(Irving, TX) Big 12 play is here for Sun Devil basketball, and the teams coming to Tempe and where Bobby Hurley’s squad is going is now known. A Big 12 record and nation-high tying eight teams were selected for the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and several of those teams are coming to Tempe.
SUN DEVIL BIG 12 HOME GAMES IN 2024-25 AT DESERT FINANCIAL ARENA
Arizona (2024 NCAA Tournament and 2024 Pac-12 champion)
Baylor (2024 NCAA Tournament and 2021 NCAA champion)
BYU (2024 NCAA Tournament)
Colorado (2024 NCAA Tournament)
Houston (2024 NCAA Tournament and regular season title holder earned a No. 1 seed in its first year in the Big 12)
Iowa State (2024 NCAA Tournament, won the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship and was a No. 2 NCAA seed)
Kansas State (2024 NIT after Elite Eight in 2023)
TCU (2024 NCAA Tournament)
Texas Tech (2024 NCAA Tournament)
UCF (2024 NIT)
WHO DO WE PLAY AT HOME AND AWAY?
ASU will play home and away against five schools, as Arizona, BYU, Colorado, Kansas State and Texas Tech will each make the trip to Tempe and ASU will visit Tucson, Provo, Boulder, Manhattan and Lubbock.
THAT LEAVES THESE FIVE TEAMS WHO DON’T VISIT TEMPE BUT WE GO THERE
ASU will make trips to Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Cincinnati and West Virginia.
IOWA STATE AT HOME IS A GOOD THING
Iowa State is a fantastic hoops program, but also don’t sleep on there nearly 4,000 Iowa State alumni living in Phoenix. You can read more about that here, but just know its fans travel and some of them are here already.
BYU BACK ON THE HOME SCHEDULE
BYU returns to Desert Financial Arena for the first time in a while, and it will be good to have it on many Big 12 schedules in all our sports. Its community ties run deep in Arizona. Check out this story that details it.
2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES
The Big 12 had a No. 1 seed for the fourth consecutive year and for 16th season out of 27. Two teams were in the top two seed lines for the ninth occasion, including the third straight year. Heading into postseason play, the Big 12 posted the nation’s best NET average (46.2) and strength of schedule (39.6). The Big 12 was the only league with 10 teams in the top 46 of the NET.
HOW MANY TEAMS USUALLY GET IN NCAA TOURNAMENT FROM THE BIG 12.
At least seven Big 12 teams have played in the Big Dance in seven of the last 10 tournaments. The Big 12 has had six or more NCAA Championship teams in 10 of 27 years, including 11 seasons since 2012. From 2014-24, the Big 12 has had 68 selections, the third-best total of any conference.
NCAA TITLES
The Big 12 has captured two national championships in the previous three years to 2024, with Baylor winning the 2021 title and Kansas bringing home the 2022 trophy. Conference teams have played in four of the past five Final Fours, including three national championship game appearances.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Connor Smith