THIS. IS. MARCH.
The madness has yet to officially begin, but the Big 12 Tournament has kicked off and Arizona State is preparing for their turn. Despite being the 15th seed in a 16 team bracket, the Sun Devils are well-positioned to make a Cinderella run.
They draw Kansas State tonight in their first game ever in the Big 12 Tournament. Ironically, their last win came against the Wildcats, beating them handily to the tune of a 66-54 final score in Kansas. They split the series, losing by one point in Tempe after freshman big Jayden Quaintance missed two free throws in the final seconds.
Of all the teams for the Sun Devils to draw in this first round, Kansas State is perhaps the best matchup. They were dangerously close to sweeping this team in the regular season, so Bobby Hurley's team knows it can hang with them.
The Wildcats, led by third year head coach Jerome Tang, feature four players who average double digit points in their lineup. This year marks Tang's first losing season in Manhattan, finishing 15-16, and they've been one of the worst offenses from three all year.
Meanwhile, the Sun Devils have been one of the better three point shooting teams, at least in the Big 12. That said, they're severely undermanned: leading scorer BJ Freeman was dismissed last month and Quaintance is expected to miss this game with a knee injury. Adam Miller has been in and out with various injuries over the past month, but Hurley has said he's going to give it a go in this one.
The Sun Devils have also lost four in a row and the team morale is at an all-time low as speculation continues to swirl around Hurley's job security. Can they band together and make some noise in Kansas City for their coach, or will the pressure be too much?
How to watch Arizona State vs Kansas State
The Sun Devils and Wildcats tip off at 6:00 PM CDT at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The game will air on ESPN+ (subscription required). Roxy Bernstein will be on air for the play-by-play with King McClure providing color commentary.
Betting information
Arizona State enters this game as underdogs, as Kansas State is a 5.5-point favorite, according to DraftKings sportsbook.
The Sun Devils are +205 on the moneyline, while the Wildcats are -250.
The over/under on total points is 143.5.