Five Big 12 schools are ranked in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, and Arizona State will play three of them in the final two weeks of the regular season.
The Sun Devils (13-14 overall, 4-12 Big 12) are just 1-5 against ranked teams this season, with the lone win coming against then-No. 23 West Virginia, which dropped out of the rankings the following week.
On Wednesday, ASU welcomes AP Top 25 newcomer BYU to Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona, where the Sun Devils are just 1-7 in Big 12 play. The Cougars climbed into the Top 25 following their 96-95 victory Saturday over Arizona, which fell from No. 19 to No. 22 after the loss.
Following a trip to Salt Lake City to take on Utah on Saturday, Arizona State closes out the regular season next week with a road game against the rival Wildcats (Tuesday, March 4) and the home finale vs. No. 10 Texas Tech (Saturday, March 8).
It's a daunting final stretch of games in a disappointing season for the Sun Devils, who were receiving votes in the AP Top 25 in early December when they were 9-2.
ASU's season spiraled out of control in conference play, where wins for the Big 12 newcomer have been hard to come by. The Sun Devils have beaten only three Big 12 teams — collecting two wins against conference cellar-dweller Colorado and earning road victories at West Virginia and Kansas State.
Houston stays hot
Houston climbed to No. 4 in this week's AP rankings following its 68-59 victory over now-No. 9 Iowa State on Saturday. The Cougars then traveled to Texas Tech for an encore Monday night and avenged their lone Big 12 loss with a 69-61 victory in Lubbock, Texas.
Houston also has clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title and the No. 1 seed at the Big 12 men’s basketball championship March 11-15 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas
City, Missouri.
The Cougars have won 13 consecutive Big 12 road games dating back to last season, which is the longest in the conference's history. Houston also is the nation's only undefeated team in true road games this season.
2024-25 Big 12 men's basketball standings
School | Big 12 Record | Overall Record | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|
Houston | 15-1 | 23-4 | Won 6 |
Texas Tech | 12-4 | 21-6 | Won 1 |
Arizona | 12-4 | 18-9 | Lost 1 |
Iowa State | 11-5 | 21-6 | Lost 1 |
BYU | 10-6 | 19-8 | Won 4 |
Kansas | 9-7 | 18-9 | Won 1 |
TCU | 8-8 | 15-12 | Lost 1 |
Baylor | 8-8 | 16-11 | Lost 2 |
West Virginia | 7-9 | 16-11 | Lost 1 |
Utah | 7-9 | 15-12 | Lost 1 |
Kansas State | 7-9 | 13-14 | Lost 3 |
Cincinnati | 6-10 | 16-11 | Won 1 |
Oklahoma State | 5-11 | 13-14 | Lost 1 |
UCF | 5-11 | 14-13 | Won 1 |
Arizona State | 4-12 | 13-14 | Won 1 |
Colorado | 2-14 | 11-16 | Won 1 |