The Arizona State Sun Devil men's hoops team (11-7; 2-3) -- 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 -- hosts Arizona Saturday in a Pac-12 Network game tipping at 7:30 p.m., with Roxy Bernstein and Bill Walton on the call. Prior to its past two NCAA appearances under Bobby Hurley, ASU had made the NCAA Tournament three times in previous 22 seasons (1996-2017). Quick stats: Remy Martin is the only Pac-12 player since 1996-97 to open conference play with five straight games of 20+ points, while ASU is 16-5 when Rob Edwards scores 13.
QUICK SERIES NOTES: ASU swept the series from Arizona last year for the first time since 2008-09 in two solid games with Remy Martin averaging 29 points (31 in Tempe and 27 in Tucson), shooting 18-of-31 (.580) from the field, 5-of-11 (.454) from three and 17-of-21 (.809) from the free throw line...last year's win in Tucson was ASU's first since 2010...Rob Edwards had 19 points in the Tempe win...Kimani Lawrence had 10 points in 33 minutes in the win in Tucson...ASU is 11-15 vs. Arizona in past 13 seasons and has split the games in Tempe in the past two, six, eight and 12 meetings.
REMY HEATING UP: Remy Martin became the 38th member of the Sun Devil 1,000-point club on Jan. 11 as he now has 1,072 career points in 82 career games (13.1 per game). He has 12 20-point games on the year and has posted six straight -- averaging 24.3 points in those six games. The six straight 20-point games matches best by a Sun Devil since Ike Diogu did it in 2004-05. Remy posted a career-high 33 points at Princeton on Nov. 26 and is averaging 19.5 points per game this year after averaging 11.3 in his first two years.
ASU CONSECUTIVE 20-POINT GAMES (LISTED MOST RECENT, 6 OR MORE)
6-Remy Martin, Jr. (Dec. 28, 2019-present)
6-Ike Diogu, Jr. (Dec. 22, 2004-Jan. 8, 2005)
8-Eddie House, Sr., (Dec. 18, 1999-Jan. 15, 2000)
7-Jeremy Veal, Sr. (Jan. 24-Feb.19, 1998)
7-Trent Edwards, Sr. (Feb. 11-March 9, 1989)
6-Seabern Hill, Jr. (Feb. 15-March 4, 1969)
LAST YEAR IN TEMPE -- ASU 95, ARIZONA 88 OT/JAN. 31, 2019: Remy Martin had 31 points and eight assists while Zylan Cheatham had 22 rebounds - the most by a Pac-12 player in a league game in 19 seasons - to lead ASU to the win over hot-shooting Arizona in Tempe last year. ASU had five players in double digits, as Luguentz Dort had 15 points with six assists, Rob Edwards 19 and Romello White 13. ASU made 16-of-22 (.727) from the field in the second half to counter UA's 14-of-28 three-point shooting. ASU outscored UA 12-5 in overtime and held UA to 0-of-4 field goals in the extra stanza and scored the first seven points.
AS PAC-12 PLAY BEGINS: 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: 1980-81
15-3: 1979-80
12-6: 2018-19, 2009-10, 1994-95, 1982-83
ROAD: ASU opened Pac-12 play with three straight on the road for the seventh time in the past 12 seasons and for the third time in Coach Hurley's five seasons (also in 2017-18, 2016-17, 2014-15, 2011-12, 2010-11 and 2008-09). Coach Hurley's squad navigated something similar as in the past three seasons six times teams have opened with five of first seven on the road (as USC is doing this year). ASU in 2017-18 is the only one of the six to make the NCAA Tournament in that time.
DARN IT, HE WAS PLAYING WELL: Junior Romello White sprained his right ankle on Dec. 28 vs. Texas Southern and only played the first eight minutes as his stats took a hit as he played limited minutes at Arizona on Jan. 4. He had 18 points and 17 rebounds in the Georgia win on Dec. 14 and was averaging 14.7 points and 13.7 rebounds and was 32-of-44 (.727) from the field in his previous six games to TSU (Dec. 28).
SOME SOLID DUBS: Bobby Hurley has led ASU to a 47-16 regular season non-conference record in his five years, with notable wins over NC State, at Creighton, Texas A&M, UNLV (twice), Stephen F. Austin, Kansas State, Xavier, St. John's (twice plus a NCAA Tournament win), Kansas (twice), Vanderbilt and Georgia (twice).
ROAD WINS: ASU's 5-4 Pac-12 road mark last year was its best since the 2009-10 and 2008-09 teams went 5-4 and matched ASU's best Pac-12 road mark in 39 seasons. Last year was only ASU's sixth winning road record since it joined the Pac-10 in 1978-79 (41 seasons). Ned Wulk's 1980-81 (8-1) and 1979-80 (7-2) teams set the bar, while Bill Frieder's 1994-95 Sweet Sixteen team also went 5-4.
NCAA NOTE: ASU had been to four NCAA Tournaments (1995, 2003, 2009 and 2014) in 26 seasons (1992-2017) and not been back-to-back since 1980-81. Remy Martin, Kimani Lawrence and Romello White have now gone to the Dance in each of their first two seasons.
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.
LOTS OF HOTEL PENS: ASU played five of its first seven in Shanghai, Connecticut, New Jersey and San Francisco as it spent 17 of its first 32 nights of the season in a hotel and flew 20,134 miles on nine flights. When Coach Hurley took the ASU job in April of 2015 he 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 at 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 (Old Spice Classic), California (San Francisco and San Diego State), at Kansas, at Georgia, Tennessee (Vanderbilt) and New Jersey (at Princeton).
CARRIED LEAGUE: In Bobby Hurley's first four seasons, ASU led the Pac-12 in wins over ranked out-of-conference teams in the regular season (five) with wins over Kansas (twice), Xavier, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Four of the wins were away from Tempe. The rest of the league was 15-42 in those four seasons and seven of the teams had one or zero wins.
ON THE ROAD (AGAIN) TO START PAC-12: ASU opened Pac-12 on the road for the eighth time in past dozen seasons when it traveled to Arizona on Jan. 4. Ironically with the 20-game league slate and opening weekends announced, ASU will travel to Cal and make it nine times in past 13 years to open the Pac-12 season on the road next year.
SUN DEVIL PAC-12 OPENERS PAST 12 SEASONS (AND ALSO NEXT YEAR -- HOME GAMES BOLD)
ASU @California (Dec. 3, 2020)
@#25 Arizona 75, ASU 47 (Jan. 4, 2020)
Utah 96, ASU 86 (Jan. 3, 2019)
@#17 Arizona 84, #3 ASU 78 (Dec. 30, 2017)
ASU 98, @Stanford 93 (Dec. 30, 2016)
#4 Arizona 94, ASU 82 (Jan. 3, 2016)
@#8 Arizona 73, ASU 49 (Jan. 4, 2015)
Washington 76, ASU 65 (Jan. 2, 2014)
ASU 55, Utah 54 OT (Jan. 2, 2013)
@Arizona 68, ASU 51 (Dec. 31, 2011)
@Oregon State 80, ASU 58 (Dec. 30, 2010)
@UCLA 72, ASU 70 (Dec. 31, 2009)
ASU 90, @Stanford 60 (Jan. 2, 2009)
CLOSE OUT AND HAND UP: Sun Devil opponents are shooting .321 from the three-point stripe, the third-best defensive mark in ASU history.
SUN DEVIL BEST THREE-POINT DEFENSE TEAMS
.317, 2009-10 (181-571)
.319, 2008-09 (212-665)
.321, 2019-20 (123-383)
.326, 2012-13 (175-536)
.333, 1994-95 (137-411)
.334, 2018-19 (292-874)
ROAD: ASU won at Princeton (67-65/Nov. 26) and San Francisco (71-67/Dec. 3), as it is 7-2 (.778) in OOC road games under Bobby Hurley, after going 8-22 (.267) in its
previous 30 efforts.
ASU OUT OF CONFERENCE ROADIES UNDER BOBBY HURLEY (7-2)
ASU 71, San Francisco 67 (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)
PHYSICAL: Top wingspans on the team are Jalen Graham (7-2), Romello White (7-0) and Kimani Lawrence (6-11 1/2). Best standing vertical 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").
2018-19 QUICK REVIEW: ASU was 23-11 and 12-6 (second) in the Pac-12 after being picked sixth in the preseason media poll. It beat No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 22, ASU's first win over No. 1 at home and second all-time (won at Oregon State in March of 1981) and notched first NCAA Tournament win since 2009 with a 74-65 victory over St. John's on March 20.
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 halftime comeback wins over St. John's and at Princeton.
OUT OF GATE: Not many have been better early than ASU as it is 16-2 the past three seasons in November. The win list includes five teams that would 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)
ROMELLO WHITE PAST 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).)
ROMELLO WHITE TOP REBOUNDING GAMES
17 vs. Georgia (Dec. 14, 2019)
16 vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 11, 2019)
15 vs. San Diego State (Nov. 14, 2017)
14 vs. Louisiana (Dec. 7, 2019)
14 vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 1, 2018)
14 at Washington (Feb. 1, 2018)
13 vs. San Francisco (Dec. 2, 2018)
12 vs. Creighton (Dec. 21, 2019)
12 vs. Saint Mary's (Dec. 18, 2019)
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 OT 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.
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
ROB EDWARDS: Dropped buckets in 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 scores 13, ASU is 16-5 and 10-2 when he scores 15...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. 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).
ROB EDWARDS TOP SUN DEVIL SCORING TILTS
28 at Utah (2/16/19)
24 vs. Utah (1/18/20)
23 vs. CCSU (11/14/19)
20 vs. Colorado/China (11/9/19)
19 vs. Arizona (1/31/19)
18 at Oregon State (1/9/20)
17 vs. Louisiana (12/7/19)
16 vs. California (2/24/19)
16 vs. Stanford (2/20/19)
15 vs. Oregon (3/15/19)
15 vs. UCLA (3/14/19)
15 vs. #1 Kansas (12/22/18)
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 opponent in his five years, after ASU faced one in the previous 17 seasons during the regular season.
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)
KIMANI NOTES: Long-armed and mobile swingman guards multiple positions...good mid-range jumper and helps in any and all rebounding and defensive categories...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-winning three-pointer with the scored tied and 29 seconds left...had 10 points in 2019-20 opener vs. Colorado in China...had 11 off the bench vs. Georgia on Dec. 14.
PAC-12 VS. OOC RANKED TEAMS (REGULAR SEASON) IN CBH ERA
Oregon: 5-2
Arizona State: 5-6
UCLA: 4-7
Arizona: 3-6
Colorado: 3-4
Utah: 2-5
Washington: 2-7
USC/WSU: 1-3
Oregon State: 0-1
California: 0-5
Stanford: 0-10
MOST POINTS IN SUN DEVIL HISTORY
61-Eddie House at California (2 OT), Jan. 8, 2000
46-Eddie House vs. San Diego State, Dec. 18, 1999
45-Paul Williams at USC, Mar. 10, 1983
43-Alonzo Verge Jr. vs. Saint Mary's, Dec. 18, 2019
STARTING LINEUP COMBINATIONS (8)
Cherry, Edwards, Lawrence, Martin, White (1): UTAH
Cherry, Edwards, Martin, Verge, White (3): Creighton, TSU, @UA
Cherry, Edwards, Martin, Valtonen, White (2): Georgia, SMC
Cherry, Lawrence, Martin, Verge, White (3): @OSU, @UO, CU
Edwards, Martin, Thomas, Valtonen, White (3): @USF, LA, PVAM
Edwards, Lawrence, Martin, Valtonen, White (3): SJU, UVA, @PU
Edwards, Lawrence, Martin, Verge, White (1): Rider
Edwards, Graham, Lawrence, Martin, Verge (2): CCSU, CU
FINAL FOUR TRIVIA: Coach Hurley is one of four current head coaches who won the Final Four Most Oustanding Player Award. Juan Dixon (2002), Danny Manning (1988) and Patrick Ewing (1984) are the others.
REGULAR SEASON OOC RECORDS
UNDER BOBBY HURLEY (47-16)
2019-20: 9-4
2018-19: 9-3
2017-18: 12-0
2016-17: 7-6
2015-16: 10-3
ABOUT THE PAC-12 STATS: ASU leads the Pac-12 in steals with 143 in 18 games (7.94 per game)…Remy Martin ranks fourth in scoring (19.5 points per game), ninth in assists per game (4.17) and second in steals per game (1.83)…Jalen Graham is sixth in blocks per game with 19 in 16 games (1.19)…Romello White is second in rebounding (9.29 per game) and leads league in field goal percentage at .663…Remy's 23.6 points per game in the five conference games leads the league…Romello White's six double-doubles is tied for fourth in the league…Martin's 12 20-point games is tied for league lead with CJ Ellenby of Washington State…Romello White's eight double-figure rebounding games is second in the league.The Chef has been cooking lately with 20-point outings in his last six games, including all five to open #Pac12Hoops play.
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) January 24, 2020
Remy Martin joins @TheAndyKatz to discuss the streak as he and @SunDevilHoops host rival #22 Arizona Saturday on @Pac12Network. pic.twitter.com/mRiTvNAMrc
QUICK SERIES NOTES: ASU swept the series from Arizona last year for the first time since 2008-09 in two solid games with Remy Martin averaging 29 points (31 in Tempe and 27 in Tucson), shooting 18-of-31 (.580) from the field, 5-of-11 (.454) from three and 17-of-21 (.809) from the free throw line...last year's win in Tucson was ASU's first since 2010...Rob Edwards had 19 points in the Tempe win...Kimani Lawrence had 10 points in 33 minutes in the win in Tucson...ASU is 11-15 vs. Arizona in past 13 seasons and has split the games in Tempe in the past two, six, eight and 12 meetings.
REMY HEATING UP: Remy Martin became the 38th member of the Sun Devil 1,000-point club on Jan. 11 as he now has 1,072 career points in 82 career games (13.1 per game). He has 12 20-point games on the year and has posted six straight -- averaging 24.3 points in those six games. The six straight 20-point games matches best by a Sun Devil since Ike Diogu did it in 2004-05. Remy posted a career-high 33 points at Princeton on Nov. 26 and is averaging 19.5 points per game this year after averaging 11.3 in his first two years.
ASU CONSECUTIVE 20-POINT GAMES (LISTED MOST RECENT, 6 OR MORE)
6-Remy Martin, Jr. (Dec. 28, 2019-present)
6-Ike Diogu, Jr. (Dec. 22, 2004-Jan. 8, 2005)
8-Eddie House, Sr., (Dec. 18, 1999-Jan. 15, 2000)
7-Jeremy Veal, Sr. (Jan. 24-Feb.19, 1998)
7-Trent Edwards, Sr. (Feb. 11-March 9, 1989)
6-Seabern Hill, Jr. (Feb. 15-March 4, 1969)
LAST YEAR IN TEMPE -- ASU 95, ARIZONA 88 OT/JAN. 31, 2019: Remy Martin had 31 points and eight assists while Zylan Cheatham had 22 rebounds - the most by a Pac-12 player in a league game in 19 seasons - to lead ASU to the win over hot-shooting Arizona in Tempe last year. ASU had five players in double digits, as Luguentz Dort had 15 points with six assists, Rob Edwards 19 and Romello White 13. ASU made 16-of-22 (.727) from the field in the second half to counter UA's 14-of-28 three-point shooting. ASU outscored UA 12-5 in overtime and held UA to 0-of-4 field goals in the extra stanza and scored the first seven points.
AS PAC-12 PLAY BEGINS: 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: 1980-81
15-3: 1979-80
12-6: 2018-19, 2009-10, 1994-95, 1982-83
ROAD: ASU opened Pac-12 play with three straight on the road for the seventh time in the past 12 seasons and for the third time in Coach Hurley's five seasons (also in 2017-18, 2016-17, 2014-15, 2011-12, 2010-11 and 2008-09). Coach Hurley's squad navigated something similar as in the past three seasons six times teams have opened with five of first seven on the road (as USC is doing this year). ASU in 2017-18 is the only one of the six to make the NCAA Tournament in that time.
DARN IT, HE WAS PLAYING WELL: Junior Romello White sprained his right ankle on Dec. 28 vs. Texas Southern and only played the first eight minutes as his stats took a hit as he played limited minutes at Arizona on Jan. 4. He had 18 points and 17 rebounds in the Georgia win on Dec. 14 and was averaging 14.7 points and 13.7 rebounds and was 32-of-44 (.727) from the field in his previous six games to TSU (Dec. 28).
SOME SOLID DUBS: Bobby Hurley has led ASU to a 47-16 regular season non-conference record in his five years, with notable wins over NC State, at Creighton, Texas A&M, UNLV (twice), Stephen F. Austin, Kansas State, Xavier, St. John's (twice plus a NCAA Tournament win), Kansas (twice), Vanderbilt and Georgia (twice).
ROAD WINS: ASU's 5-4 Pac-12 road mark last year was its best since the 2009-10 and 2008-09 teams went 5-4 and matched ASU's best Pac-12 road mark in 39 seasons. Last year was only ASU's sixth winning road record since it joined the Pac-10 in 1978-79 (41 seasons). Ned Wulk's 1980-81 (8-1) and 1979-80 (7-2) teams set the bar, while Bill Frieder's 1994-95 Sweet Sixteen team also went 5-4.
NCAA NOTE: ASU had been to four NCAA Tournaments (1995, 2003, 2009 and 2014) in 26 seasons (1992-2017) and not been back-to-back since 1980-81. Remy Martin, Kimani Lawrence and Romello White have now gone to the Dance in each of their first two seasons.
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.
LOTS OF HOTEL PENS: ASU played five of its first seven in Shanghai, Connecticut, New Jersey and San Francisco as it spent 17 of its first 32 nights of the season in a hotel and flew 20,134 miles on nine flights. When Coach Hurley took the ASU job in April of 2015 he 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 at 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 (Old Spice Classic), California (San Francisco and San Diego State), at Kansas, at Georgia, Tennessee (Vanderbilt) and New Jersey (at Princeton).
CARRIED LEAGUE: In Bobby Hurley's first four seasons, ASU led the Pac-12 in wins over ranked out-of-conference teams in the regular season (five) with wins over Kansas (twice), Xavier, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Four of the wins were away from Tempe. The rest of the league was 15-42 in those four seasons and seven of the teams had one or zero wins.
ON THE ROAD (AGAIN) TO START PAC-12: ASU opened Pac-12 on the road for the eighth time in past dozen seasons when it traveled to Arizona on Jan. 4. Ironically with the 20-game league slate and opening weekends announced, ASU will travel to Cal and make it nine times in past 13 years to open the Pac-12 season on the road next year.
SUN DEVIL PAC-12 OPENERS PAST 12 SEASONS (AND ALSO NEXT YEAR -- HOME GAMES BOLD)
ASU @California (Dec. 3, 2020)
@#25 Arizona 75, ASU 47 (Jan. 4, 2020)
Utah 96, ASU 86 (Jan. 3, 2019)
@#17 Arizona 84, #3 ASU 78 (Dec. 30, 2017)
ASU 98, @Stanford 93 (Dec. 30, 2016)
#4 Arizona 94, ASU 82 (Jan. 3, 2016)
@#8 Arizona 73, ASU 49 (Jan. 4, 2015)
Washington 76, ASU 65 (Jan. 2, 2014)
ASU 55, Utah 54 OT (Jan. 2, 2013)
@Arizona 68, ASU 51 (Dec. 31, 2011)
@Oregon State 80, ASU 58 (Dec. 30, 2010)
@UCLA 72, ASU 70 (Dec. 31, 2009)
ASU 90, @Stanford 60 (Jan. 2, 2009)
CLOSE OUT AND HAND UP: Sun Devil opponents are shooting .321 from the three-point stripe, the third-best defensive mark in ASU history.
SUN DEVIL BEST THREE-POINT DEFENSE TEAMS
.317, 2009-10 (181-571)
.319, 2008-09 (212-665)
.321, 2019-20 (123-383)
.326, 2012-13 (175-536)
.333, 1994-95 (137-411)
.334, 2018-19 (292-874)
ROAD: ASU won at Princeton (67-65/Nov. 26) and San Francisco (71-67/Dec. 3), as it is 7-2 (.778) in OOC road games under Bobby Hurley, after going 8-22 (.267) in its
previous 30 efforts.
ASU OUT OF CONFERENCE ROADIES UNDER BOBBY HURLEY (7-2)
ASU 71, San Francisco 67 (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)
PHYSICAL: Top wingspans on the team are Jalen Graham (7-2), Romello White (7-0) and Kimani Lawrence (6-11 1/2). Best standing vertical 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").
2018-19 QUICK REVIEW: ASU was 23-11 and 12-6 (second) in the Pac-12 after being picked sixth in the preseason media poll. It beat No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 22, ASU's first win over No. 1 at home and second all-time (won at Oregon State in March of 1981) and notched first NCAA Tournament win since 2009 with a 74-65 victory over St. John's on March 20.
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 halftime comeback wins over St. John's and at Princeton.
OUT OF GATE: Not many have been better early than ASU as it is 16-2 the past three seasons in November. The win list includes five teams that would 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)
ROMELLO WHITE PAST 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).)
ROMELLO WHITE TOP REBOUNDING GAMES
17 vs. Georgia (Dec. 14, 2019)
16 vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 11, 2019)
15 vs. San Diego State (Nov. 14, 2017)
14 vs. Louisiana (Dec. 7, 2019)
14 vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 1, 2018)
14 at Washington (Feb. 1, 2018)
13 vs. San Francisco (Dec. 2, 2018)
12 vs. Creighton (Dec. 21, 2019)
12 vs. Saint Mary's (Dec. 18, 2019)
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 OT 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.
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
ROB EDWARDS: Dropped buckets in 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 scores 13, ASU is 16-5 and 10-2 when he scores 15...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. 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).
ROB EDWARDS TOP SUN DEVIL SCORING TILTS
28 at Utah (2/16/19)
24 vs. Utah (1/18/20)
23 vs. CCSU (11/14/19)
20 vs. Colorado/China (11/9/19)
19 vs. Arizona (1/31/19)
18 at Oregon State (1/9/20)
17 vs. Louisiana (12/7/19)
16 vs. California (2/24/19)
16 vs. Stanford (2/20/19)
15 vs. Oregon (3/15/19)
15 vs. UCLA (3/14/19)
15 vs. #1 Kansas (12/22/18)
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 opponent in his five years, after ASU faced one in the previous 17 seasons during the regular season.
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)
KIMANI NOTES: Long-armed and mobile swingman guards multiple positions...good mid-range jumper and helps in any and all rebounding and defensive categories...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-winning three-pointer with the scored tied and 29 seconds left...had 10 points in 2019-20 opener vs. Colorado in China...had 11 off the bench vs. Georgia on Dec. 14.
PAC-12 VS. OOC RANKED TEAMS (REGULAR SEASON) IN CBH ERA
Oregon: 5-2
Arizona State: 5-6
UCLA: 4-7
Arizona: 3-6
Colorado: 3-4
Utah: 2-5
Washington: 2-7
USC/WSU: 1-3
Oregon State: 0-1
California: 0-5
Stanford: 0-10
MOST POINTS IN SUN DEVIL HISTORY
61-Eddie House at California (2 OT), Jan. 8, 2000
46-Eddie House vs. San Diego State, Dec. 18, 1999
45-Paul Williams at USC, Mar. 10, 1983
43-Alonzo Verge Jr. vs. Saint Mary's, Dec. 18, 2019
STARTING LINEUP COMBINATIONS (8)
Cherry, Edwards, Lawrence, Martin, White (1): UTAH
Cherry, Edwards, Martin, Verge, White (3): Creighton, TSU, @UA
Cherry, Edwards, Martin, Valtonen, White (2): Georgia, SMC
Cherry, Lawrence, Martin, Verge, White (3): @OSU, @UO, CU
Edwards, Martin, Thomas, Valtonen, White (3): @USF, LA, PVAM
Edwards, Lawrence, Martin, Valtonen, White (3): SJU, UVA, @PU
Edwards, Lawrence, Martin, Verge, White (1): Rider
Edwards, Graham, Lawrence, Martin, Verge (2): CCSU, CU
FINAL FOUR TRIVIA: Coach Hurley is one of four current head coaches who won the Final Four Most Oustanding Player Award. Juan Dixon (2002), Danny Manning (1988) and Patrick Ewing (1984) are the others.
REGULAR SEASON OOC RECORDS
UNDER BOBBY HURLEY (47-16)
2019-20: 9-4
2018-19: 9-3
2017-18: 12-0
2016-17: 7-6
2015-16: 10-3