Nov 10, 2024; Spokane, Washington, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Alston Mason, left, shoots the ball against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Michael Ajayi (1) in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images James Snook-Imagn Images

Arizona State Basketball Announces Home Matchup Vs. Gonzaga

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 2:35 PM ET

Bobby Hurley has never shied away from scheduling challenging non-conference games as head coach of the Arizona State basketball program.

From Kansas when the program was a member of the Pac-12, to defending national champion Florida, and everything in between - the challenge has always been of key importance for the legendary collegiate point guard.

That isn't different in this case - as the Sun Devils are set to face the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Tempe on Friday, November 14 as an effective home-and-home series, as Arizona State traveled to Spokane last November.

This game will begin a massive homecoming weekend that will conclude with a Sun Devil football game against West Virginia the day after.

Back to basketball - this is a massive opportunity for Hurley to make an early statement early on in the final year of his contract, much akin to what was perceived last season when the Sun Devils nearly defeated the Bulldogs on the road.

Taking on the Zags at our place

Tip-off time will be announced at a later date.
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— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) July 18, 2025

Another intriguing storyline of this matchup is the return of two-year Sun Devil alum Adam Miller to Tempe.

The former LSU guard was a rare bright spot for Arizona State in the 2024-25 season, and opted to spend his final season of collegiate basketball elsewhere.

Arizona State is also set to face off with Oklahoma in December as part of the non-conference slate, so it can be assumed that Hurley will continue to work towards building a schedule that will prepare his roster for Big 12 play - something that Hurley alluded to when discussing how the upcoming roster was being built in June.

"It's one thing to say the Big 12 is a tough league, but to experience it, I figured we had to get more bodies, more size, more depth."

In a season that will be marred with uncertainty before the first game tips off - it's certain that Hurley is not cutting any corners when it comes to creating a path to the NCAA tournament for a roster that is almost entirely new.

Read more on projecting the 10 best players on Arizona State's roster going into the new season here, and on Sam Leavitt being selected as the Big-12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year here.

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This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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