The non-conference slate of games for ASU features some quality opponents
On Sept. 29, the ASU Basketball Twitter account released the full schedule of games for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
Schedule is Set 🔜🏀
See you soon, Sun Devil Nation 😈 pic.twitter.com/UEg4ntvy8h
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) September 29, 2022
ASU has multiple Quadrant 1 opportunities
The era of the NET rankings has introduced the Quadrant system that heavily influences NCAA tournament selections and seedings. Each victory is evaluated on whether it occurred at home, at a neutral site, or on the road and where the opponent ranks in RPI (Ratings Percentage Index). Beating teams in the Quadrant 1 category goes a long way to securing a spot in the tournament and every athletic department keeps that in mind when putting together their non-conference schedule.
The ASU athletic department deserves some kudos for putting together a non-con slate that could set the Sun Devils up for future NCAA consideration. For a more thorough explanation of how the quadrant system works, try this.
At San Francisco, Dec. 21 – The Dons were a great team last season and finished the year ranked No. 30 in RPI. Expected to be a good team again in 2022-23, a win on the road for the Sun Devils would most likely count as a Quadrant 1 victory.
At Southern Methodist, Dec. 7- The Mustangs finished last season at No. 56 in RPI and are returning a similar squad. A victory here on the road would likely be another Quadrant 1 victory for ASU.
Creighton, Dec. 12 Neutral Site – The Bluejays had a successful season yet again in 2022-23 and finished at No. 33 in RPI. Since this game is at a neutral site in Las Vegas, a win here would count as another Quadrant 1 victory for the Sun Devils.
VCU, Nov. 16 Neutral Site/Legends Classic – No. 27 at the end of last season, ASU will face off against the Rams in the first game of the Legends Classic.
(Possible) Michigan, Nov. 17 Neutral Site/Legends Classic – This game is one of the potential matchups for ASU in the second round of the Legends Classic. A neutral site win over last season’s No. 41 team would likely garner the Sun Devils another Quadrant 1 victory.
The above represent several opportunities to secure important wins in the non-conference portion of play, but fellow Pac-12 members that finished in the Top 30 of RPI last season include UCLA and Arizona, which the Sun Devils will face a combined four times in 2022-23.
The average NCAA Tournament team that is not a conference auto bid secured more than 4 Quadrant 1 victories and the No. 1 seeds from 2021-22 all had ten or more.
ASU Basketball expected to improve in 2022-23
After a disappointing 14-17 finish last season, Bobby Hurley’s squad is expected to be competitive in the Pac-12. Most are predicting a top half finish in the conference for the Sun Devils, but that seems to be the floor for a program that added four impact transfers and is returning Marcus Bagley and three others with starting experience from last season’s team.
Frankie Collins, a transfer from Michigan, will hopefully provide a spark at point guard. The Cambridge brothers, Desmond (Brown/Nevada) and Devan (Auburn), add years of college experience and 7’0″ Warren Washington adds size that has been lacking on ASU’s roster for a while.
If Bobby Hurley can get this iteration of the Sun Devils to the peak of their potential, competing for the Pac-12 isn’t out of the question.
