(Photo: Spencer Barnes/ WCSN)
TEMPE — Off the backs of a disappointing 13-20, 2024-25 season, Arizona State men’s basketball wrote its first page of a new chapter against Southern Utah.
The story of last season began with a fairytale full of hope but ended in a horror story that the ASU faithful couldn’t forget soon enough, losing both of the program five-star freshman recruits to AP top-10 programs in the transfer portal, and returning just one player from the previous campaign.
“We struggled at the end of last year. I told the team that we haven’t won a game in a long time,” head coach Bobby Hurley said. “We had two close exhibitions that didn’t go our way, had a lot of stuff go on in those games. The program needed to win today.”
After ending last season on a six-game losing skid and adding 14 new players over the offseason, the Sun Devils finally returned to the winning column with a 81-64 victory over Southern Utah Tuesday night.
The 14 new additions to the maroon and gold paid dividends early and often, as ASU took the lead on its second possession of the game and lead for its entirety.
“I felt like I could coach with a free mind,” Hurley said. “If I wanted to sub somebody out, I wasn’t worried about the fallout.”
Senior guard Anthony “Pig” Johnson led the Sun Devils in scoring with 17 points on a 6-for-9 line, in his first game at the NCAA level, after spending three seasons with Northeast Mississippi Community College and NAIA-level Cumberlands University.
“I don’t really care about my points,” Johnson said. “Whatever I got to do to win, I’m willing to do it. If I got to score no points and get 10 assists I’m willing to do it.”
The 6-foot-3-inch tall Johnson showcased his high-flying athleticism on multiple occasions, coinciding with his willingness to finish at the rim.
“I would like to start, but it don’t matter,” Johnson said. “Whenever I get in, I’m willing to play dog minutes.”
While Johnson’s impact was felt off the bench, senior guard Moe Odum influenced the game from the start.
Odum, a transfer from Pepperdine, finished the game with only nine points and eight assists, but brought a much-needed burst of energy to ASU’s fastbreak attack.
“Moe is a guy that I give the ball to and trust,” Hurley said. “He ended up with eight assists – didn’t shoot it great, he made some shots early. I think he’ll continue to flourish, the way we play.”
The Sun Devils finished with 24 points in transition, which looks to be a big part of this year’s team’s offensive ethos.
“We just run a lot. Transition that’s our identity,” Johnson said. “Defense and transition — so we got to run fast and play defense.”
In the paint, ASU was led by graduate forward Allen Mukeba and freshman center Massamba Diop.
Mukeba, on a minutes restriction after an injury in preseason, blocked four shots and rebounded six more. While he’s only 6-foot-8-inches tall, Mukeba made his impact felt way beyond his frame.
As for Diop, he showed flashes in his first game of his collegiate career, finishing the night with 14 points and three blocks.
“We’re going to encourage to keep getting Massamba touches,” Hurley said. “He can make things happen down there and he’s a willing passer.”
Despite the shot-blocking prowess, the Sun Devils struggled to guard the paint for large stretches. Southern Utah finished the night with 44 points coming in the paint.
“We lost containment of the ball way too much,” Hurley said. “I thought we were too spread out, not helping. When a guy did drive the ball, they got into the paint way too much.”
However, unlike last year, ASU has the length to stop teams from scoring inside and end up with the rebounds — despite not showing it Tuesday night.
“We ought to be able to take care of business on the backboard,” Hurley said. “We’ll find out who the culprits are in the video, and we’ll take a look at that, and we’ll make everybody accountable for it.”
The Sun Devils surrendered 16 offensive rebounds to Southern Utah, and also lost the rebounding battle 40-39.
If it weren’t for Southern Utah’s poor three-point percentage, ASU could have found themselves in a difficult situation.
This might not be a game to remember for ASU but its 2025-26 season opener offers the first building block for the Sun Devils’ construction of a successful( campaign.
