19 San Francisco 102, ASU 90 (Dec. 30, 1977 at Oklahoma City)
ASU 89, #5 San Francisco 70 (Dec. 3, 1977)
#3 San Francisco 114, ASU 96 (Dec. 28, 1976 at Honolulu)
at San Francisco 93, ASU 74 (Jan. 27, 1968)
at #8 San Francisco 91, ASU 75 (Jan. 30, 1965)
LAST MEETING VS. USF (DEC. 2, 2017): Playing in its first game as a ranked team since 2009, the No. 20 @SunDevilHoops squad moved to 7-0 for the first time since 1980-81 with a 75-57 win over the USF Dons. Romello White led the way with a double-double, putting up 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, as four other players reached double-digits. After the Dons started off the game with a three, the Sun Devils went on a 25-3 run over a span of 11 minutes. With six minutes left to go in the half, the Devils built their lead to 21 points, the largest lead of the game. The Dons went on a quick 9-0 to trim the lead heading into the half. In the second half USF lessened the gap multiple times to 12 points, but eventually, the Sun Devils pulled away. USF shot 28.6 percent (18-of-63) and just 27.5 percent (11-of-40) from three. It marked ASU's best defensive field goal percentage since it held LMU to .281 on Nov. 20, 2014.
SUN DEVIL RECAPS
GAME #6 -- ASU 67, PRINCETON 65 (NOV. 26/PRINCETON, NJ): Khalid Thomas, who had scored one bucket in the first six games, came off the bench to score 14 points, including the game-winning three with less than three seconds left. Remy Martin had 33 points and three assists, including the dish to Thomas on the wing for the game winner. ASU held the Tigers to 13-of-30 (.433) from the field in the second half and 7-of-26 (.269) from three-point range for the game. ASU was 8-of-16 (.500) from three as Romello White added 11 points and nine rebounds.
GAME #5 -- #7 VIRGINIA 48, ASU 45 (NOV. 24/UNCASVILLE, CT): ASU fell behind 20-10 early at the Mohegan Sun Resort but posted a 19-0 run over two halves to take a 35-26 lead with 13:32 left, but 2019 NCAA champion Virginia came back for three-point win. ASU was 10-of-20 (.500) from the field in the second half and held Virginia to 7-of-25 (.287).
GAME #4 -- ASU 80, ST. JOHN'S 67 (NOV. 23/UNCASVILLE, CT): ASU fell behind 15-2 and 40-31 at the half but notched its 22nd halftime comeback under Bobby Hurley with an 80-67 win over St. John's at the Mohegan Sun Resort. Remy Martin had 19 points while Romello White had 15 points and nine rebounds and made all six shots. Rob Edwards added 13 while Jaelen House had 11 and Elias Valtonen 10 in his first career start. ASU shot 18-of-30 (.600) in the second half and held SJU to 10-of-30 (.333). The lead reached 18 late.
GAME #3 -- ASU 92, RIDER 55 (NOV. 17/TEMPE): Rider jumped out to a 12-4 lead six minutes into the game but ASU went on a 37-10 run to put the game away before the half. ASU posted 43 bench points, led by Jaelen House notching 20 in just 21 minutes. Remy Martin also had 20 while Romello White and Alonzo Verge Jr. had 11 each. ASU forced 29 turnovers (most since 2003) and had 16 steals (most since 2009).
GAME #2 -- ASU 90, CCSU 49 (NOV. 14/TEMPE): The Sun Devils (1-1) trailed for 31 seconds in the first two minutes but that was it as 16 players saw action in holding CCSU to the fewest points by an opponent in the Bobby Hurley era. Rob Edwards had 23 points and Remy Martin and Jaelen House added 14 each as the Sun Devils posted 14 steals and forced 23 turnovers.
GAME #1 -- COLORADO 81, ASU 71 (NOV. 9/SHANGHAI): In the first Pac-12 China game between two conference teams, Colorado raced to a 42-29 halftime lead, ASU tied it at 59 but the Buffs held on for an 81-71 win. The non-conference loss was ASU's first in November since 2016. Remy Martin had 23 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and five steals, but CU outrebounded ASU 48-36. Rob Edwards had 20 points. ASU shot .321 (9-of-28) in the first half and .385 (25-of-65) for the game. It had 10 steals, but also had 16 turnovers. Jalen Graham had five blocks.
NOT MUCH AT HOME: The two ASU tilts Nov. 12 and 19 were the only home games prior to Dec. 7 game with Louisiana, the fewest in the Pac-12 to start the season. Four Pac-12 teams will have played six home games (Arizona, Stanford, UCLA and Washington) before ASU's plays its third. Only WSU (three) and ASU (two) play less than four in that time span.
PHYSICAL NOTES: The top wingspans on the team are Jalen Graham (7-2), Romello White (7-0) and Kimani Lawrence (6-11 1/2). The best standing vertical on the team is Graham (32.5"), while Remy Martin is next (31.5") while best approach verticals are Remy (40.5"), Jaelen House (39.5") and Graham (39").
COOL IF PAC-12 TEAMS DO THIS: Since Bobby Hurley took over, ASU leads the league in wins over ranked out-of-conference teams during the regular season with a 5-5 mark with wins over Kansas (twice), Xavier, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Four of the wins have been away from Tempe. UCLA is 4-6 and Arizona 3-4. Take out ASU's 5-5 mark and the rest of the league is 15-42 in those four seasons and seven of the teams have one or zero wins.
PRETTY COOL NOTE: ASU had been to four NCAA Tournaments (1995, 2003, 2009 and 2014) in 26 seasons (1992-2017) and not been to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years since 1980-81. Remy Martin, Kimani Lawrence and Romello White have now gone to the Dance in each of their first two seasons.
LET'S ADD A NATION: Bobby Hurley took the ASU job in April of 2015 and said ASU was going to play some folks and not be afraid to go on the road. ASU's tally of non-conference states in his five years is up to to 11 with other trips to the Bahamas (vs. Kentucky) and China. ASU has played non-conference games in New York (MSG and Barclays), Nebraska (Creighon), at Kentucky, Nevada (at UNLV), Florida, California, at Kansas, at Georgia, Tennessee (Vanderbilt) and New Jersey (at Princeton). The Sun Devils logged some serious air miles and hotel nights in November. The team slept in a hotel bed 15 of the first 26 nights and will notch 18,610 miles counting the San Francisco trip, as it plays just two of its first seven games at home.
2018-19 QUICK REVIEW: ASU was 23-11 and 12-6 in the Pac-12 in 2018-19, good enough for second in the league after being picked sixth in the preseason media poll...defeated No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 22, first win over No. 1 at home in program history and second all-time (won at Oregon State in March of 1981)...notched first NCAA Tournament win since 2009 with a 74-65 victory over St. John's on March 20 in Dayton...prior to its past two NCAA appearances under Bobby Hurley, ASU had made the NCAA Tournament three times in previous 22 seasons (1996-2017).
WHO WE LOST: Three regular rotation players are gone from last year, including All-Pac-12 performers Zylan Cheatham and Lu Dort (Pac-12 Freshman of the Year), as well as De'Quon Lake.
SOLID: ASU finished second in the Pac-12 for just the fourth time in its 41-year Pac-10/12 history last year (2009-10, 1980-81 and 1979-80). ASU won 12 loop games for just the sixth time.
BEST PAC-12 RECORDS
16-2 (1): 1980-81
15-3 (2): 1979-80
12-6 (4): 2018-19, 2009-10, 1994-95, 1982-83
NOVEMBER TOUGH: Not many have been better early than the Sun Devils in the past three seasons, as they are 16-2 the past three seasons in November. Also worth a darn: the win list includes five teams that would eventually make NCAA Tournament that same season.
ASU 16-2 NOVEMBER RECORD PAST THREE SEASONS
ASU 67, @Princeton 65 (Nov. 26, 2019)
#7 Virginia 48, ASU 45 (Nov. 24, 2019)
ASU 80, St. John's 67 (Nov. 23, 2019)
ASU 92, Rider 55 (Nov. 17, 2019)
ASU 90, Central Connecticut State 49 (Nov. 14, 2019)
Colorado 81, ASU 71 at Shanghai (Nov. 9, 2019)
ASU 89, Omaha 71 (Nov. 28, 2018)
ASU 87, Utah State 82 at Las Vegas (Nov. 21, 2018)/2019 MWC Champ and NCAA Team
ASU 72, #16 Mississippi State 67 at Las Vegas (Nov. 19, 2018)/2019 NCAA Team
ASU 90, Long Beach State 58 (Nov. 12, 2018)
ASU 80, McNeese State 52 (Nov. 9, 2018)
ASU 102, Cal State Fullerton 94, 2 OT (Nov. 6, 2018)
ASU 102, #15 Xavier 86 at Las Vegas (Nov. 24, 2017)/eventual No. 1 seed in 2018
ASU 92, Kansas State 90 at Las Vegas (Nov. 23, 2017)/Elite Eight in 2018
ASU 99, UC Irvine 78 (Nov. 19, 2017)
ASU 97, NAU 62 (Nov. 17, 2017)
ASU 90, San Diego State 68 (Nov. 14, 2017)/2018 NCAA team and MWC Tourney champ
ASU 94, Idaho State 74 (Nov. 10, 2017)
THAT HALFTIME STAT: ASU has 23 wins (11 on the road) when trailing at the half under Bobby Hurley in five seasons, after going 12-64 (.157) the previous five seasons. It did it seven times in 2017-18 and did it in 2018-19 at Georgia, vs. No. 1 Kansas, at California, at UCLA, vs. Cal and at Oregon State. This year it has comeback wins over St. John's and at Princeton.
GONNA' PLAY FOLKS: Bobby Hurley is going to play some folks. In his first year after looking at a schedule he inherited that included tilts against NC State in Brooklyn, at Creighton, at UNLV and against eventual No. 18 Texas A&M, he put the wheels in motion to play at Kentucky and filled a holiday break hole that could have been a yawner with Stephen F. Austin. In 2016-17, the squad played No. 1 Kentucky in the Bahamas, Purdue in New York City, at San Diego State, and finished a series with No. 9 Creighton. Kansas returned a trip to Tempe last year after ASU's win on Dec. 10, 2017. Coach Hurley has played six top-10 non-conference opponents in his five years, after ASU faced one in the previous 17 seasons.
ASU REGULAR SEASON OOC GAMES VS. TOP-10 TEAMS (SINCE JOINING PAC-10)
#7 Virginia 48, ASU 45 (Nov. 24, 2019 at Mohegan Sun Resort)
#18 ASU 80, #1 Kansas 76 (Dec. 22, 2018)
#16 ASU 95 @#2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)
#9 Creighton 96, ASU 85 (Dec. 20, 2016)
#1 Kentucky 115, ASU 69 (Nov. 28, 2016 at Bahamas)
@#5 Kentucky 72, ASU 58 (Dec. 12, 2015)
#7 Duke 64, ASU 53 (Nov. 25, 2009 at MSG)
#2 Kansas 90, ASU 88, OT (Nov. 26, 1997 at MSG)
ASU 97, #7 Maryland 90 (November 23, 1994 at Maui)
@#8 Oklahoma St. 87, ASU 69 (December 2, 1993)
@#9 Kentucky 94, ASU 68 (December 14, 1991)
@#2 Kansas 90, ASU 67 (December 22, 1989)
#10 North Carolina 85, ASU 66 (December 23, 1984 at Tokyo)
#6 Missouri 48, ASU 47 (December 27, 1982 at Honolulu)
DOWN GOES RANKED TEAM: ASU has defeated six ranked teams in Bobby Hurley's Sun Devil tenure, including five out of conference. The Nov. 24, 2017, Xavier win was the highest ranked non-conference team ASU had topped since it beat No. 7 Maryland in the 1994 Maui Invitational...until it won at #2 Kansas on Dec. 10...until it beat #2 Kansas on Dec. 22, 2018.
@SUNDEVILHOOPS OOC WINS VS. RANKED TEAMS PAC-10/12 ERA
#18 ASU 80, #1 Kansas 76 (Dec. 22, 2018)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 72, #15 Mississippi State 67 (Nov. 19, 2018)/Bobby Hurley
#16 ASU 95, @#2 Kansas 85 (Dec. 10, 2017)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 102, #15 Xavier 86 (Nov. 24, 2017 at Las Vegas)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 67, #18 Texas A&M 54 (Dec. 5, 2015)/Bobby Hurley
ASU 79, #25 Marquette 77 (Nov. 25, 2013)/Herb Sendek
ASU 77, #17 Xavier 55 (Dec. 15, 2007)/Herb Sendek
ASU 97, #7 Maryland 90 (Nov. 23, 1994 at Maui Invitational)/Bill Frieder
ASU 79, #13 Michigan 62 (Nov. 22, 1994 at Maui Invitational)/Bill Frieder
#14 ASU 71, #7 Ohio State 58 (Dec. 20, 1980)/Ned Wulk
ASU 96, #12 Iowa 88 (Dec. 6, 1980)/Ned Wulk
REMY: Everyone loves Remy. Those in maroon and gold really love Remy because his two best scoring games last year were wins over Arizona -- 31 in 95-88 double overtime win on Jan. 31 and 27 in final game of regular season on road on March 9).led ASU to first sweep over Arizona since 2008-09 and first win in Tucson since 2010...40-inch vertical jump... second-team All-Pac-12 by the league's coaches in 2018-19...notched 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals to spark Sun Devils back from an 18-point deficit to a 76-74 victory at Georgia on Dec. 15,, 2018, leading to his Dec. 17 Pac-12 Player of the Week Award. Had 12 points, five boards, two assists and two steals in the second half, including back-to-back baskets inside the final 3:11 which gave ASU its first lead of game at 71-70....led Pac-12 with a 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio and second in league at five apg..had his November and early December of 2018 ruined by a bum ankle.
ROB EDWARDS: Dropped buckets in some big wins in 2018-19, with 15 off the bench vs. #1 Kansas, 19 vs. Arizona, 28 at Utah and 13 at Oregon State...when he scored 15, ASU was 6-1 in 2018-19...entered ASU with 909 points in 63 games (14.4 ppg.)...71-of-85 (.835) from the free throw line in 2018-19...missed six games early and only scored 14 points in the first nine games (14 in opener, six DNPs due to a back injury and zero points vs. Nevada and Georgia)...stats last year look a lot better when you remember he went from Nov. 7-Dec. 16 without scoring a point. In those three games he did play, he was 4-of-26 (.154) from field and 2-of-9 (.222) from three and had 14 points (all against CSF in the opener).
ROMELLO WHITE NOTES: When he shoots it, he usually makes it. Romello made .625 of his shots in his first two seasons including 120-of-184 in his freshman year...coached by Jerry Stackhouse in the Atlanta AAU circuit...started 63 of 65 games his first two years and led team in offensive boards in each of the past two seasons with 77 last year and 79 in 2017-18...has two of the best field goal percentage mark's in Sun Devil history as he shot .652 in freshman year (fourth in Sun Devil record book) and .598 last year (ninth-best).)
KIMANI NOTES:Long-armed and mobile swingman could guard any and all positions...seems to find himself in the right place at the right time..good mid-range jumper and helps in any and all rebounding and defensive categories...solid free throw shooter (73-of-96/.760)...posted double digits in 14 games in 2018-19 and team was 5-0 when he scored 15...best game was 22-point effort vs. Mississippi State in Las Vegas on Nov. 19, which included the game-clinching three-pointer with the scored tied and 29 seconds left...made all six free throws in Jan. 24 win at Pauley Pavilion.