Previewing Big Sunday Ahead for Arizona State Basketball

Both of the Sun Devil basketball programs are set to partake in huge games on Sunday.

Dec 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley reacts in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- It's certainly a nice feeling to have two basketball programs that are exceeding expectations in a time of major uncertainty for the Arizona State football program.

Bobby Hurley and Molly Miller are currently leading their respective teams to incredibly respectable starts in non-conference play - both hope that this continues on Sunday, when the men's basketball program is set to close out the non-conference slate, while the women's team is set to usher in a second season of play in the ultra-competitive league.

ASU on SI covers key developments and information for both games below.

Men's - Oregon State, 1 P.M.

ASU Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) drives into the lane against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 6, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Sun Devils need to bounce back in a major way tomorrow, as the program dropped from number 51 in the official NCAA NET rankings on Wednesday to 61 on Friday, making them a quintessential bubble squad once again.

Oregon State (6-6) is a former Pac-12 foe that sits at number 197 as of Friday, making this a "must-win" to avoid their first damaging loss of the season.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley talks to his team during a timeout in their game against the Georgia State Panthers at Desert Financial Arena on Nov. 17, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The status of guards Trevor Best and Bryce Ford is unclear for the game as well, so Hurley and co. might be going into this battle short-handed.

Arizona State-Oregon State is set for an early afternoon tip and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The lady Sun Devils are set to enter the foray into Big 12 play before 2026 even hits - as they face the 9-3 Colorado Buffaloes shortly after the conclusion of the men's game.

Miller is leading a team that enters league play with a 13-0 record, but she fully understands the challenge that Colorado presents.

Last-Tear Poa speaks to the media after practice at Weatherup Center on Oct. 29, 2025, in Tempe. | Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"They're good, they're really good, really well coached team," Miller said when asked by ASU on SI following Tuesday's practice.

"They're athletic. They're kind of like us. They'll pick you up on the full court. They'll divide passing lanes. They'll get after defensively. They like to run in transition. So it might be a track game more than a basketball game on Sunday, and sometimes that gets a little ugly. We're gonna try to keep it as clean as we can, but with the feistiness that both teams play and how hard both teams play, it's gonna be a dog fight."

The status of star forward McKinna Brackens will be closely watched in the coming days as well, as Miller labeled the junior as questionable for Sunday evening's game.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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