TEMPE - Sun Devil Men's Basketball will take on SMU on Wednesday at 8 PM in the final contest of a three-game homestand.
Arizona State (5-2) is looking to extend a three-game winning streak when they face SMU (6-3). It is the sixth time the Sun Devils and Mustangs have matched up, with ASU winning each of the previous five meetings. That includes a 75-57 victory over SMU on the road last season, with Alonzo Gaffney contributing nine points off the bench. Don't miss out on your chance to catch Sun Devil Men's Basketball in person, as they don't play at Desert Financial Arena again until Jan. 4.
HOW TO FOLLOW
ASU's game against SMU on Wednesday will be broadcast on FS1, scheduled for a 8 PM MST tip-off with Jordan Kent (play-by-play) and Casey Jacobsen (analyst) on the call. Make sure to listen to Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (KMVP). The action can also be tracked via live stats available here.
LAST TIME OUT
Sun Devil Men's Basketball won their third straight, claiming a 72-61 victory over the San Francisco Dons Sunday Afternoon at Desert Financial Arena. For the second consecutive game, Arizona State (5-2) never trailed in the wire-to-wire victory. The Maroon and Gold scored 22 points in transition and were led by a balanced offensive effort, as all five starters scored in double-figures for the second time this year. Frankie Collins posted a team-high 21 points on an efficient 7-of-11 from the field, including going 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He added eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block, delivering an all-around effort. Jamiya Neal recorded his second career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Alonzo Gaffney, Jose Perez and Bryant Selebague all contributed 12 points apiece in the win.
THREE-GAME WIN STREAK
Sun Devil Men's Basketball is on a three-game winning streak, picking up victories over Vanderbilt, Sam Houston State, and San Francisco since Thanksgiving. Those three teams combined to go 68-47 last season. Arizona State has outscored opponents 232-189 (+43) during the streak, with all three victories coming by double-digits. Coach Hurley has led the Maroon & Gold to nine-straight wins against non-conference opponents at Desert Financial Arena.
GET TICKETS
Tickets for Sun Devil Men's Basketball 2023-24 conference games are on sale now. Ticket packages start at just $90 and the home schedule features match-ups against top ranked USC, UCLA and Arizona. Season Tickets and Mini Plans are now available. For more information or questions, please call 480-965-5812 or email sundeviltickets@asu.edu.
WEGUARDU
ASU held its opponents to just 39.9% shooting from the field last season, the third-best mark in the league and 15th in the nation. It was also tied for the second-best mark in school history, one year after posting what is now the fourth-best. Through six games in 2023-24 the field goal percentage defense has been even better. Opponents are shooting just 38.4% against the Sun Devils. The Sun Devil defense is 23rd in the nation holding opponents to 27% from deep.
COMFORTABLE WHEN IT'S CLOSE
After going 11-5 in games decided by six points or less (two possessions) last year, the Sun Devils are 1-0 in such games so far this season. Arizona State is now 36-18 (.666) in close games over the past five seasons. The 36 wins are the second-most in the nation during that span (Wisconsin - 37).
DON'T COUNT US OUT
Arizona State has come back to win a game when trailing at halftime 40 times during the Bobby Hurley era. Since 2015-16, that is the 11th-most halftime comeback victories in the nation.
Kansas - 47
Nevada - 44
Rider - 44
UNCG - 44
Hofstra - 43
Providence - 43
Seton Hall - 43
Kent State - 42
Texas Southern - 42
Western Kentucky - 41
Arizona State - 40
ASU RECORD BY STARTING LINEUP
The Sun Devils have used five different starting lineup combinations through their first seven games. Frankie Collins and Jamiya Neal are the only two Sun Devils to have started every game.
Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, Jamiya Neal, Bryant Selebangue, Alonzo Gaffney (3-0)
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. Perez has attempted 601 free throws in his career, the sixth-highest total among active NCAA Division I players. His 447 made free-throws puts him eighth among active NCAA Division I players. Perez is a career 74% shooter from the charity stripe.
Perez is one of only 20 active players at the NCAA Division I level that has reached 1,500 career points (1,544) and 350 career assists (357). He has done so in 104 career games, the second-fewest total games of any player on the list (James Bishop IV, George Washington - 103). To take it a step further, Perez is one of only EIGHT players at the NCAA Division I level with 1,500 points, 350 assists, AND 480 rebounds (480) in their career (Tristen Newton - UConn, RayJ Dennis - Baylor, Andrew Taylor - Mississippi State, Marcus Domask - Illinois, Baylor Scheierman - Creighton, Xavier Johnson - Indiana, Jahmir Yong - Maryland).
GAMES PLAYED (2023-24 | Career)
Kamari Lands - 7 | 39
Frankie Collins - 7 | 73
Braelon Green - 5 | 5
Brycen Long - 3 | 87
Jamiya Neal - 7 | 68
Malachi Davis - 5 | 5
Alonzo Gaffney - 7 | 91
Shawn Phillips Jr. - 3 | 23
Bobby Hurley - 3 | 15
Jose Perez - 7 | 104
Zane Meeks - 5 | 110
Akil Watson - 5 | 5
Bryant Selebangue - 7 | 37
Adam Miller - 0 | 64
Sun Devils have a combined 726 games of experience at the Division I Level (includes previous school).
The Sun Devils have made at least one three-point field goal in 712 consecutive games dating back to 2/10/2001.
I'LL TAKE THAT
Through five games of the 2023-24 season, Frankie Collins has emerged as one of the best perimeter defenders in the nation. He has been causing opposing guards issues with his ball pressure and aggressiveness. Collins now has 24 steals, putting him 6th in the country in the category. Frankie Collins currently is third the entire nation in steals per game, averaging 3.43 per contest. He matched a program-record with eight steals in the victory over UMass Lowell earlier in the year.
CONSTANT COMPETITION
Arizona State has matched up with some of the most successful teams in the nation to start the 2023-24 campaign. ASU's only two losses came to BYU (7-0) and Mississippi State (6-2), who have both spent time in the AP Top-25 this season. The Sun Devils represent one of only two losses for UMass Lowell (5-2) this season. ASU has also defeated 2023 NIT participants Vanderbilt and Sam Houston State, in addition to a victory over 5-3 San Francisco.
942 CREW GIVEAWAY
ROSTER BREAKDOWNWEDNESDAY NIGHT BASKETBALL??@SunDevilHoops takes on SMU TOMORROW NIGHT at 8 PM in DFA??
— 942 Crew (@942Crew) December 5, 2023
Students in attendance can pick between an ASU Mom or ASU Dad shirt, just in time for the holidays!??
SEE YOU THERE DEVILS??
??: Thomas Fernandez pic.twitter.com/oRd7dD4AoC
Arizona State will feature a total of 11 new players on their roster, joining returners Frankie Collins, Jamiya Neal, Alonzo Gaffney, Bobby Hurley, and Jordan Williams to make up the 2023-24 Sun Devil Men's Basketball roster. The following is a roundup of the ASU newcomer class.
2023 INCOMING TRANSFERS
G Kamari Lands - Louisville
G Brycen Long - Houston Christian
C Shawn Phillips Jr. - LSU
G Jose Perez - West Virginia
F Zane Meeks - San Francisco
F Bryant Selebangue - Tulsa
G Adam Miller - LSU
JUCO ADDITION
G Malachi Davis - Tallahassee CC
FRESHMAN CLASS
G Braelon Green - Southfield, MI
F Akil Watson - Middletown, NY
BY CLASS
Graduate Student (2): Zane Meeks (San Francisco), Jose Perez (West Virginia)
Redshirt Senior (1) Alonzo Gaffney
Senior (1): Brycen Long
Redshirt Junior (1): Adam Miller
Junior (6): Frankie Collins, Jamiya Neal, Malachi Davis, Bobby Hurley, Bryant Selebangue, Jordan Williams
Sophomore (3): Kamari Lands, Shawn Phillips Jr., Zack Markus
Freshman (3): Braelon Green, Andrew Mayock, Akil Watson
BY STATE (10 States Represented)
Ohio (3) – Jamiya Neal (Toledo), Alonzo Gaffney (Cleveland), Shawn Phillips Jr. (Dayton)
New York (3) – Jose Perez (Bronx), Zack Markus (New York City), Akil Watson (Middletown)
California (2) – Frankie Collins (Sacramento), Jordan Williams (Los Angeles)
Canada (2) – Malachi Davis (Toronto), Bryant Selebangue (Montreal)
Arizona (2) – Brycen Long (Gilbert), Bobby Hurley (Scottsdale)
Indiana (1) – Kamari Lands (Indianapolis)
Michigan (1) – Braelon Green (Southfield)
Connecticut (1) – Andrew Mayock (New Canaan)
Kansas (1) – Zane Meeks (Prairie Village)
Illinois (1) – Adam Miller (Peoria)
SOLIDIFYING HIS STAFF
Head Coach Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program officially announced the final additions to the 2023-24 staff in October. Arizona State welcomes Yusuf Ali and Jarryn Skeete to the Sun Devil Family, with Nick Irvin and Mickey Mitchell receiving promotions. The news comes after Greg Lansing (Special Assistant to the Head Coach) and Hunter Eisenhower (Associate Head Coach - Sports Performance) joined the staff earlier in the offseason. ASU now boasts an experienced and diverse staff from top to bottom, featuring some of the nation's top rising talent in the coaching industry.
HERE TO STAY
The Arizona State Board of Regents announced in March of 2023 that Sun Devil Men's Basketball Head Coach Bobby Hurley has agreed to an extension that will keep him with the program through the 2026 season.
NCAAS UNDER COACH HURLEY
ASU has made the NCAA Tournament three times in the past five chances (2023, 2019, and 2018) and won two games. In the previous 32 seasons (1986-2017), ASU made two NCAA Tournaments and was 2-3.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
With several marquee non-conference matchups away from home, Arizona State will once again be challenged early in the year. The Sun Devils will play 11 games before the holidays, including six games away from home. Beginning with a late December trip to the Bay Area, the Maroon & Gold will play 20-straight conference games, with the Pac-12 eliminating the two standalone league games in the middle of the non-conference portion of the schedule. All 31 of Arizona State's games will be televised, with Coach Hurley's squad making appearances on ESPN, FOX, 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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