Three weeks ago, Arizona State men’s basketball sat at 9-2 on the season following a miraculous come-from-behind victory over Santa Clara, which capped off a surprisingly strong start for a squad picked to finish last in the Big 12 preseason poll.

The early success created a sense of belief among ASU supporters and forced the rest of the Big 12 and national media to take notice.

Since then, the tone has shifted. The Sun Devils dropped the opening game of Big 12 play 95-89 to Colorado last Saturday, Jan. 3, and fell to 9-5 on the season.

The loss, which was ASU’s third straight stumble, raised red flags about its defense. 

The Sun Devils find themselves 259th in the nation in points allowed per game at 76.6, surrendering 86-plus points in five games this season.

So, what better way to test a skidding defense than to put it toe-to-toe with two of the best scorers in the country?

That’s precisely what ASU is tasked with this week, as the Sun Devils head north to face No. 9 BYU in Provo, Utah, on Wednesday, Jan. 7, before returning to the desert and welcoming Kansas State to Tempe on Saturday, Jan. 10.

After a run to the Sweet 16 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Cougars picked up where last year’s team left off, orchestrating an impressive 13-1 record.

The centerpiece of BYU’s scintillating start is freshman forward AJ Dybantsa, who is pouring in a nation-best 23.1 points per game. Dybantsa has dropped 22 or more points in seven straight contests, including a 33-point triple-double against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22.

A top prospect in this year’s upcoming NBA Draft, Dybantsa is on pace to become just the third freshman ever to win the national scoring title. The other players to achieve the feat are Jason Conley of VMI (29.3 ppg in 2001-02) and Trae Young of Oklahoma (27.2 ppg in 2017-18).

However, Dybantsa’s efficiency to this point sets him apart from Conley and Young’s seasons. While Conley and Young’s field goal percentages during their historic seasons failed to get within shouting distance of 50%, Dybantsa is connecting on 58.6% of his attempts from the field this season.

Dybantsa also gets a large chunk of his points from the charity stripe, currently ranking 18th in the nation in free throws made with 88. Limiting Dybantsa’s time at the line is crucial for an ASU squad that has battled with foul trouble all season long.

The efficiency of the Cougars’ young star opens the door for senior guard Richie Saunders and sophomore guard Robert Wright III, who average 18.2 and 16.3 points per game, respectively.

Saunders was a Sun Devil killer last season, averaging 28 points along with six rebounds in two matchups against ASU in 2025.

The task won’t get much easier for the Sun Devils' defense on Saturday, as Wildcats junior guard PJ Haggerty is sure to be the primary assignment in ASU’s tussle with Kansas State. After being named a second-team All-American last season at Memphis, Haggerty’s 23 points per game is tied for third in the country and trails Dybantsa by just a tenth of a point.

Haggerty is on his fourth team in as many years and started his collegiate career in the Big 12, spending a redshirt year at TCU. He broke onto the college basketball scene in his freshman year at Tulsa, then followed it up by dropping 21.7 points per game with the Tigers, finishing third in points per game nationally last season.

Despite Haggerty’s best efforts and a 5-0 start, the Wildcats have dropped five of their last nine games, including an 83-73 home loss at the hands of BYU to open up conference play on Saturday, Jan. 3.

Kansas State’s recent struggles included a shockingly dominant 82-66 defeat at home against Bowling Green on Dec. 1, with Haggerty limping his way to a 6-for-19 shooting night in the loss.

Haggerty is starting to find a groove again, though, stringing together three straight games with 24 points on 56.8% shooting from the field.

With how talented both Dybantsa and Haggerty are with the ball in their hands, this week will be a telling indicator of whether or not the Sun Devils' defense can keep up with the best of the best in the Big 12.