TEMPE— Arizona State men’s basketball opened its season with a 75-65 victory over East Tennessee State at Desert Financial Arena.

“I think we have good depth, and we just need to get more reps and more games so that they know what they can do. They know that I believe in them,” ASU head coach Randy Bennett said.

New faces on and off the court

The night marked more than just a season opener for the maroon and gold. The Sun Devils took the floor for the first time on the newly renovated court at Desert Financial Arena following offseason improvements.

Bennett also made his coaching debut with the Sun Devils. After spending 25 seasons at Saint Mary’s, Bennett took over the program following the departure of former head coach Bobby Hurley at the conclusion of last season.

“I guess there’s a little anxiety just because it’s new, and the little things. You don’t know the locker room situation, you don’t know how long it’s going to take to walk down, you don’t know how guys are going to play because there’s a lot of new things,” Bennett said.

ASU finished last season with a 17-16 overall record, missing the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. With the program looking for a fresh start, Bennett’s arrival marked the beginning of several changes in Tempe.

The Sun Devils welcomed 11 new players during the offseason, with senior guard Bryce Ford and junior guard Vijay Wallace among the few familiar faces returning from Hurley’s squad.

“I think we did an okay job at representing what Randy is all about. I think there’s a whole lot more, and I would say it’s good that we got the win. There’s so much work to do and we won’t really get satisfied,” sophomore guard Joel Foxwell said.

Foxwell, Murauskas play all 40 minutes

Foxwell played all 40 minutes, finishing with 15 points and three rebounds. He was one of two Sun Devils to play the entire game.

Senior forward Paulius Murauskas was the other Sun Devil to play all 40 minutes. Murauskas led ASU with 21 points and nine rebounds in the season opener.

“I tried to figure out how we were in the beginning, then try to figure out after a few minutes of getting more involved,” Murauskas said.

Both sides of the ball showed promising signs for ASU against the Buccaneers. The Sun Devils held East Tennessee State to 10 offensive rebounds, a performance Bennett viewed as a solid starting point for his team.

“I don’t want to say it’s nothing to lose. It’s not bad, but there’s not nearly as much pressure on them coming in here. Compared to us playing our first game here,” Bennett said.

The Sun Devils will continue their non-conference schedule at home on Friday against Northern Colorado. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MST.