ASU Men's Basketball hosts Northern Colorado

The matchup
Arizona State take on Northern Colorado out of the Big Sky Conference. The two sides have met only once before, with ASU winning 66-51 at home in November of 2006. This will be the first time Coach Bennett has faced Northern Colorado in his career.

How to follow
The broadcast of Sun Devil Men’s Basketball’s game on Friday will air on ESPN+ ($) when they take on Northern Colorado at Desert Financial Arena, scheduled for an 7 PM MST tip-off with Cronkie graduate Jack Johnson and Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Famer Jeff Ayres (Pendergraph) on the call. Make sure to listen to Tim Healey and Kyle Dodd on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. The action can also be tracked via live stats.

Last time out
Sun Devil Men's Basketball opened up the 2026-27 season and the Randy Bennett era with a victory, defeating East Tennessee State 75-65 on Monday night. Arizona State (1-0) picks up their first win of the campaign in Bennett's debut back in the State he grew up in. The Sun Devil faithful got a glimpse of what is to come from the new era, with the Maroon and Gold comfortably securing their 11th-straight win in a home opener.

The highly-touted transfer class brought in by Bennett and his staff lived up to expectations. The crown jewel of that class, Paulius Murauskas, showed Sun Devil fans what he is capable of by posting a 21-point, 9-rebound effort. His physicality and high IQ allowed him to get to the FT line frequently while simultaneously putting ETSU's front line in foul trouble. Murauskas was supported by many, highlighted by the performances of fellow transfers Joel Foxwell (15 points, 5 assists) and Dillan Shaw (13 points, 6 rebounds).

Perhaps the biggest key to the game was the contributions from junior center Filip Malesevic out of Serbia, who provided a valuable spark off the bench for Coach Bennett. He was a +19 in 25 minutes, finishing with 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field. Freshman guard JRob Croy also enjoyed a successful debut, chipping in with nine points thanks to three made three-pointers. The Sun Devils controlled the entire contest, leading 37:07 of a possible 40 minutes, including the entire second half. 

Filin' it up
The story of the evening was the play of Filip Malesevic, who emerged as one of the opening night standouts. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and 4-for-4 from the line, finishing with 12 points. He added six rebounds, an assist, and a steal to finish a team-best +19 in 25 minutes coming off the bench.

Getting to the line
Paulius Murauskas showed off his knack for drawing contact, as he was able to earn several trips to the free throw line. He took advantage of the opportunities, finishing 11-of-12 on the night. The 12 free throw attempts by Murauskas were the same as ETSU had as a team (8-of-12). As a team, Arizona State went 21-of-26 (80.2%) from the stripe, a big reason why they were able to secure the victory.

More points for Paulius
Murauskas entered the game with over 1,000 career points, the most of any Sun Devil. He added to that total tonight with his 22nd career 20-point performance. The Saint Mary's transfer picked up right where he left off, as he scored in double figures in 30 of 33 games a season ago. It only took him one half to accomplish the feat in his Sun Devil debut. He was one of only seven Big 12 players to have 20+ points on opening night.

What does the Fox say?
Joel Foxwell did what he does best, orchestrating the offense from the point guard position. He finished with 15 points and five assists, while adding three rebounds and a steal. It was the 13th time in his career he has had a 15-point/5-assist performance and 27th career double-digit point effort. Foxwell was a +11 and committed only one turnover despite a high workload.

Many minutes
Both Paulius Murauskas and Joel Foxwell nearly played the entire game. The duo was only subbed out with five seconds left in the contest. They combined for 36 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in leading Arizona State to victory. No other Big 12 player had more minutes on opening night than Foxwell or Murauskas.

Forcing fouls
Arizona State did an excellent job of getting the Buccaneers into foul trouble, which resulted in many free throw attempts. ASU had a +14 advantage in that area thanks to the 26 total fouls committed by ETSU (compared to 12 for ASU). Three different Buccaneers fouled out of the game, including starting forward Kendall Campbell with 4:53 still left in the game.

Impact transfers
An eight-man transfer class immediately bolstered the Sun Devil Men’s Basketball roster. It is the highest-ranked transfer class in program history, tabbed by 247 Sports as the No. 15 best class in the nation.

Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year Paulius Murauskas highlights the group. Fellow Saint Mary's standout under Bennett Dillan Shaw was also a major get. Bennett managed to add two more WCC starters to his group in Portland's Joel Foxwell and Gonzaga's Emmanuel Innocenti.

Associate Head Coach Rick Croy brought a pair of big men, Nate Garcia and Jonathan Griman, from Cal Baptist with him. Associate Head Coach David Patrick did the same with forward Marcus Vaughns. Center Ben Defty from Boston University completed arguably the No. 1 transfer class in the Big 12 Conference, according to 247 Sports.

The global game
Sun Devil Men’s Basketball has a roster with players from all over the World. Seven countries are represented by the nine International Sun Devils on the 2026-27 roster. The nine International players are tied for the fourth-most in the country.

New heights
This is officially the tallest team in the history of the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program. The combined height of the squad is an insane 93'3". For the first time in program history, the roster features three seven-footers. Seven Sun Devils are listed at 6'8" or taller, while 13 of the 14 are at least 6'4". Arizona State is one of only seven teams with three or more seven-footers on their roster. To take it a step further, they are one of only five with multiple players listed at 7'1" or taller.

Roster snapshot (numerical)

• #1 Marcus Vaughns (RS-Freshman/Forward/LSU/Melbourne, Australia)
  
• #2 Vijay Wallace (Junior/Guard/Illinois Valley CC/Triton College/Chicago, IL)
  
• #3 Joel Foxwell Sophomore/Guard/Portland/Melbourne, Australia)
  
• #4 Bryce Ford (Senior/Guard/Toledo/Scottsdale, AZ)
  
• #5 Emmanuel Innocenti (Senior/Wing/Gonzaga/Petit Badien, Ivory Coast)
  
• #6 JRob Croy (Freshman/Guard/Riverside, CA)
• #7 Vijay Wallace (Junior/Guard/Triton College/Chicago, IL)
  
• #8 Jonathan Griman (Senior/Forward/Cal Baptist/Caracas, Venezuela)
  
• #9 Ajak Nyuon (Freshman/Forward/Canberra, Australia)
  
• #11 Dillan Shaw (Sophomore/Wing/Saint Mary's/Northridge, CA)
  
• #14 Ben Defty (Junior/Center/Boston Univ./Berlin, Germany)
  
• #23 Paulius Murauskas (Senior/Forward/Arizona/Saint Mary's/Kaunas, Lithuania)
  
• #25 Filip Malesevic (Junior/Center/Novi Sad, Serbia)
  
• #35 Nate Garcia (Sophomore/Center/Glendora, CA)
  2 returners; 8 Division I transfers; 3 international additions; 1 incoming U.S. freshman

Solidified his staff
Randy Bennett has assembled one of the most decorated and well-regarded coaching staffs in the nation. Associate Head Coaches David Patrick, Rick Croy, and Joe Rahon are joined by Assistant Coaches E.J. Rowland and Casey Benson on the coaching staff.

The support staff includes Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and Player Personnel Drew Seidenberger, Associate Head Coach, Sports Performance Tyler McCulloch, Director of Operations Chase Bennett, and Graduate Assistants Joe Few and Tautvilas Tubelis.

Milestone watch

• • Paulius Murauskas is 8 games away from having played in 100 games in his career (currently at 92)
    
  • Murauskas is 87 points shy of 1,200 career points (currently at 1,113)
    
  • Murauskas is 45 rebounds shy of 600 career rebounds (currently at 555)
    
  • Murauskas is 30 made free throws shy of 300 career free throws made (currently at 270)
  • Emmanuel Innocenti has played in 102 career games, the most of any Sun Devil
    
  • Innocenti is 2 points shy of 500 career points (currently at 498)
    
  • Innocenti is 35 rebounds shy of 450 career rebounds (currently at 415)
    
  • Innocenti is 5 assists shy of 200 career assists (currently at 195)
    
  • Innocenti is 37 steals shy of 150 career steals (currently at 113)
  • Bryce Ford is 12 games away from having played in 100 games in his career (currently at 88)
  • Ford is 12 points shy of 500 career points (currently at 488)
  • Ford is 33 rebounds shy of 200 career rebounds (currently at 167)
  • Ford is 21 made three-pointers shy of 100 career made threes (currently at 79)
  • Ben Defty is 45 points shy of 700 career points (currently at 655)
  • Defty is 42 rebounds shy of 350 career rebounds (currently at 308)
  • Defty is 22 assists shy of 100 career assists (currently at 78)
  • Defty is 26 blocks shy of 100 career blocks (currently at 74)
  • Joel Foxwell is 6 points shy of 550 career points (currently at 544)
  • Foxwell is 24 assists shy of 300 career assists (currently at 226)
  • Foxwell is 2 rebounds shy of 150 career rebounds (currently at 148)
  • Foxwell is 29 made three-pointers shy of 100 career made threes (currently at 71)
  • Foxwell reached the 50-career steal mark in only one season at Portland
  • Jonathan Griman is 13 blocks shy of 50 career blocks (currently at 37)
  • Griman is 42 rebounds shy of 250 career rebounds (currently at 208)
  • Dillan Shaw is 17 rebounds shy of 200 career rebounds (currently at 183)

Paulius Preseason Praise
Senior forward Paulius Murauskas is projected to be one of the nation's top players heading into the 2026-27 season. The coaches in the league voted him the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year and selected him to the Preseason Big 12 All-Conference First Team. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame made him a candidate for the Naismith Trophy, awarded annually to the National Player of the Year. He is the first Sun Devil to land on the list since 2021. Additionally, Muruaskas earned a spot on the Preseason Watch List for the Karl Malone Award, as he is a candidate for the National Power Forward of the Year Trophy.

Sophomore Slump jump
There are several impressive examples of sophomores making a major jump in year two in a Randy Bennett system. If recent trends are any indication, Sun Devil sophomore wing Dillan Shaw could be in store for a big season. He opened the season with a strong performance.

Record keeping
We will block you
Arizona State finished second in the Big 12 and 33rd nationally, averaging 4.6 blocks per game last year. Three Sun Devils had 20 or more blocks. The Sun Devils' 151 total blocks were the 8th-most in program history. Three of the nine best shot-blocking seasons in program history have taken place in the past four seasons.

Most blocked shots in a season
211 – 2013
182 – 2014
172 – 1997
170 – 2023
165 – 1995
165 – 1979
157 – 1980
151 - 2026
146 - 2025
144 – 1981
139 – 2003
131 - 2022

Arizona State shot 75.3% from the free-throw line, which was the third-best FT% in program history.

Best FT% in program history
75.6 – 1978
75.4 – 1955
75.3 – 2026
74.9 – 2017
74.6 – 1998
74.6 – 1987
73.9 – 2008
73.7 – 2009
73.5 – 2004
73.3 – 2018
73.0 – 1957

Free-throw shooting was a strength of Randy Bennett's Saint Mary's team last season, as they finished second nationally, shooting 79.8% from the line. ASU shot 80.8% (21-for-26) from the stripe in the season-opening win over ETSU.

Jeff Pendergraph Hall of Fame
A cornerstone of the Sun Devil Men’s Basketball program from 2005 to 2009, Ayres left an indelible mark on ASU Basketball. He was part of the 2025 Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame class and is now making an impact as a broadcaster. He will be on the call for 10 of the 11 Sun Devil home games streaming on ESPN+.

Over 126 games during his playing career, he averaged 12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and shot an impressive 58 percent from the field. His senior season was his finest, as he led the nation in field goal percentage at 66 percent, averaged 14.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, and earned First-Team All-Pac-10 honors. Notably, he delivered a 31-point, 11-rebound performance in a decisive win over Stanford in January 2009.

Ayres ranks sixth all-time in scoring (1,588 points), second in rebounds (942), and his 2008-09 field goal percentage is the school record. He is the only player in program history to lead the team in rebounding four consecutive seasons and helped guide ASU to a 25-win campaign and NCAA Tournament berth in his senior year.

Following his collegiate career, Ayres was selected in the 2009 NBA Draft and went on to play six seasons in the NBA, including a championship run with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, before continuing his career overseas.

His consistency, leadership, and inside dominance made him a pillar during a pivotal era of transition for ASU basketball.

James Harden on the All-Time NBA scoring list
Sun Devil Men's Basketball legend James Harden is putting together one of the most decorated careers in NBA history. He continues to move up the NBA's All-Time scoring list during his 17th season in the league. Harden is now the 9th-leading scorer in NBA history, joining a list of the most illustrious names in the history of the sport. He passed Shaquille O’Neal last season to move into 9th place.

Top-10 scorers in NBA history
LeBron James - 43,522
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 38,387
Karl Malone - 36,928
Kobe Bryant - 33,643
Michael Jordan - 32,292
Kevin Durant - 32,784
Dirk Nowitzki - 31,560
Wilt Chamberlain - 31,419
James Harden - 29,472
Shaquille O'Neal - 28,596

Harden also entered the Top 20 on the all-time steals list in NBA history. He now has 1,801 steals, passing Andre Iguodala to move into 20th in league history. Harden is one of only four players in NBA history who are in the Top-10 in points and Top-20 in steals for a career. He is joined by Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Karl Malone in this exclusive group.

Nonconference schedule breakdown | Conference schedule breakdown

How to watch the Sun Devils this season
ESPN - Up to 2 games
ESPN2 - Up to 4 games
ESPNU - Up to 2 games
TNT - 1 game
FOX - 1 game
FS1 - 4 games
CBSSN - 6 games
Peacock - 3 games
ESPN+ - 11 games

When to watch the Sun Devils this season
7:00 PM - 9 games
8:00 PM - 6 games
6:00 PM - 5 games
12:00 PM - 2 games
5:00 PM - 2 games
6:30 PM - 1 game
2:00 PM - 1 game
10:00 AM - 1 game
9:00 PM - 1 game
8:30 PM - 1 game
4:00 PM - 1 game
3:00 PM - 1 game
1:00 PM - 1 game

Where to watch the Sun Devils this season
19 home games
10 road games
3 neutral site games

Get tickets
Sun Devil Men’s Basketball season tickets are now available for the 2026-27 season and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. If you are interested in joining the season-ticket holder family next season, please call or text 480-727-0000 or email seasontickets@asu.edu to speak to a Sun Devil ticket sales representative.

Season ticket benefits
Sun Devil season-ticket holders receive the most benefits:

Best ticket prices
Personal service representative
Same seat for all home games
Option to purchase season parking
Priority on postseason tickets
Ability to manage and renew your tickets online
Access to exclusive season-ticket holder events and behind-the-scenes tours
Season ticket renewals
Season ticket renewals for the 2026-27 season are now available in your account manager. If you are a current season-ticket holder and have questions, please call or text our VIP service line at 480-727-0000 to speak to your Sun Devil service representative.

Mini plans
Sun Devil Men's Basketball mini plans will be available later in fall 2026. 

Group tickets
Group ticket packages for the 2026–27 season will be available one month prior to the first game (approximately Oct. 2). Group discounts, packages, and experiences start at just 15 tickets. If you are interested in learning more about group tickets and experience options, please call or text 480-727-0000 or email grouptickets@asu.edu to contact a Sun Devil ticket sales representative.

Premium seating
Desert Financial Arena premium seating, which includes floor seats and court level seating provides amenities unlike any other designed to enhance your game day experience. Premium seating is a great way to entertain family and friends, and business associates while experiencing Sun Devil Basketball. For more information on premium seating, to join the waitlist, or if you would like to tour the premium seating areas of Desert Financial Arena, please call or text: Joe Jerde at 480-727-0000 or via email at Joseph.Jerde@asu.edu.

Single-game tickets
Single game tickets for the 2026–27 season will be available one month prior to the first game (approximately Oct. 2).

Sun Devils on social
For exclusive content, the latest updates, and more information on the Sun Devil Men’s Basketball program, follow our X and Instagram accounts, like our Facebook page, and visit sundevils.com.