Arizona State Men's Hoops hosts Oregon State on Sunday

How to follow
Arizona State will make their eighth appearance on national television as they are featured on ESPN2 for the third time when they take on Oregon State on Sunday at 1 p.m. MST. Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play) and Corey Williams (analyst) will be on the call. This is one of up to seven times an ASU game will air on ESPN2 this season. Make sure to listen to Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd on ESPN 620 AM (KTAR). The action can also be tracked via live stats.

Quotable
“Our goal is to put the loss behind us and focus on our final non-conference game. We have to work on several things before Sunday's game, including our communication on defense. I know this group will only learn and grow from this.” - Noah Meeusen on the team's mindset heading into final non-conference game

Last time out
Arizona State Men’s Basketball fell to UCLA on the road in historic Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday. The Sun Devils' (9-3) three-game win streak was snapped by the Bruins (8-3), who moved to 7-0 at home. It wasn't for a lack of effort from the Sun Devils, who put together several valiant comeback efforts that kept the game in the balance. Eventually, a 54% shooting performance by UCLA from behind the arc was too much to overcome.

Despite the loss, it was a historic free-throw shooting effort from Arizona State. They delivered the second-best FT% performance in program history, finishing an incredible 25-of-26 (96.2%) from the line. Senior guard Anthony "Pig" Johnson was the catalyst behind the free-throw effort, as he finished a perfect 14-of-14 from the line. He scored a career-best 20 points, 17 of which came in the second half. Freshman center Massamba Diop was outstanding yet again, scoring 15 points and collecting seven rebounds. Junior forward Andrija Grbovic had his second-straight game with 13 points, matching a season-high. Senior guard Moe Odum matched his season-best with nine assists in addition to his 10 points.

Full recap of UCLA win

Comfortable when it is close
Arizona State has 47 wins in games decided by six points or less since the start of the 2019-20 season, including a 3-0 record this season (wins over Texas, Washington State, and Santa Clara). The 47 wins by the Sun Devils in such circumstances are tied for the most in college basketball during that span. Head Coach Bobby Hurley’s team is 47-27 (64%) overall in games decided by six points or less since 2019-20.  Among DI teams with at least 25 games decided by 6 points or less since 2019-20, ASU’s 64% winning percentage is the 11th best in that span. 

Most wins by 6 pts or less since start of 2019-20
T1. Arizona State, 47 wins (46-27)
T1. Northern Colorado, 47 wins (47-31)
T3. SE Louisiana, 46 wins (46-34)
T3. Xavier, 46 wins (46-37)
T5. Wisconsin, 45 wins (45-33)
T5. Kansas, 45 wins (45-18)
T5. Boise State, 45 wins (45-22)
T5. Western Kentucky, 45 wins (45-39)
T9. Oregon, 44 wins (44-24)
T9. Drake, 44 wins (44-25)

The Moe Show
Sun Devil point guard Moe Odum is one of the elite passers in college basketball. He is currently 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 75 assists on the season. Odum has 5+ assists in ten of 12 games this season. He now sits with 75 assists through 12 games, which puts him on pace for 200 assists over a 32-game season. This would be tied for the third-highest in program history.

Single season assists record
294 – Ahlon Lewis, 1998
233 – Marcell Capers, 1995
200 - Moe Odum, 2025* (75 through 12 games)
200 – Marcell Capers, 1993
185 – Mike Redhair, 1990
177 – Jahii Carson, 2013
*32-game pace

Mo(r)e assists, less games
Odum is putting together one of the most productive passing careers in recent memory. Among active NCAA players at the Division I level, Odum's 593 assists are the THIRD most. He is the only active NCAA Division I player to have been credited with 550+ assists and have played in 110 games or less. 

Active NCAA Division I players with 500+ career assists
1. Braden Smith, Purdue - 873 assists in 122 games
2. Themus Fulks, UCF - 649 assists in 122 games
3. Moe Odum, Arizona State - 593 assists in 110 games
4. Donavan Dent, UCLA - 569 assists in 115 games 
5. Kerr Krisa, Cincinnati - 548 assists in 119 games

Sun Devil fans will be tracking Braden Smith’s total, as he is attempting to catch Arizona State Head Coach Bobby Hurley as the all-time NCAA assists leader. Hurley finished with 1,076 in 140 games. Smith needs 203 assists to pass Hurley. If he were to play the maximum amount of games (40), Smith would need to average at least 7.3 assists per game the remainder of the season to pass Hurley. Keep in mind, Smith is going to play at least five more games than Hurley did in his career.

Proven passer
Odum ranks near the top nationally in several significant career passing statistics, an indication of the successful career he has had. Here is a closer look at where he stands nationally in several important categories:

Getting to the line
As a team, Arizona State ranks 37th nationally and 3rd in the Big 12 averaging 25.6 free throw attempts per game. Their 18.9 free throws made per game are 39th nationally and 2nd in the conference. In 33 games last season, ASU had only five instances in which they attempted 27 or more free throws. They have already accomplished the feat five times through only 12 games this year. In 2024-25, the Sun Devils had only two games where they attempted 34 or more free throws (in 33 games). They have already accomplished this MORE TIMES this season (3) through 12 games. 

Moe Odum has been the driving force behind the increased free throw frequency. Over his past seven games, he is 42-for-47 (89.4%) at the line and is shooting 50-of-57 (87.7%) on the year, the fourth-highest mark in the Big 12. He is on track to finish Top-5 in program history in free throw percentage.

ASU single-season FT%
89.7 – DJ Horne, 2022 (35-39)
87.7 - Moe Odum, 2025 (50-57)*
87.7 – Bryson Krueger, 2006
87.5 – Rihards Kuksiks, 2010
87.5 – Chris Beasley, 1984
*Current pace

A bright spot in the loss was Arizona State's historic success from the free-throw line. The Sun Devils finished 25-of-26 (96.2%) from the stripe, including connecting on their first 25 attempts of the game. It is the second-best free-throw shooting performance in program history and the best in a game in which the Sun Devils attempted 20 or more free throws. 

Sun Devil best FT% (min. 15 att.)
1.000 (19-of-19) vs. Arizona, Feb. 4, 1978
.962 (25-of-26) at UCLA, Dec. 17, 2025
.950 (19-of-20) vs. UCLA, Feb. 12, 2004
.941 (16-of-17) at Oregon, Feb. 5, 2009
.938 (15-of-16) vs. Southern Illinois, Mar. 20, 2008
.938 (15-of-16) at Oregon, Jan. 24, 1998
.938 (15-of-16) vs. New Mexico, Jan. 5, 1973
.933 (14-of-15) at California, Jan. 6, 1996
.929 (26-of-28) vs. Grand Canyon, Dec. 9, 2021
.923 (24-of-26) vs. CS -L.A., Dec 19, 1981

ASU's performance at the line was tied for the seventh-best at the NCAA Division I level this season.

Top Team FT% NCAA Division I 2025-26 season
30-of-30 (100%) - Tulane (vs Texas State, 11/8/25)
22-of-22 (100%) - Florida Atlantic (vs Saint Leo, 12/10/25)
21-of-21 (100%) - Yale (vs Akron, 11/24/25)
16-of-16 (100%) - Indiana (vs Alabama A&M, 11/5/25)
15-of-15 (100%) - Holy Cross (vs Hampton, 11/16/25)
31-of-32 (96.9%) - San Diego (vs Grambling, 11/18/25)
25-of-26 (96.2%) - Arizona State (at UCLA, 12/17/25)
25-of-26 (96.2%) - Sacred Heart (Central Connecticut State, 11/24/25)

9-3 start
The Sun Devils have started 9-3 for the second consecutive season. It is their sixth 9-3 start or better in the Bobby Hurley era. Five of their wins to start off 2025-26 have come away from home (4 neutral, 1 road). The 9-3 start comes against the nation's 25th-strongest schedule according to ESPN, who has ASU slotted at 35 in their latest Strength of Record metric with two Quad 1 wins credited (Texas, Oklahoma). The only three losses the Maroon and Gold have suffered this season have come to No. 7 Gonzaga and two teams receiving votes in AP Poll (UCLA, USC). The three teams are a combined 31-5 this season.

Seeking a 10-3 start
The Sun Devils are looking to start 10-3 for the second consecutive season. Should ASU claim the victory, it would be their fifth 10-3 start or better in the Bobby Hurley era.

Don't count us out
The Sun Devils have come back to win a game when trailing at halftime 51 times during the Bobby Hurley era. It has happened four times this season, all of which have come in the past nine games. In fact, Arizona State has trailed at some point in the second half in five of their wins. Since 2015-16, Hurley’s 51 wins when trailing at halftime are tied for the third most by a DI men’s coach since 2015-16. Here is the full list of comebacks.

Most halftime comeback wins since 2015-16
Bill Self, 55
Eric Musselman, 52
Bobby Hurley, 51
Wes Miller, 51
Kevin Baggett, 50
Chris Beard, 50
Kevin Willard, 50

Above the margins
Arizona State has been one of the best teams in the nation at taking care of the basketball. Through 12 games, they rank 49th nationally and 5th in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+3.2).

Massamba making his mark
Freshman center Massamba Diop was impactful yet again against UCLA, scoring 15 points for the second consecutive contest. He was extremely efficient from the field, going 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. He added seven rebounds and a block in 24 minutes.

Diop is third on the team in points (12.9) and second in rebounds (5.4), producing at that level in only 27 minutes per game. He also has a team-high 17 blocks and is tied for fourth on the team with ten steals, doing all this while committing only 23 personal fouls in 12 games. He has eight games with at least one steal and ten games with at least one block. After starting the season 18-of-29 (62.1%) from the free throw line, Diop has made 16 of his last 18 (88.9%) from the stripe.

Bench boost
A key to Arizona State's season has been the success from their bench unit. They have outscored or tied their opponent off the bench in nine of 12 games (all nine wins). Despite losing the battle against UCLA, the Sun Devils still hold a 318-242 (+76) advantage in bench points this season. 

Dialed in from deep
Arizona State's starting backcourt has been particularly effective from three-point range this season. Moe Odum and Bryce Ford are a combined 50-for-124 (40.3%) from deep through 12 games. Ford leads the team shooting 43.9% (18-of-41) with Odum not far behind at 38.6% (32-of-83). Both rank in the Top 15 in the Big 12 in three-point shooting.

When Pigs fly
Senior guard Anthony "Pig" Johnson has emerged as one of the nation’s best sixth men, coming off the bench to provide energy and scoring while living up to his nickname. “Pig” has 10 or more points in 10 of 12 games, with eight of those performances coming off the bench. His 20 points against UCLA were a new season-high. 17 of those points came in the second half, as he took over the game after the break. Johnson went a perfect 14-of-14 from the free throw line, one of only five NCAA Division I players to make 14 or more from the stripe without a miss this season.

Top Individual FT% NCAA Division I 2025-26 season
19-of-19 (100%) - Rowan Brumbaugh, Tulane (vs Texas State, 11/8/25)
15-of-15 (100%) - Kam Sanders, Air Force (vs South Dakota, 11/29/25)
14-of-14 (100%) - Pig Johnson, Arizona State (at UCLA, 12/17/25)
14-of-14 (100%) - Matas Vokietaitis, Texas (vs Southern, 12/8/25)
14-of-14 (100%) - Simeon Cottle, Kennesaw St. (vs FGCU, 11/26/25)

Dating back to the Santa Clara game, Johnson has made 22 consecutive free throws. Taking it a step further, Johnson has made 37-of-41 (90.2%) of his free throws over the past five games. He went from 64.6% to 76.4% from the line on the season during that stretch. Johnson now has at least nine free throw attempts in six of his last eight games.

He is second on the team, averaging 14.0 points per game while shooting 46-for-92 (50.0%) from the field. He produces well and efficiently while playing only 22.1 minutes a game. Johnson also leads the team with 89 free throw attempts (30th nationally; 3rd in Big 12) and is second in the team in steals (16) and assists (21). Johnson is on pace to have one of the most productive seasons in program history from the free throw stripe.

Top-5 ASU single season FTs made
248 – Ike Diogu, 2005
243 – Ike Diogu, 2004
204 – James Harden, 2009
181 – Pig Johnson, 2025*
180 – Ike Diogu, 2003
 
Top-10 ASU single season FT attempts
311 – Ike Diogu, 2005
298 – Ike Diogu, 2004
270 – James Harden, 2009
245 – Ike Diogu, 2003
237 – Pig Johnson, 2025*
234 – Mario Bennett, 1995
224 – James Harden, 2008
217 – Jahii Carson, 2014
215 – Tony Cerkvenik, 1961
213 – Paul Stovall, 1972
*32-game pace

M.A.J.
Through his first eight games, Marcus Adams Jr. accounted for a combined 16 points, averaging just 2.0 points per contest. In his last four matchups, he has accumulated 29 points, good for 7.3 points per game. After going just 1-of-10 from distance in those first eight games, he is 7-for-14 in his last four games. The Sun Devils are 3-1 with wins over Oklahoma and Santa Clara during Adams Jr.’s resurgence.

T-Allen-ted
Graduate transfer forward Allen Mukeba is solidifying his reputation as one of the premier rim protectors in all of college basketball. Mukeba is second on the team with ten blocks this season, adding to his impressive career total. He is one of only 48 active NCAA Division I players with 109 or more blocks. Mukeba’s 109 career blocks are tied for the 47th-most of any active NCAA Division I player. He is one of only 24 NCAA Division I players nationally with over 109 career blocks in 99 career games or fewer.

Telling the Troueth
Redshirt sophomore Sun Devil forward Santiago Trouet has fit in seamlessly since transferring in from San Diego. In the matchup with No. 7 Gonzaga and a formidable frontline, Trouet had 10 points and 11 rebounds while adding two blocks. Trouet had two consecutive double-doubles earlier in the year, becoming the first Sun Devil since Kimani Lawrence in 2021 to accomplish the feat. Only two Sun Devils finished with two or more double-doubles all of last year, and Trouet accomplished the feat in only three games. He currently leads the team in rebounds per game (5.8) and has had the most rebounds in a team-best seven of the 12 games.

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