Non-conference schedule
Nov. 14 – Central Connecticut State
Nov. 17 – Rider
Nov. 23 – vs. St. John’s (Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament in Uncasville, CT)
Nov. 24 – vs. UMass/Virginia (Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament in Uncasville, CT)
Nov. 26 – at Princeton
Dec. 3 – at San Francisco
Dec. 7 – Louisiana
Dec. 11 – Prairie View A&M
Dec. 14 – Georgia
Dec. 18 – vs. Saint Mary’s (Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase in Phoenix, AZ)
Dec. 21 – Creighton
Dec. 28 – Texas Southern
Arizona State’s non-conference schedule starts later than everyone once as they will open their season against Colorado in China on Nov. 8. However, once they get going, there’s no shortage of intriguing and exciting games.
There are a handful of (projected) easy wins on the schedule, sure, including their first two games back from China and their final game before conference play. There’s also that stretch of four very winnable games from Nov. 26 through Dec. 11, but those road games against Princeton and San Francisco could be tricky. Princeton did beat the Sun Devils last year, after all, and San Francisco was one of the country’s better mid-major teams a season ago.
Arizona State’s biggest test – and their most intriguing game – is a looming date with Virginia as part of the Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament. The defending national champions are expected to take a small step back but will still be the highest-ranked team on the Sun Devils’ schedule.
Outside of that, we’ll get our best look at exactly how good Hurley’s squad is from Dec. 14-21.
Georgia has the projected top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft in Anthony Edwards, and he might be the best individual player Arizona State will play all year. Saint Mary’s might be ranked in the preseason top 25 and is projected to be a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. Creighton is also a fringe top 25 team with legitimate tournament aspirations.