Arizona State men’s basketball unveiled its 2023-24 non-conference schedule on Wednesday.
The Sun Devils have faced a formidable slate of non-conference opponents in recent years -- and this season is no exception.
ASU kicks off the season with a neutral-site matchup against Mississippi State, which is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance and could open next season as a preseason top-25 team. The contest, which takes place on Nov. 8 in Chicago, is part of a doubleheader that also features Florida Atlantic and Loyola-Chicago.
The Sun Devils will also face future Big 12 foe BYU in the first round of the Vegas Showdown, which takes place Nov. 23-24 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena. In the tourney’s second round, ASU will play either NC State or Vanderbilt.
In mid-December, ASU will have a critical road game at TCU – the team that knocked the Sun Devils out of last season’s NCAA Tournament.
Other noteworthy games in non-con play include home matchups against SMU, San Francisco, Texas Southern, and Northwestern. The latter two qualified for last season’s NCAA Tournament.
In total, the Sun Devils will play 11 non-conference games this season: six at home, two on the road, and three at a neutral site. Let’s take a closer look at each of ASU’s non-conference opponents:
Wednesday Nov. 8 | Mississippi State | Neutral-Site (*in Chicago)
The Sun Devils open the season against Mississippi State in a neutral-site matchup in the Windy City. The game is part of the Barstool Sports Invitational, which will be played at Wintrust Arena. The Bulldogs are coming off a solid season in which they went 21-13 and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019. Mississippi State, which some media outlets peg as a preseason top-25 team, returns all five starters, including All-SEC First Team selection Tolu Smith. Seniors Shakeel Moore, DJ Jeffries, and Dashawn Davis also return for the Bulldogs, who should be a factor in the SEC race. Andrew Taylor, a grad transfer from Marshall, could also play a significant role this season.
Saturday Nov. 11 | Texas Southern | Home
ASU will host the reigning SWAC Tournament champions in its home opener at Desert Financial Arena. This is the return game of a home-and-home series that began last season in Houston. The Sun Devils are seeking revenge for last year’s 67-66 overtime loss to the Tigers. Despite a subpar 14-21 record, Texas Southern still made the NCAA Tournament last season by virtue of winning its conference tourney. Led by veteran head coach Johnny Jones, the Tigers are hoping to build off last season’s performance. They return three of their top-six scorers from last year’s squad, including senior point guard PJ Henry (12.4 PPG, 2.1 APG).
Tuesday Nov. 16 | UMass-Lowell | Home
ASU will face UMass-Lowell in an early-season tilt in Tempe. Under longtime head coach Pat Duquette, the River Hawks had the program’s most successful Division-I season last year, posting a 26-8 record, including a perfect 17-0 at home. U-Mass Lowell returns three starters from last year’s squad, including all-conference forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly (11.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG). Also returning to the mix are key contributors Ayinde Hikim and Max Brooks. The trio should set the tone for the River Hawks, who are expected to compete for a MEAC crown this upcoming season. This game marks the first head-to-head meeting between the two schools.
Thursday Nov. 23 | BYU | Neutral-Site (Vegas Showdown)
There’s no greater Thanksgiving tradition than watching ASU basketball play in an early-season multi-team event. This year’s event is the Vegas Showdown at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, and the Sun Devils will face BYU in the opening round. The Cougars are coming off a mediocre season (19-15 overall), and the level of competition only gets tougher as they make the jump to the Big 12 Conference this year. However, there is reason for BYU to be cautiously optimistic. They return four starters from last year’s squad, including All-WCC forward Fousseyni Traore and guard Spencer Johnson. The Cougars also added a couple of significant transfers in Aly Khalifa (Charlotte) and Dawson Baker (UC Irvine).
Friday Nov. 24 | Vanderbilt/NC State | Neutral-Site (Vegas Showdown)
Depending on the outcome of the BYU game, ASU will play either Vanderbilt or NC State in the final round of the Vegas Showdown. Vandy was 22-15 last season and qualified for the NIT Tournament, while NC State went 23-11 and made it to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 64. An interesting storyline to watch: ASU could face former Sun Devil guard DJ Horne, who transferred to NC State this offseason.
Wednesday Nov. 29 | Sam Houston State | Home
ASU will host Sam Houston State for a post-Thanksgiving tilt, which marks only the second head-to-head contest between the two schools. Last season was a banner year for the Bearkats, who went 26-8 overall and finished second in the WAC standings. However, with only one starter (Cameron Huefner) returning from last season, it could be a transitional year for the program. If the Bearkats have any hope of competing for a WAC title, head coach Jason Hooten will need role players like Lamar Wilkerson and Jaden Ray to make a jump this season. Davon Barnes, a transfer from Texas Southern, should also factor prominently into the rotation.
Sunday Dec. 3 | San Francisco | Home
The Sun Devils kick off December with a home matchup against the Dons. This is the return game of a home-and-home series that began last season in San Francisco. In that contest, the Dons dominated ASU from tip to final buzzer in a lopsided 97-60 win. That victory proved to be the highlight of San Francisco’s season under first-year head coach Chris Gerlufsen. The Dons lost their top three scorers from last season but return key contributors like Marcus Williams, Isaiah Hawthorne, and Josh Kunen. The Dons also brought in an impressive transfer haul, which includes Malik Thomas (USC) and Mike Sharavjamts (Dayton).
Wednesday Dec. 6 | SMU | Home
SMU comes to Tempe for the second leg of a home-and-home series that began last season in Dallas. The Sun Devils cruised to an 18-point victory over the Mustangs in that contest, which was a microcosm of SMU’s disappointing season. The Mustangs stumbled to a 10-22 record last year under head coach Rob Lanier. However, the team returns three starters, including Zurich Phelps (17.5 PPG) and Samuell Williamson (9.3 PPG). They also added a solid transfer class, which includes Chuck Harris (Butler), Ja’Heim Hudson (Georgia State), and Tyreek Smith (Oklahoma State). As a result, it could be a bounce-back season for the Mustangs in 2023-24.
Saturday Dec. 9 | San Diego | Road
It could be another rough season for veteran head coach Steve Lavin, who took over the San Diego program last year. After finishing 11-20 and near the bottom of the WCC standings last season, Lavin must figure out how to replace the team’s top four scorers (who all graduated this past spring). If the Toreros have any chance of bouncing back this year, they’ll need a huge jump from rising juniors Wayne McKinney and Deuce Turner. This matchup is the return game of a home-and-home series that began last season in Tempe. The Sun Devils won that contest 91-67.
Saturday Dec. 16 | TCU | Road
The last time these two teams played, it ended in heartbreaking fashion for ASU. The Horned Frogs ended the Sun Devils’ season with this buzzer-beater shot in the NCAA Tournament. ASU is seeking revenge in this critical early-season matchup, which will be played in Forth Worth. TCU returns three of its top-six scorers from last year, including starters Emanuel Miller and Chuck O’Bannon. They also added talented transfers Avery Anderson III (Oklahoma State) and Ernest Udeh (Kansas) to the mix. The Horned Frogs, who are ranked no. 32 in Jon Rothstein’s preseason rankings, should be a contender in a stacked Big 12 Conference.
Wednesday Dec. 20 | Northwestern | Neutral-Site (*in Phoenix’s Footprint Center)
ASU wraps up the non-conference schedule with a tough matchup against Northwestern. The game, which will be held at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, home of the Phoenix Suns, is part of Jerry Colangelo’s Hall of Fame Series, which features a full slate of games throughout the day.
The Wildcats are coming off a special season, which culminated in the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. With three starters returning—Matthew Nicholson (6.3 PPG), Ty Berry (8.5 PPG) and All-Big Ten guard Boo Buie (17.3 PPG)—Northwestern is nicely positioned to return to the Big Dance next season. Transfers Ryan Langborg (Princeton) and Justin Mullins (Denver) add even more depth to the Wildcats’ rotation. Northwestern is ranked no. 34 in Rothstein’s preseason rankings.
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