Competing in the Big 12 offers a significant benefit to Bobby Hurley and the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Due to the conference’s competitiveness, ASU can quickly re-enter the NCAA tournament conversation with a few wins. They kicked things off on Tuesday night with a gritty 65-57 win on the road against West Virginia.
The Mountaineers entered the game holding the No. 30 position in the NCAA NET Rankings, a key sorting resource utilized by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee for selection and seeding in the NCAA tournament.
The win against the Mountaineers pushed Arizona State up eight positions in the revised NET Rankings — from No. 64 to No. 56. It was considered a Quad 1 victory, marking a home win against a top 30 team in the NET, or a road win against a top 50 team in the NET. Arizona State (11-7, 2-5) now holds a 2-6 record in Quad 1 matchups. Their additional Quad 1 win was against Saint Mary’s in late November.
The Sun Devils still have a minimum of six Quad 1 chances left, beginning with Saturday’s home match against Iowa State. The Cyclones are presently positioned at No. 6 in the NET and are expected to secure a No. 1 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament according to the latest ESPN Bracketology update.
Anticipate that Ohio State will experience a situation very similar to the one they faced before the 2024 season. Day will not promptly announce his starting quarterback. He will allow the competition to unfold naturally.
It will be fascinating to find out who ultimately becomes the final candidate for the position.
A victory against Iowa State would propel Arizona State into the top 50 of the NET and position them for a chance at a March Madness spot.
Joson Sanon’s Current Situation
Reinstating freshman shooting guard Joson Sanon will be crucial for the Sun Devils. He experienced a severe ankle sprain versus BYU on New Year’s Eve and has been absent for five of the past seven games.
Sanon was ASU’s top scorer before he suffered the injury. He was also among the top 3 in the nation for 3-point shooting percentage.
Hurley has referred to Sanon as the top shooter he has ever coached, and he is expected to be a first-round selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. If ASU can retrieve him for the final stretch, they might have a chance to return to the NCAA tournament.
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