Selection Sunday just wrapped up, with the NCAA unveiling its field of 68 teams for 2026 March Madness. Arizona State was nowhere close to the bubble, and athletics director Graham Rossini is actively working to find their next head coach.
However, Selection Sunday was not without relevance for the Sun Devils, as the results carried two major developments for two different coaches that have emerged as candidates in Tempe.
Randy Bennett will be busy
Arizona native Randy Bennett has been connected to the Arizona State job a few times in the past, and he's once again being connected to the job now. But the 63-year old coach will have more on his plate than just considering Arizona State.
For the fifth straight year, Bennett will be leading his Gaels to the NCAA Tournament, with St. Mary's slotting in as the seventh seed in the South Region. They'll face Texas A&M in Oklahoma City on Thursday.
The Sun Devils are hardly the first program to court Bennett over the years, as he's made the tournament 12 times as head coach. Yet, Bennett has opted to stay with St. Mary's each time, and there's nothing to suggest that won't remain the case this year.
Regardless of how interested Bennett may or may not be in the Sun Devils, timing now becomes a logistical challenge. Bennett will have just four days to prepare for the first round of the tourney, making it unlikely that an interview could happen before March Madness tips off.
If the Gaels manage to go on a run, that could also complicate things, as Rossini and Arizona State may not be content to wait. That will surely be something to monitor as the Sun Devils get into the final stages of this coaching search.
Eric Olen is officially available
Considered one of college basketball's rising stars, Eric Olen parlayed a 30-win season at UC San Diego - along with 240 career wins - into the New Mexico job, taking over for Richard Pitino. Despite having to replace virtually the entire roster, Olen's Lobos finished 23-10.
However, they lost three of their final four regular season games and were then bounced by San Diego State in the Mountain West semifinals. As a result of the poor finish to the year, New Mexico was shut out of the tournament after spending the final month oscillating between sides of the bubble.
That may be good news for Arizona State, as Olen's schedule is now freed up for an interview. It's unclear whether or not that will actually happen, but Olen was rumored to have already interviewed with Boston College, and the coach has exclusively been in the West Coast throughout his career.
Olen just completed his first year leading the Lobos, having previously spent every year of his career at UC San Diego. However, the athletics director that hired him a year ago just left for the same job at Colorado, and the university president is retiring in June of this year. Those leadership changes may have Olen eager for a fresh start of his own.
Whether that's Arizona State or somewhere else, Olen is now free to interview wherever and whenever. Could he choose to meet with Rossini, who grew up in Mobile, Alabama just like Olen? We'll find out soon.