ASU men’s basketball opened its 2025 season with an 81-64 win over Southern Utah

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State and Southern Utah faced off for the ASU men’s basketball season opener, and both teams fought hard for the win. ASU was able to perform better on the court, leading throughout the game for  81-64 win.

The Sun Devils have had a rough spell with their basketball season over the last few years. In 2024, ASU finished with a 13-20 record and second-last in the Big 12. Before the season began for the Sun Devils, they were projected to finish dead last in the Big 12 this year. Will this win define the rest of their season? 

ASU coach Bobby Hurley enters his 11th year with the team. This year he coaches a team of new faces including freshman center Massamba Diop, freshman forward Kash Polk, and freshman center Dame Salane.

This year it has been clear he needs to lead this team to a winning season after the disappointment of last year.

“You know we needed that win today, the program needed that win,” Hurley said. “We are off to the right start, so the mission is accomplished. It’s hard to be overly enthusiastic about how we got there. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done.”

The Sun Devils started fast

In the first half, The Sun Devils really showed up on both offense and defense putting up a total of 40 points at halftime. Meanwhile, ASU’s defense showed up as well, holding Southern Utah to 28 points in the first half.

ASU got to the free throw line 1o times in the first half, and made 8o percent of them. Graduate Student forward Allen Mukeba and junior forward Andrija Grbović were both perfect from the line.

The Sun Devils also managed to secure 20 rebounds in the first half while the Thunderbirds had one less, at 19. Both teams were in fact ready for the matchup against each other by keeping this stat close throughout the first half.

ASU’s strong second half led to the win

In the second half, ASU shut Southern Utah down. The Sun Devils scored 41 points in the second half, and played a strong, dominant defense on the court.

ASU ended the night going 14-for-20 from the charity stripe, 9-for-23 on 3-point attempts, and collected 39 total rebounds.

Despite everyone having a big night, there was a key player that helped secure the win. Senior guard Anthony “Pig” Johnson recorded the most points, 17, for the Sun Devils. ASU displayed great teamwork throughout the game with 17 team assists, and especially in the second half.

“We can help the freshman by just keep bringing them along,” Johnson said. “It’s all we can do and hope for the best.”   

This is just the beginning for Hurley and the Sun Devils, as they’ll look to continue the win streak moving further into the season. ASU will welcome Utah Tech to Desert Financial Arena next on Sunday, Nov. 9 for their second game of the year.

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