# Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball

The Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Big 12 Conference.
The Arizona State Sun Devils have appeared in the NCAA tournament 17 times, including 3 Elite Eights (1961, 1963, 1975). They have won eight conference championships (four WAC, and four Border Conference) and finished in the final AP rankings seven times. The highest national ranking the Sun Devils have achieved is AP No. 3 under Bobby Hurley during the 2017–18 season and No. 3 under Ned Wulk during the 1980–81 season when the starting lineup included future NBA stars Byron Scott, Fat Lever, and Alton Lister.
38 ASU Sun Devils have been selected in the NBA draft, including eleven-time NBA All-Star James Harden, Byron Scott, Isaac Austin, Lafayette Lever, Alton Lister, Lionel Hollins, Sam Williams, Jeff Pendergraph, Mario Bennett, Tommy Smith, Ike Diogu, Eddie House, Freddie Lewis, and Joe Caldwell.

## History
### Bobby Hurley era

Arizona State is currently led by head coach Bobby Hurley (eight seasons), who replaced Herb Sendek. Sendek was credited for bringing a "basketball atmosphere" and level of excitement to Arizona State that had been absent for years. In his first four seasons at Arizona State, Sendek led the Sun Devils to three consecutive 20 win seasons, the 2009 Pac-10 conference tournament finals, and the second round of the 2009 NCAA tournament and 2014 NCAA tournament. Hurley, in turn, has taken the Sun Devils to the 2018, 2019, and 2023 NCAA Tournaments.
The Sun Devils earned a 3-seed and first-round bye in the Pac-12 Conference men's basketball tournament and were scheduled to play Washington State when the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was also canceled due to the pandemic. While the NCAA did not release seedings for the canceled tournament, the Sun Devils were projected by ESPN's Joe Lunardi in his end-of-season "Bracketology" to be a 9-seed. This would have been the first time since 1964 that the Sun Devils had made the tournament in three straight years.

## Record vs. Pac-12 opponents

Arizona State has the following all-time series records vs. Pac-12 opponents. The Sun Devils lead three series with conference opponents. (Note: the listed all-time series records include any non-conference matchups). Updated through March. 14, 2024.
| Opponent | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Streak |
| Arizona | 87 | 161 | (.351) | ARIZ 3 |
| Cal | 51 | 42 | (.548) | CAL 1 |
| Colorado | 12 | 16 | (.429) | COL 1 |
| Oregon | 47 | 49 | (.490) | ORE 2 |
| Oregon St. | 55 | 45 | (.550) | ASU 1 |
| Stanford | 44 | 54 | (.449) | STAN 1 |
| UCLA | 24 | 76 | (.240) | UCLA 5 |
| USC | 44 | 64 | (.407) | USC 1 |
| Utah | 28 | 37 | (.431) | UTAH 1 |
| Washington | 44 | 49 | (.473) | WASH 3 |
| Wash. St. | 47 | 42 | (.528) | ASU 1 |

## Postseason results
### NCAA tournament results

The Sun Devils have appeared in the NCAA tournament 16* (15) times. Their combined record is 14–17 (12-16). ASU's 1995 NCAA tournament appearance (2 wins, 1 loss) was vacated by the NCAA.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1958 | | Round of 24 | Idaho State | L 68–72 |
| 1961 | | Round of 24 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Seattle USC Utah | W 72–70 W 86–71 L 80–88 |
| 1962 | | Round of 25 | Utah State | L 73–78 |
| 1963 | | Round of 25 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Utah State UCLA Oregon State | W 79–75 $^{OT}$ W 93–79 L 65–83 |
| 1964 | | Round of 25 | Utah State | L 90–92 |
| 1973 | | Round of 25 Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place Game | Oklahoma City UCLA Long Beach State | W 103–78 L 81–98 L 80–84 |
| 1975 | | Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Alabama UNLV UCLA | W 97–94 W 84–81 L 75–89 |
| 1980 | 5 | Round of 48 Round of 32 | Loyola Marymount Ohio State | W 99–71 L 75–89 |
| 1981 | 2 | Round of 32 | Kansas | L 71–88 |
| 1991 | 8 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | Rutgers Arkansas | W 79–76 L 90–97 |
| 1995* | 5 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | Ball State Manhattan Kentucky | W 81–66* W 64–54* L 73–97* |
| 2003 | 10 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | Memphis Kansas | W 84–71 L 76–108 |
| 2009 | 6 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | Temple Syracuse | W 66–57 L 67–78 |
| 2014 | 10 | Round of 64 | Texas | L 85–87 |
| 2018 | 11 | First Four | Syracuse | L 56–60 |
| 2019 | 11 | First Four First Round | St. John's Buffalo | W 74–65 L 74–91 |
| 2023 | 11 | First Four First Round | Nevada TCU | W 98–73 L 70–72 |

### NIT results

The Sun Devils have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 13 times. Their combined record is 7–13.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1983 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) Second Round (Tempe, AZ) | Cal State Fullerton TCU | W 87–83 L 76–78 |
| 1990 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) | Long Beach State | L 71–86 |
| 1992 | First Round (Santa Barbara, CA) Second Round (Tempe, AZ) | UC Santa Barbara Utah | W 71–65 L 58–80 |
| 1993 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) | Georgetown | L 68–78 |
| 1994 | First Round (Provo, UT) | BYU | L 67–74 |
| 1998 | First Round (Honolulu, HI) | Hawaiʻi | L 73–90 |
| 2000 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) Second Round (Raleigh, NC) | New Mexico State NC State | W 83–77 L 57–60 |
| 2002 | First Round (Las Vegas, NV) | UNLV | L 91–96 |
| 2005 | First Round (Las Vegas, NV) | UNLV | L 78–89 |
| 2008 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) Second Round (Tempe, AZ) Quarterfinals (Tempe, AZ) | Alabama State Southern Illinois Florida | W 64–53 W 65–51 L 57–70 |
| 2010 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) | Jacksonville | L 66–67 |
| 2013 | First Round (Tempe, AZ) Second Round (Waco, TX) | Detroit Baylor | W 83–68 L 86–89 |
| 2015 | First Round (Storrs, CT) Second Round (Richmond, VA) | Connecticut Richmond | W 68–61 L 70–76 $^{OT}$ |

### NAIA tournament results

Arizona State appeared in the NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament twice. Their combined record is 2–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1948 | First Round Second Round | Northeast Missouri State Mankato State | W 68–66 L 53–54 |
| 1953 | First Round Second Round | East Tennessee State Nebraska Wesleyan | W 81–79 L 71–83 |

### Commissioners' Invitational results

Arizona State appeared in the National Commissioners Invitational Tournament once. Their overall record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1974 | First Round (St. Louis, MO) | Toledo | L 74–81 |

### Retired numbers

Arizona State Sun Devils retired numbers :
| No. | Player | Career | No. ret. | Ref. |
| 13 | James Harden | 2007–2009 | 2015 | |

#### Notes

* ↑ In 2020, Harden gave Josh Christopher permission to wear his retired #13 number.

## Honored jerseys

The Sun Devils have honored eight jerseys in program history, most recently Ike Diogu's 5 in 2022. Nevertheless, the numbers are active and available for use.
| No. | Player | Career |
| 5 | Eddie House | 1996–2000 |
| 5 | Ike Diogu | 2002–2005 |
| 11 | Byron Scott | 1979–1983 |
| 12 | Fat Lever | 1978–1982 |
| 13 | James Harden | 2007–2009 |
| 32 | Joe Caldwell | 1961–1964 |
| 33 | Lionel Hollins | 1973–1975 |
| 53 | Alton Lister | 1978–1981 |