PHOENIX - The 2025-26 men’s college basketball season is in full swing, and Arizona State is off to an expected 2-0 start to kick off head coach Bobby Hurley’s 11th year at the helm in Tempe.
ASU took care of business at Desert Financial Arena last week, defeating Southern Utah 81-64 on Nov. 4 and Utah Tech 81-66 on Nov. 9. However, the Sun Devils’ early success has been led by an unexpected star.
Freshman center Massamba Diop, who committed to ASU less than five months ago on June 18, has been the firestarter on offense. Diop averaged 16 points and 5 1/2 rebounds in the first two games of the season.
While Diop lives in the paint, the 7-foot-1 center possesses a crafty scoring ability from around the arc, including a highlight stepback 3-pointer to start the ASU scoring against Utah Tech.
Diop has showcased sky-high potential at just 18 years old, despite receiving no scholarship offers besides those from Hurley and the Sun Devils after playing two years for CB Gran Canaria, a professional team in Las Palmas, Spain.
However, Diop isn’t the only young talent in the frontcourt for ASU. Sophomore forward Santiago Trouet broke out against Utah Tech, as he tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds.
In the backcourt, senior guard Moe Odum picked up right where he left off in 2024 at Pepperdine. After finishing fourth in the nation in assists per game, 7 ½, last year, Odum has averaged 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds as a Sun Devil.
Alongside Odum, junior guard and Toledo transfer Bryce Ford has contributed 8 ½ points per game. The Scottsdale native spent two years with the Rockets before transferring back to his hometown.
In addition to the starting lineup, ASU’s bench has delivered high-volume scoring. Senior guard Anthony “Pig” Johnson is averaging 12 points per game, while senior forward Allen Mukeba has pitched in 10 1/2 points per game.
Although the Sun Devils are off to a fast start, Hurley’s team faces an uphill battle beginning on Nov. 14, as they welcome Mark Few and perennial power No. 19 Gonzaga to the Valley.
Since Few’s arrival in 1999, the Bulldogs have reached the NCAA Tournament in 26 straight seasons, appearing in two national championships along the way. Last season, Gonzaga won its 19th West Coast Conference championship of the millennium and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament before faltering to one-seed Houston.
The Bulldogs, like ASU, are 2-0, picking up wins over Texas Southern and Oklahoma. Before heading to the desert, Gonzaga hosts No. 23 Creighton on Nov. 11.
Senior forward Graham Ike, who has averaged a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, leads Few’s 2025 squad. Junior forward Braden Huff has also been a standout in the frontcourt for the Bulldogs, averaging 13 ½ points and seven rebounds.
Gonzaga also features a familiar face to college basketball fans in Phoenix. After a lengthy court dispute, junior guard Tyon Grant-Foster received another year of eligibility from the NCAA after transferring from local powerhouse Grand Canyon. Grant-Foster averaged 14 1/2 points and six rebounds in his first two games.
Although the Sun Devils and Bulldogs share very little in common, Odum is very familiar with Few’s team, as he spent his first three years facing Gonzaga while playing at Pacific and Pepperdine. Odum put together one of the best performances of his career last season against the Bulldogs, finishing with 24 points and eight assists and going 9-for-16 from the field. Yet the Waves fell just short of pulling off an upset, losing the game 89-82.
While ASU looks to improve from the forgettable result of last season, the Big 12 appears to be just as unforgiving.
No. 1 Houston is considered one of the favorites to win the national championship, while No. 5 Arizona rode a 30-point masterpiece from freshman forward and Chandler, Arizona, native Koa Peat to an upset victory over defending national champion Florida last week.
The freshman talent doesn’t end there. No. 7 BYU features freshman forward and top NBA draft prospect AJ Dybantsa alongside a flurry of returning players from last season’s team that reached the Sweet 16. The Cougars pulled out a gritty 71-66 victory over Villanova last week to kick off their season.
Although the odds are heavily stacked against a Sun Devils squad picked to finish last in the Big 12, their aggressive start has created an increased feeling of belief among players, coaches and fans alike. With a win on Friday against one of the most notable brands in college basketball, those beliefs could turn into reality for ASU.