In 2024, the Sun Devils and Bulldogs faced off in Spokane, Washington, with then-ranked No. 23 Gonzaga narrowly edging out ASU 88-80.  

Now, both teams meet again on Friday, Nov. 14, with ASU holding the home-court advantage.

However, major personnel shakeup for each team adds drama to Friday’s matchup, as former Sun Devil senior guard Adam Miller, now with Gonzaga, will face his old team for the first time. 

Despite wearing a gray uniform, ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said he’ll always support Miller.   

“It's going to be a little weird seeing him in a different jersey and having coached him for a couple of years,” Hurley said. “He gave this program everything he had and (I'm) always rooting for him.”

Hurley’s Sun Devils have also seen their fair share of changes, welcoming 14 new faces to the program. While the roster turnover brought questions about competitiveness, ASU is 2-0 and forced at least 15 turnovers while allowing no more than 68 points per game.

Despite featuring a new roster, senior guard Maurice Odom offers some experience against Gonzaga. Friday marks Odom’s sixth career game against the Bulldogs, trying for his first win after seasons at Pacific and Pepperdine. 

Odom said Gonzaga poses a unique challenge on the court.  

“Their intensity from the jump ball is just super high, even their benches are into it,” Odom said. “They have a crowd everywhere they go, so it's just hard to really beat them. You're not just playing five, you're playing the coaching staff, you're playing the fans.”

One of those intense Gonzaga players is senior forward Graham Ike, who is a focal point possessing talent on both sides of the ball. Ike saw limited action in the last matchup and made strides to become one of the top players in the nation; however, the Sun Devils’ newly added depth and size will help contain him.

“I feel like our depth is going to match up well with them because we have five guys over six-foot-eight,” Odom said. “That’s like really physical. We got really fast and physical guards.”

Friday marks ASU’s first test of the young season and a chance to avenge last year's loss. Coming off four days' rest, the Sun Devils will be more than ready to play and go for the upset.

“We’re the underdogs, but in the locker were not looking at each other as underdogs,” Odom said. “We’re looking at each other as basketball players, they're basketball players. We bleed, they bleed. We win, they win. It's that simple. If we want it more, we're gonna win. It's that simple.”