Why Arizona State's Budding Non-Conference Schedule is Significant

Sun Devils Not Shying Away From Competition

One of the hallmarks of former head coach Bobby Hurley's tenure was his commitment to scheduling challenging non-conference slates, including games against Kansas, Xavier, Florida, and other nationally relevant programs.

Bennett seems to be sticking to that foundation, as he already stated that ASU is set to take on UCLA and Oklahoma in the season ahead. Even if the UCLA game is the second half of a back-to-back, it seems Bennett is fully committed to playing his best on a regular basis, which is an extension of his effort to carry out his vision for the program.

ASU Will Have Many Opportunities To Earn Strong Victories

The NCAA tournament officially expanding to 76 teams opens the door for ASU to represent the Big 12 in 2026-27, as they would have qualified this past season under the same format. It's very likely the Sun Devils will have numerous opportunities to pick up quadrant one victories.

Having as many opportunities as possible to earn marquee wins is certainly going to be a plus for teams that are expected to be on the bubble - such as the Sun Devils; however, the most significant implication might rest in seeding.

Arizona State should be in a position to be a single-digit seed come March if the team receives ceiling-raising showings from players such as Dillan Shaw and wins more than a handful of key games as a result.

ASU Will Be Prepared for Big 12 Play

This is perhaps the most under-represented reason for scheduling a challenging non-conference slate: numerous Sun Devils are either transitioning from mid-majors to the power five, or power-five players who played sparingly last season, such as Marcus Vaughns.

Ben Defty is perhaps the best example of this, as the Patriot League star is making the largest jump in terms of competition faced on average. Playing teams that will ease the incoming stars in is the right move from Bennett.

Scheduling marquee opportunities out-of-conference is extremely important for a program's long-term growth throughout the season. Bennett should look to give ASU some marquee contests in 2026-27.