ASU BASKETBALL

Arizona State on outside looking in of NCAA Tournament as regular season ends

Mar 5, 2023, 5:30 PM | Updated: 6:59 pm

With the Pac-12 Tournament right around the corner, the Arizona Wildcats and Arizona State Sun Devils have different fates heading into March Madness.

Arizona State (20-11, 11-9) was projected to be one of the final teams in the NCAA tournament before losing two consecutive games over the weekend on the road to No. 4 UCLA and USC.

After the Sun Devils’ loss to USC on Saturday, ASU is locked in to a No. 6 seed in the Pac-12 and will take on No. 11 Oregon State in the first round of the conference tournament in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The winner will take on No. 3 seed USC in the second round.

ASU currently ranks No. 62 in the Ken Pomeroy rankings. The Sun Devils are 4-4 in Quad 1 games, 5-5 in Quad 2, 4-0 in Quad 3 and 7-1 in Quad 4 (loss to Texas Southern). This also puts Hurley’s squad at No. 65 in NET.

According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi following Saturday’s waves of games, ASU is listed in the “First Four Out” group with Oklahoma State, Clemson and Utah State.

Of 62 NCAA brackets collected on Bracket Matrix, Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devils were included in the field on 33 of them, 31 as an 11 seed and two as a 12.

Arizona (25-6, 14-6) is comfortably in the field, currently ranked No. 8 in the country but also suffered a split in Los Angeles falling to UCLA on Saturday.

Arizona is slotted as a No. 2 seed in the Midwest bracket, according to Lunardi.

On Bracket Matrix, Arizona is listed as a two-seed on a majority of brackets while appearing as a three on some.

Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats rank No. 11 in Pomeroy’s rankings. They have also posted an 8-3 record in Quad 1 games, 6-3 in Quad 2, 3-0 in Quad 3 and 7-0 in Quad 4, good enough for the No. 11 NET ranking as well.

ASU Basketball

ASU...

Damon Allred

Shorthanded ASU can’t get over the hump at Oklahoma State

Given the circumstances it was facing, ASU men's basketball competed well to not be put away in a loss at Oklahoma State on Sunday.

19 hours ago

Jayden Quaintance...

Damon Allred

ASU’s Jayden Quaintance exits vs. Oklahoma State, out with ankle injury

ASU's Jayden Quaintance left Sunday's game against Oklahoma State with a left ankle injury after he was seemingly tripped in transition and will not return.

20 hours ago

ASU...

Bailey Leasure

ASU’s Adam Miller, BJ Freeman suspended for 1 game, out vs. Oklahoma State

Arizona State guards Adam Miller and BJ Freeman have reportedly been suspended for one game and will not play against Oklahoma State on Sunday.

21 hours ago

Tempe brewery NIL...

Arizona Sports

Tempe brewery signs sponsorship and NIL deal with ASU

Tempe-based Huss Brewing Co. announced it has signed a multifaceted sponsorship deal with Arizona State University, which includes the creation of a Sun Devil specific ale.

3 days ago

Bobby Hurley...

Damon Allred

ASU AD Graham Rossini agrees Bobby Hurley’s handling of Arizona loss was unacceptable

Arizona State AD Graham Rossini on Thursday was critical of how men's basketball coach Bobby Hurley handled Saturday's loss to Arizona.

4 days ago

ASU...

Damon Allred

Kansas State loss the latest example of ASU basketball coming up just short

ASU's unbreakable habit of losing winnable games continued on Tuesday, as it again came up just short in a loss to Kansas State.

5 days ago

Arizona State on outside looking in of NCAA Tournament as regular season ends