Sun Devils prepare for bouts with two Texas teams

(Photo: Spencer Barnes/WCSN)

It has been a difficult month-long stretch for head coach Bobby Hurley and his Arizona State men’s basketball team. After an encouraging non-conference season, the Big 12 has been nothing but discouraging. With a 3-9 overall conference record and eight losses in their previous 10 games, the Sun Devils have hit rock bottom in the season.

Two separate suspensions kept starters senior guard Adam Miller and senior wing BJ Freeman out of last Sunday’s game against Oklahoma State. Additionally, star freshman center Jayden Quaintance sustained an injury to his ankle and was forced to leave the game, not to return. The absences resulted in an uninspired 86-73 loss in Stillwater.

With most ASU NCAA Tournament hopes now likely dashed, the Sun Devils will face off against a pair of Texas teams that sit ahead of them on the standings. First is a trip to Lubbock to take on No. 12 Texas Tech before returning home to Tempe for a Saturday bout with TCU.

No. 12 Texas Tech (18-5, 9-3 Big 12)

The Red Raiders entered the 2024-25 season with mild expectations, picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 preseason poll. The team’s two top scores from last season departed for other opporunitines, leaving a hole at the top of the team’s roster. Filling that hole are two returners and a newcomer all in different classes.

Senior guard Chance McMillan has been the Red Raiders primary ball handler and is tied for the team lead in points per game with 15.2 per contest. The former Grand Canyon star left the Valley two seasons ago and has found a home in Lubbock.

After starting just one game last season, McMillan has started in all 23 games he has played and has grown into one of the conference’s best three-point snipers, attempting 5.5 threes per game and hitting 44% of those shots.

The other returner who has seen an expansion of his role this season is junior forward Darrion Williams. Williams is the Red Raiders do it all man, contributing in all three areas on the court. The California native is second in assists per game (4.0), second in rebounds per game (5.4) and third in points per game (14.8).

The biggest story coming out of Lubbock over the last few weeks is the team’s upset road win at No. 6 Houston a little over a week ago. On the road against arguably the conference’s toughest team is a challenge in and of itself, but making it even more difficult was the early game ejections of sophomore forward JT Toppin and head coach Grant McCasland.

Just under four minutes into a pivotal matchup against the Cougars, Toppin attempted a jumping cross court pass and, in his follow-through, accidentally kicked Houston sophomore Joseph Tugler in the groin area. The referees immedately met and ejected Toppin, and after an emotional outbreak from McCasland, ejected the coach to.

Toppin has been crucial, tying McMillan for the team lead in points per game (15.2) and leading the team in rebounds (8.6). Despite missing arguably their best player and their head coach, the Red Raiders fought for a nail-biter 82-81 overtime win in Houston, cementing themselves among the contenders in the Big 12.

TCU (12-11, 5-7 Big 12)

When the schedule released and it was revealed that the Horned Frogs would be playing at ASU, the game was supposed to be senior guard Frankie Collins’ return to Tempe. In his two years with the Sun Devils, Collins made himself a fan favorite and even set the program single season steals record.

However, plans don’t always come to fruition as Collins sustained a season-ending broken foot in a December loss to Vanderbilt. Collins was the Horned Frogs leading scorer at the time and was a huge part of their season lands.

Stepping up in Collins’ absence has been sophomore guard Vasean Allette. The Old Dominion guard made the step up to Power Four conference play, essentially fully replacing Collins’ production. Allette’s 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game nearly mirror Collins’ production before he went down.

However, after losing Collins, the Horned Frogs offensive output has taking a nosedive, and their 67.7 points per game ranks dead last in the conference. Outside of Allette the team has only one other double digit scoerer currently getting important minutes, senior guard Noah Reynolds.

Reynolds leads the team in points per game and is tied for the team lead in assist with Allette, averaging 12.8 and 3.1, respectively. A lot of the offense has run through these two players in isolation possessions, they both lead the team in assists, but Collins still ranks third on the team in total assists with 40.

After a difficult trip to Lubbock, the Horned Frogs offer a clear opportunity for the Sun Devils to get back on track with a win.