Previewing Arizona State-Gonzaga From Opponent's Perspective

Q: Tyon Grant-Foster and Adam Miller were stars for GCU/ASU over the last few seasons. How have they fit into the program. Has Miller spoke about what returning to ASU means to him after Bobby Hurley went to great lengths to secure his eligibility in the past?

A: Miller did show some respect to Arizona State following the Creighton game and said he was looking forward to playing in Desert Financial Arena again. He previously talked about his eligibility saga right after Grant-Foster’s preliminary injunction, indicating he understood some of the emotions Grant-Foster was experiencing while wondering if he was going to be able to play college basketball again.

Despite the Sun Devils’ roster turnover, Miller expected a Bobby Hurley-coached team to play like a Bobby Hurley-coached team. Miller shot the ball well in that system, and after going 0-for-3 against Creighton, he said hopefully going back down to Arizona will bring different results.

Q: Graham Ike vs Massamba Diop is likely going to be a particular matchup that is key to determining the outcome of the game. Has Ike shown growth in any area that was unexpected and how does he factor into the matchup?

A: Ike spent a lot of the offseason working on his perimeter game — as evidenced by his big night against Creighton. Going 4-for-4 from downtown wasn’t in his wheelhouse previously, but he made the Bluejays pay for giving him so much space at the top of the arc. It’ll be intriguing to see how the Sun Devils game plan for Ike after that performance.

At the very least, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them double-team him in the post. Creighton’s strategy yielded mixed results — Ike wasn’t able to get any shot he wanted, but he still started 7-for-7 from the field and wasn’t flummoxed into turnovers like the Bluejays wanted.

Q: What has Gonzaga’s transition to the new Pac-12 looked like? Does this open the door for even more scheduling with power-five programs such as ASU in the future?

A: This is the Zags’ final year in the West Coast Conference, and based on their nonconference schedule, it certainly feels like Mark Few and the staff could be preparing their team for tougher league competition. Granted, Gonzaga’s been able to get big-time opponents on its slate for years now — Kentucky, UConn, UCLA, Baylor, Alabama and Texas are just a handful of the top-25 teams the Bulldogs have arranged multi-year series with in recent memory.

But those premier matchups usually have to offset their league games. Once they’re in the Pac-12 next season, along with NCAA Tournament regulars San Diego State, Boise State and Utah State, Few’s scheduling habits should create even more compelling matchups for the Zags from start to finish.

Q: Is Arizona State being ‘overlooked’ in the peripheral of Tuesday’s Creighton game? The Sun Devils weren’t expected to accomplish much before the season began, but have looked quite competent thus far, especially offensively.

A: Personally, I was a bit shocked the Sun Devils came in last in the Big 12 preseason poll. Hurley and company lost a lot of talent but it feels like they’re always competitive, even going back to the old Pac-12 days. There’s always the possibility for a first, but Arizona State has never finished at the bottom of the conference standings under Hurley, so I don’t have much reason to believe it’ll happen this season.

That said, I don’t get the impression Gonzaga is overlooking Arizona State, especially with how competitive last season’s contest was at the Kennel. Few recognized the 942 Crew’s reputation after the Creighton game and pointed out how amped the crowd will be to have the Zags in town. And it’ll be Gonzaga’s first true road test of the season, which hasn’t always come out in the Zags’ favor over the past few seasons (they lost their first road game in 2022 and 2023).

Q: What is your ultimate game prediction?

A: Gonzaga 82, Arizona State 68 It’ll be a competitive game out of the gate but the Zags’ depth proves to be too much to handle down the stretch, paving the way for a double-digit win on the road. I’m not sure if the Sun Devils can get to 70 points — no one has crossed that threshold against Gonzaga this season — but it wouldn’t be surprising if they find a rhythm on their home floor and make it a closer game.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and three major takeaways following a gutsy win over Iowa State here