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Men's Basketball Hosts In-State Foe NAU

by thesundevils.com
Nov 9, 2022

TEMPE, Ariz. - Sun Devil Men's Basketball caps a brief two-game home stand to start the season by hosting Northern Arizona on Thursday at 7 PM.

Arizona State moved to 33-7 in non-conference games at Desert Financial Arena under Head Coach Bobby Hurley, defeating Tarleton on Monday. The Sun Devils are looking to start 2-0 for the fourth time in the Hurley era and the first time since they started 8-0 in 2018-19. 

HOW TO FOLLOW
Tune-in to Pac-12 Networks at 7 PM MST to watch Sun Devil Men's Basketball take on Northern Arizona. All 31 of Arizona State's games this season will be televised, with Coach Hurley's squad making appearances on ESPN, FOX, CBS, and Pac-12 Network in addition to several major network affiliates. The action can also be tracked via live stats available here.

LAST TIME OUT
Arizona State finished the game on a 12-2 run, securing the victory in front of a lively Desert Financial Arena crowd. Head Coach Bobby Hurley's team turned up the defensive pressure and came through with big plays when they needed it while dominating Tarleton on the glass. Frankie Collins led the way with 21 points in his Sun Devil debut, while Marcus Bagley returned with a crucial 13-point effort.

BLOCK PARTY
Arizona State finished with 11 blocks on opening night, protecting the rim with authority. The 11 blocks rank second nationally and are the most by a Sun Devil team in a season opener since 2012.  Four of those blocks came from Devan Cambridge, while Washington and Gaffney also had two recorded rejections.  

DOING THE DIRTY WORK
Devan Cambridge did a little bit of everything in his Sun Devil debut. The impact of his performance can't be measured by the box score. He showed hustle and gave extra effort throughout the game, providing a spark for the Sun Devils. Cambridge is one of only two players to have 4+ blocks and 10+ rebounds on opening night (Abou Ousmane, North Texas). Cambridge did it in only 24 minutes, while Ousmane played 32 minutes.

QUITE FRANKIE
Frankie Collins enjoyed quite the Sun Devil debut, leading the Maroon & Gold on the offensive end. Collins poured in a career-high 21 points, while dishing out four assists. He also added three rebounds, three steals, and made four three-pointers in 37 minutes of action. 

CLOSE CALLS
ASU is 17-9 in Pac-12 two-possession games the past three years and 24-12 overall. Its 24 wins in that time is the most in the league.

IN-STATE FOE
Arizona State has dominated the all-time series with NAU. They hold a 79-59 record against the Lumberjacks, with the two sides mostly recently matching up in 2017. ASU defeated NAU 97-62 in Coach Hurley's third season in Tempe.

QUOTABLES
"Overall, the biggest positive is just our ability late in the game to create some turnovers and be able to find a way to win," Coach Hurley observed after the victory over Tarleton.
 
"It felt like I was in foreign territory. It was fun out there, I'm happy we got the win. I need to keep being patient with myself and trust the process out there and get ready for Thursday." Marcus Bagley remarked following his first game back.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devil men's basketball team will be challenged through the 2022-23 campaign. With non-conference matchups including trips to 2022 NCAA Tournament teams Texas Southern and San Francisco as well as to SMU, Arizona State is one of only a handful of Power 5 teams with three true road games before conference play. The Sun Devils will play 13 games before the holidays, including seven games away from home. Beginning with a Dec. 31 home showdown with Arizona, the Maroon & Gold will play 18-straight games against Pac-12 foes to finish the season as part of the 20-game conference slate.

942 CREW GIVEAWAY

Don't miss your chance to check out the action at Desert Financial Arena, as fans now have another opportunity to show their support. Arizona State Men's Basketball single game tickets for non-conference home games and the Pac-12 home opener vs. Stanford are on sale. There are plenty of ticketing options for Sun Devil Men's Basketball fans, as season tickets and 6-game mini plans are still available, starting at only $90. Purchase your season tickets here. Group tickets are a great option for parties of 15 or more. Single game tickets for the remaining home schedule will go on sale the week after Black Friday.

PAC-12 NETWORKS
All Pac-12 Networks broadcasts are available in HD via the Pac-12 Now app for iOS, Android, Apple TV andAmazon Fire TV. More information on the multiple options to access and receive Pac-12 Networks anywhere in the United States is available at GetPac12Networks.com.

SUN DEVILS ON SOCIAL
For exclusive content, the latest updates, and more information on the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilHoops), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/SunDevilHoops/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).

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