Arizona State Dominates Utah Tech, Opens Season 2-0

The Sun Devils are now set to face Gonzaga on Friday night after the victory.

Arizona State Sun Devils Santiago Trouet (1) and Massamba Diop (35) attempt to block Southern Utah Thunderbirds Isaiah Cottrell (0) during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Nov. 4, 2025. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (2-0) remained undefeated to begin the 2025-26 season by defeating Utah Tech (2-2) by a score of 81-66 on Sunday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

Head coach Bobby Hurley is attempting to prepare his team for a heavyweight battle against the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Friday with a game against a WAC team that has started the season reasonably well.

Hurley opted for the same starting lineup as the season opener - with Moe Odum, Bryce Ford, Santiago Trouet, Andrija Grobovic, and freshman center Massamba Diop receiving starts.

First Half

Utah Tech's offensive versatility was apparent early on in the contest - but the Sun Devils' balance on their own end showed up in the first 20 minutes of the game. Diop continued his strong start to the season with 12 points, while forward Allen Mukeba pitched in with eight points of his own.

Odum hit a floater from around 20 feet out in the closing seconds of the first half after running into Mukeba.

The Sun Devils went into halftime with a 39-25 lead - putting forward a better showing in the first 20 minutes of the game compared to their counterpart in Tucson against the same team on Friday.

Second Half

The Sun Devils largely coasted through the final 20 minutes of the game, as they built up a 75-52 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the game behind a continued strong effort on both sides of the ball.

Utah Tech made a push late in the second half, as they went on a 13-0 run after to bring the ASU lead down to 75-65, although Hurley's team was ultimately able to close the game out in respectable fashion.

Arizona State has now opened year 11 of the Hurley era with back-to-back impressive victories, and are now seeking to surprise those around the college basketball world in non-conference play.

Key Performances

Massamba Diop - 18 PTS, 6 REB, 2 STL

Moe Odum - 14 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL

Allen Mukeba - 10 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST

Santiago Trouet - 13 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST

What's Next

The Sun Devils face Gonzaga on Friday night at 9 P.M. MST before hosting Georgia State on Monday night. They then embark on a week-long trip to Hawaii where they are set to face the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and to participate in the Maui Invitational tournament.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and three major takeaways following a gutsy win over Iowa State here

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