Read more for a full Arizona State vs Kansas State prediction.
Arizona State basketball looks to drop a six-game losing streak on the road against Kansas State in Manhattan. It will be the second meeting of the season between the two sides, with the Wildcats taking the first game 71-70 in Tempe on Feb. 4 after trailing by 16 early in the first half.
General Information:
Teams: Arizona State (12-14, 3-12 Big 12) and Kansas State (13-13, 7-8 Big 12)
Tip Time: 4 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: KTAR News 92.3 FM
Latest on Kansas State basketball:
The Wildcats entered Tempe with a three-game win streak. That extended to six with wins against Kansas and Arizona at home. However, they have struggled on the road with two losses in The Beehive State: 80-65 to BYU on Feb. 15 and 74-69 to Utah last Monday.
“In Utah, there were some things that got revealed…about the physicality of the league and how guys allow to play us,” Kansas State Jerome Tang told reporters ahead of Sunday’s game.
Junior guard Brendan Hausen led the way against the Utes with 17 points, which included a 5-for-11 showing from beyond the arc. Senior guard Max Jones and junior guard Dug McDaniel followed with 13 points. Senior wing David N’Guessan, the team’s leading scorer, was held to seven points.
McDaniel and N’Guessan are two players that the Maroon and Gold remember. McDaniel scuffled with Arizona State’s redshirt senior guard Adam Miller when the teams met at Desert Financial Arena, leading to Miller’s ejection from the game. N’Guessan led the visitors with 22 points in that matchup.
Despite the surge in Big 12 play, Kansas State will most likely have to make the NCAA tournament by winning the conference. This was projected by JBR Bracketology on X, who “eliminated” it on Jan. 14 due to its poor non-conference results.
Latest on Arizona State basketball:
The losses continue to mount for the Sun Devils, who lost 80-65 to No. 5 Houston on Tuesday night. It marked the seventh consecutive loss for them at Desert Financial Arena, which is second-longest since the venue’s opening in 1974.
“It’s home court, you know, everyone’s supposed to win at home,” Arizona State senior guard Alston Mason told reporters after the loss. “We’ve given up a lot of games where it’s come down to two, three, four (or) five points. Those are the ones that hurt the most.”
Despite the recent doldrums, Mason continues to shine, with a season-high 26 points on Tuesday night. That included going 4-for-5 on three-point attempts and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. He has scored at least 20 points in three of the past five games.
Head coach Bobby Hurley brought freshman forward Jayden Quaintance back into the lineup after the five-star recruit missed two games with an ankle injury. However, the 17-year-old underperformed with a scoreless outing accompanied by only two rebounds and two assists.
“He just didn’t have, in my estimation, the same explosiveness that I would normally see,” Hurley said. “That’s why I chose to shut him down in the second half. Hopefully, these next seven days will be helpful for him.”
Additionally, Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini announced on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Tuesday morning that there may be a “multi-year” renovation coming to Desert Financial Arena soon.
Arizona State vs Kansas State prediction: Wildcats by 10 (74-64)
While Quaintance only scored three points in the first game against Kansas State, the Maroon and Gold should still struggle, as they will be away from home for this clash. The Sun Devils have only two true road wins this season: Jan. 21 against West Virginia and Jan. 28 against Colorado.