The ASU men’s basketball season begins Nov. 7 when Tarleton State travels to Tempe to face the Sun Devils for the first time ever.
The Sun Devils have reason to believe that this year will have a different result than last year’s 14-17 season (10-10 in conference).
What’s new?
This summer, ASU added sophomore guard Frankie Collins, fifth-year guard Desmond Cambridge Jr., his brother senior guard Devan Cambridge and senior center Warren Washington, among others.
Cambridge Jr. is a crucial acquisition to add more depth to the Sun Devils scoring. He averaged 16.2 points and five rebounds on 43.5% shooting for the University of Nevada last season.
Collins made a monumental impact for Michigan last season when it was a highlight in the NCAA Tournament, and his addition adds offensive defensive quality and speed to an already fast, long and athletic team that is returning the small forward. sophomore Marcus Bagley and junior guard DJ Horne.
Last season Horne averaged the most minutes on the team with 30, made the most 3-pointers with 73 and led the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game.
Collins broke out in the March Madness tournament against Colorado State, starting in place of his injured teammate. He said he knows how critical that experience could be to the Sun Devils’ March Madness goals this season.
“It’s going to help a lot,” Collins said. “Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve been there and played there.”
Collins expects a much more significant role this season, and with a backcourt consisting of him and Horne, the Devils are looking to play with a sense of urgency and push the tempo.
“We’re going to guard the other backfields and lock down on defense,” Collins said. “It’s going to be a show. We have a lot of depth.”
That depth starts with Bagley, who said he had an “unlucky” two years but is feeling 100%. Bagley is entering 2022 with a “blank start,” having played just 15 games since arriving in Tempe.
But he is determined to be an effective two-way player this season and create a defensive identity with 6-foot-10 sophomore center Enoch Boakye and the addition of 7-foot transfer Washington.
How will Coach Hurley manage the loaded guard rotation?
It may even be too early for coach Bobby Hurley to know exactly how to find the right balance in the Sun Devil backfield.
“Distribution of playing time is going to be something I’m going to have to handle very well,” Hurley said. “We’re extremely deep, especially on the perimeter. I’d be comfortable playing some guys at those spots.”
ASU’s first open practice featured redshirt senior Luther Muhammad as the two guard alongside Collins in the first unit. With the lineup looking fluid throughout the nonconference, Muhammad and Horne will most likely spend the early season competing for a starting role in the Sun Devil backcourt alongside Collins.
Key matches
AU, Dec. 31 at Tempe, Feb. 25 at Tucson
ASU is looking to avoid another .500 winning percentage in the Pac-12 conference. Last season, the Sun Devils struggled in their meetings with UA, Washington and USC.
USC and UA include ASU in their 2021 regular season meetings, with the UA game being the one Bagley is most looking forward to.
“I haven’t gotten one yet (against UA), but I think we have the team to do it this year,” Bagley said.
UA beat ASU by double digits in both meetings last year. Those meetings saw the Wildcats spread their possessions and produce multiple double-digit scorers in both meetings, while Horne was one of the Sun Devils’ consistent double-digit options.
The Sun Devils hope to see more of their players score in double figures this time around when they meet UA in the first of two meetings of the 2022 season on Dec. 31 in Tempe.
Creighton, December 12
Last season’s win over a strong Creighton team in Omaha was a diamond in the rough in an otherwise tough season. That Creighton team made the Big East title game and won a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament.
Creighton returns Big East Freshman of the Year Ryan Nembhard and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner and is ranked ninth in the Associated Press preseason poll. This will likely be ASU’s toughest non-conference test and will provide a good measuring stick for Pac-12 play if the Sun Devils can compete at the conference’s highest levels.
The Sun Devils will face Creighton in Las Vegas on December 12th at 7pm MST.
UCLA, January 19 in Tempe, March 2 in Los Angeles
The Bruins are ranked eighth in the AP preseason poll and are projected by most major media outlets to win the Pac-12. The Sun Devils gave their fans what was perhaps their most exciting performance of the season last year in a triple overtime upset of third-ranked UCLA in Tempe that ended with the students taking the field.
If ASU wants to compete in the highest levels of the Pac-12, it will need to win some games over teams with more talent on paper.
This series kicks off in Tempe on January 19th at 8:30pm MST and heads to Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on March 2nd.
Edited by Kathryn Field, David Rodish and Luke Chatham.
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