Arizona State among Pac-12 teams struggling with move to Big 12 basketball
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As good as the move to the Big 12 was for the Arizona State football program, the men's and women's basketball teams have been on the opposite end of the scale.
Entering the weekend, Bobby Hurley's team is 3-12 in the Big 12 and in second-to-last place. The ASU women's team is 2-13 in conference and one game out of the cellar.
Whether it's the travel schedule, the physical play or the step up in competition — or a combination of all three — Arizona State is not the only former Pac-12 basketball program who has struggled with the transition to the Big 12.
ASU, Colorado have crumbled
On the men's side, Colorado, Arizona State and Utah are all below .500 in the Big 12. Utah (15-11, 7-8) has won two in a row, but the Utes are well outside of the NCAA Tournament picture and need to win the Big 12 Tournament to get a March Madness berth.
Both Arizona State and Colorado have completely fallen apart in conference play. The Sun Devils had a promising start to the season and were 9-2 entering conference play. But since Big 12 play started on New Year's eve, the Sun Devils have won just three games — and two were against Colorado. The only true Big 12 win for ASU came in a 65-57 victory at West Virginia on Jan. 21.
Colorado (10-16, 1-14) had a similarly promising start to the season. The Buffaloes were 9-2 in nonconference play, including a stunning upset of UConn. Then they lost 13 consecutive games to start Big 12 play before finally picking up their first victory on Feb. 15.
Arizona (18-8, 12-3) is the only former Pac-12 team thriving. The Wildcats struggled in nonconference play, starting 4-5, then turned it on in late December. Since Dec. 18 Arizona has been one of the best teams in the country. The Wildcats are 14-3 over that span and are projected to be a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona State women have lost 12 straight
On the women's side, only the Sun Devils (8-19, 2-13) have been a disaster in Big 12 play.
After winning two of its first three Big 12 games, Arizona State has lost 12 consecutive contests — and several have been blowouts. The Sun Devils have lost by 36 to Utah, by 30 to West Virginia and by 23 to Kansas.
Utah (20-6, 11-4) has been the bright spot. The Utes are ranked No. 22 in the NCAA NET Rankings and projected to be a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Colorado (17-9, 8-7) and Arizona (16-12, 7-8) have been competitive and are on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Both made the tournament last season as members of the Pac-12, with Colorado advancing to the Sweet 16.
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-66e6aeb5014b4c4eeac84ca997f034c9.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.
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