Previewing Massive Week Ahead for Arizona State Basketball

The Sun Devils are playing a pair of key Big 12 games in the days ahead.

Jan 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Noah Meeusen (right) celebrates a play with Anthony Johnson against the Colorado Buffaloes in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Bobby Hurley's Arizona State Sun Devils are officially reeling.

The Sun Devils are now 9-5 and in the midst of a three-game losing streak following a 95-89 loss to the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday afternoon.

The silver lining in the loss is that the team fought back and nearly won despite only rolling out an eight man rotation, although there isn't much let-up in the weeks to come - this includes a major two-game stretch that is within sight this week.

Arizona State on SI previews the impending matchups below - one of which is a road battle against a top 10 opponent, while the weekend game is a return home against another squad that is struggling as of late.

Tuesday @ BYU

BYU is currently shaping up to be one of the four best teams in the league alongside Arizona, Iowa State, and Houston. Second-year head coach Kevin Young has built up an absolute machine in Provo, cultivating a balanced roster around a "big three" that has contributed to the Cougars' elite offensive output.

AJ Dybantsa was a top-three recruit in the 2025 class and has been every bit as great as expected. The freshman has averaged 32.1 PPG and 7.2 RPG while shooting an astonishing 58.6% from the floor. Dybantsa is joined by senior Richie Saunders, who is averaging 18.2 PPG while shooting 38.9% from behind the arc. Robert Wright III rounds out the dynamic trio - the sophomore transfer from Baylor is averaging 16.3 PPG and 5.5 APG while shooting a blistering 47.3% from three-point range.

Young has as many as six other reliable rotation players that contribute amongst the margins, with the home crowd in Provo being among the best in college basketball as well.

Jan 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) against the Colorado Buffaloes in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Saturday vs. Kansas State

Kansas State - much in the same spirit as ASU - is attempting to carve out an identity early on in conference play.

The Wildcats lost to BYU by a score of 83-73 on Saturday, and have struggled mightily to generate stops on the defensive side of the ball.

Jerome Tang's squad is very potent offensively, which is headlined by senior PJ Haggerty, who is averaging 23 points per contest thus far. Four other players average double figure scoring numbers, with a major drop-off after the top five scorers.

Kansas State and Arizona State are slated for a tip-off time of 1 P.M. MST, with the broadcast set to be on the streaming app Peacock.

Dec 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) defends Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) as he drives to the basket in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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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