Reviewing Where Arizona State Basketball Stands in Key Metrics

The Sun Devils remain out of range for the tournament, but have potential to regain their footing.

Dec 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona State University Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) dribbles down court against Oklahoma University Sooners forward Tae Davis (13) in the second half at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Images | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Arizona State is moving into what might be the most consequential week of their 2025-26 season in the coming days.

The 10-8 Sun Devils are slated to take on two Big 12 foes seen as having an even footing in the league in West Virginia and Cincinnati at home over the next week - the tides are shaping up in a manner that Arizona State must win at least one of the games to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive.

Arizona State on SI takes a look at what key metrics are saying about Sun Devil basketball going into the massive two-game slate below.

NCAA NET: 88

NET rankings are the metric that is most closely followed by the selection committee as far as at-large selections and seeding is concerned each March.

The Sun Devils' standing of 88 as of Monday is reflected in the 103-73 loss to the Houston Cougars on Sunday - they are 12 spots lower than the lowest-ranked at-large selection in the era of utilizing the metric.

The team has several opportunities to raise their profile in the weeks ahead, including games against elite teams such as Texas Tech, while also closely following the performance of non-conference foes such as Texas, Oklahoma, and Santa Clara.

Jan 10, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils forward Allen Mukeba (23) against the Kansas State Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

KenPom: 86

KenPom is a metric tool that is still respected and taken into account by various figures in the media world - with Arizona State coming out a bit more favorably here compared to in the NET.

Offensive Rating: 60

Jan 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Bryce Ford (4) dribbles the ball during the first half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona State's bread and butter all season has been on the offensive side of the ball. The Sun Devils average 80.4 points per game, including three standouts that have scoring outputs of at least 14 points per night.

The Sun Devils have found consistent success with intentional offensive sets, being able to run the offense through a point guard as experienced as Moe Odum, and being a standout shooting team for much of the season.

While the offense has had moments of inconsistency as of late, they were able to muster 73 points against a Houston defense that went into the game on Sunday giving up less than 60 points a night.

Defensive Rating: 137

Arizona State's defense is where the team frequently falls short - while individual players such as Massamba Diop stand out, the injuries have prevented a unit that is consistently in sync on that end, while issues such as foul trouble has stunted lineups with real potential.

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.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

Please follow us on X when you click right here, as well as @khicks_21 for nonstop Arizona State coverage!