The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (14-6, 8-1 Big 12) is set to head on the road to face rival ASU (12-8, 3-6 Big 12) on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. in Desert Financial Center. Entering this game, the Wildcats look to secure their fourth-straight win and fifth-straight road victory against the Sun Devils in Tempe.
Arizona’s most recent victory before this matchup came from an electric night in McKale Center after Caleb Love sank a 55-foot game-tying shot from beyond the midcourt logo to eventually beat No. 3 Iowa State University 86-75 on Jan. 27.
History vs. ASU
As Saturday marks the 249th meeting between the two programs, the Wildcats hold a strong 161-87 lead in the series record against the Sun Devils. The most recent matchup resulted in an 85-67 win for Arizona on Feb. 28 last season. Under head coach Tommy Lloyd, Arizona has won by double-figure in five of the last seven meetings.
The rivalry between Arizona and ASU began on Dec. 13, 1913, when the Wildcats hosted the matchup and claimed a 41-17 victory. In recent meetings, the Wildcats have won eight of the last nine meetings against ASU, including four in Sun Devil territory.
ASU players to watch
The Sun Devils are led by 10th-year head coach Bobby Hurley, who is extended to lead ASU through the 2025-2026 season after signing a contract extension in 2023. Entering the season in a new conference, the Sun Devils hold a 3-6 record in the Big 12 and are 2-3 in their last five matchups. However, ASU won its most recent battle against the University of Colorado Boulder, 70-68 despite being down two starters. Notably, the Sun Devils took on Iowa State before Colorado, losing 76-61 to the Cyclones.
Leading the victory against the Buffs, Adam Miller scored 18 points on 7-for-10 shootings in 39 minutes of play. This was Miller’s second time this season putting up 18 points for the Sun Devils, with the first being against the University of Florida on Dec. 14, 2024. Miller, a 6-foot-3 redshirt senior, averages 10.1 ppg, 2.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds per game and is one of six players who averages double-figures.
Alston Mason remains a consistent player for the Sun Devils, leading the team in minutes in 17 out of the 20 games played this season. Notably, Mason is up to 35.7 minutes per game, narrowly close with West Virginia’s University Javon Small (36.1) for the most minutes in the Big 12 and Top 50 nationally. Mason had 17 points in the victory against Colorado, going 5-of-9 from the field in 39 minutes. He leads ASU shooting 80 percent from the free-throw line and is the team’s third-leading scorer, putting up 11.6 points, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Wildcats to watch
Led by coach Lloyd, the Wildcats are 6-2 against Top 5 opponents. When facing ASU, Arizona has won five of the last seven matchups under Lloyd. After a stunning victory against Iowa State, Arizona is No. 15 in KenPom and No. 13 in NET rankings. The Wildcats are 23-11 in regular season conference road games under Lloyd, as Duke University is the only other program with a better winning percentage (25-10, .714).
Love remains a vital part of the Wildcat core, leading the team in scoring with 15.7 points per game, including a game-leading 22 points against Iowa State. Despite being 4-of-13 from beyond the arc that night, Love made two crucial 3-pointers in overtime, lifting Arizona to the 86-75 victory. Love, the former University of North Carolina Tarheel, has scored 2,437 career points, the fourth-most among active D1 players. Love contributes 4.4 rebounds and three assists per game. Through Big 12 play, he finds himself snatching 1.9 steals, the fourth most in the conference.
Tobe Awaka has continued to showcase his defensive prowess as a Wildcat, putting up his fourth double-double of the year and sixth of his career against Iowa State, scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds. Notably, he shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the field that night. Awaka quickly proved himself to be a defensive anchor for Arizona, leading the team and averaging eight rebounds per game alongside 7.9 points in 18.9 minutes of play.
Another Wildcat to look out for is Jaden Bradley, who is the Wildcats’ second team-leading scorer, putting up 11.3 points, four assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. Bradley also leads the team in steals, collecting 2.1 per game. The 6-foot-3 junior guard recorded a career-high seven steals against the Cyclones on Monday.
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