Arizona State basketball: Three future Big 12 matchups we’re excited for

TEMPE, Ariz. — With the news of Arizona State joining the Big 12 for the 2024-2025 school year and beyond, there were a lot of questions. How will schedules work? What about travel? Is the conference still going to be called the Big 12? While those are all valid thoughts, I couldn’t help thinking about the last time Arizona State basketball played Allen Fieldhouse.

For those who don’t remember, Bobby Hurley’s squad in 2017 knocked off No 2. Kansas in a stunner. Tra Holder led all scorers with 29 points on 50% shooting.

Hurley’s pair of victories over Kansas in his tenure have been program-defining wins. Now with their new conference, what matchups are we excited for in the Big 12?

Arizona State vs Kansas

This one is an obvious one. Kansas is one of the most dominant programs in college basketball history. Bill Self and the Jayhawks are hoops royalty.

And Arizona State is 2-0 against them.

In the 2017-2018 season, the Sun Devils strolled into Lawrence and came away with a victory. Any win over Kansas is impressive. A win at Allen Fieldhouse is a near-impossible feat. Since that home loss, Kansas has only lost six home games in the six seasons after. The Jayhawks also completed a perfect season at home in 2018-2019.

It’s the hardest place to win in college basketball, and the numbers back it up.

Year in and year out Self has Kansas playing like a well-oiled machine, and any game with them will be appointment television.

Arizona State vs TCU

Both of the Arizona schools have recent meetings with the Horned Frogs from Texas in the NCAA tournament. In 2022, Arizona escaped their battle with TCU in a five-point win.

In 2023, Arizona State wasn’t as lucky. The Sun Devils held an 11-point lead at one point against TCU in the first round of the 2023 NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to hold on, as TCU walked away with a last-second victory.

Arizona State and TCU are set to play this upcoming season at a neutral site. The two will meet in Fort Worth on Dec. 16th.

NEWS: Arizona State and TCU are finalizing an agreement to play on December 16th at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, according to a source.

Air Force/UT Arlington is also part of the multi-game event.https://t.co/EhozBefwDR

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 16, 2023

The revenge matchup for the Sun Devils should be highly anticipated.

Overall TCU and Arizona State have played each other five times, with TCU holding the all-time series edge 3-2. I could get used to a yearly meeting between the Sun Devils and the Hypnotoads.

Arizona State vs Texas Tech

This one was a little less obvious. These schools have only met twice. Arizona State won both meetings (2012 and 2013). Texas Tech isn’t a blue blood or some powerhouse program either.

So why are they on this list?

Lubbock.

Texas Tech’s campus is the closest to Tempe of their new Texas conference foes. Lubbock is also a rowdy college town, and they know how to be loud in an arena. And despite the Red Raiders’ lackluster program history, they’ve been good as of late.

In each of the last six seasons, Texas Tech has spent time ranked in the A.P. poll. In all of those seasons but one, they got as high as the top eleven.

A yearly matchup with the Red Raiders gives Sun Devil fans the opportunity for a fun trip to Lubbock, and it’s safe to say there should be some competitive games between the two.

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