ASU Basketball: 2018 Week One Men’s Bracketology Update

For each week leading up to Selection Sunday, we’ll have a Bracketology update of where ASU basketball is projected to be seeded and who’ll they would face.

It feels like a long time ago when Arizona State was ranked No. 3 in the country and were undefeated heading into Pac-12 play.

Conference play has been a struggle for the Sun Devils as they have yet to win the first game of a Pac-12 weekend.

The Sun Devils, who were seeded as high as a one this season in some Bracketologies, have fallen quite dramatically as they enter their most crucial stretch of the season with a 17-6 overall record and 5-6 conference record.

Arizona State will host USC Thursday, UCLA Saturday and Arizona next Thursday. If the Sun Devils can take at least two of the three games, that will likely further solidify ASU’s spot in the Big Dance.

If ASU were to drop all three games at home, it will likely put the Sun Devils squarely on the bubble and the non-conference wins over Xavier and Kansas might not be enough.

In a Bubble Watch article published by ESPN’s John Gasaway, the Conference of Champions had zero locks, Arizona as the only team as “should be in” with Washington, Arizona State, USC and UCLA as team with work to do.

With that said, here are where various outlets have ASU in their latest Bracketologies:

ESPN: No. 9 seed (West Regional)

In Joe Lunardi’s most recent Bracketology, he has the Sun Devils in the West Regional heading to Nashville to face the nine-seeded Florida Gators. If Arizona State were to advance, they would likely face No. 1 Xavier, who the Sun Devils defeated 102-86 on Nov. 24.

Arizona State and Florida would be an evenly matched game as both teams lack size inside and rely heavily on their 3-point shooting.

The Sun Devils would actually like this draw and would feel confident getting into the Sweet 16.

CBS Sports: No. 8 seed (Midwest Regional)

Jerry Palm had Arizona State as the final eight-seed team as they would face Providence in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

If Arizona State were to defeat the Friars, they would likely face No. 1 seeded Purdue Boilermakers, who sit as the best Big Ten team with a 23-2 record and 12-0 in conference play.

Providence would be an easier draw than Florida, but the Sun Devils would have a much tougher draw against Purdue, who are a Final Four contender.

The Athletic: No. 7 seed (West Regional)

Stewart Mandel has the Sun Devils heading to Nashville to face the Missouri Tigers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a potential match-up with second-seeded Clemson in the second round.

Missouri is a well-balanced team who are coming off their first-ever win over Kentucky last Saturday and have played well considering potential NBA top-five pick, Michael Porter Jr., has played only two minutes this season.

Clemson would be a nice draw for the Sun Devils as well, but they would have to defend Clemson’s size in the post.

FOX Sports: No. 9 seed (South Regional)

Howie Schwab has the Sun Devils listed as a No. 9 seed to face Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a win sending them to a potential match-up with arguably the best team in the nation in the Virginia Cavaliers.

This is ASU’s hardest draw so far with the Sun Devils having to deal with the Aggies, who have underachieved this season but are now finally at full strength.

Next: ASU Basketball: Sun Devils frontcourt dominate the Cougs

If they were to get by A&M, Virginia has the best defense in the nation and it would be a battle of contrasting styles in the Sun Devils’ explosive offense versus the Cavaliers’ stout defense.