LAS VEGAS – Arizona State basketball isn’t over the hump yet to becoming a top-50 team, but the crest at least is in sight.
ASU dropped to 1-10 against top 50 opponents Thursday, losing 80-57 to No. 5-ranked Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal, but showed over Bobby Hurley’s second coaching season how far it has progressed against elite opponents.
The Sun Devils were not competitive against nationally ranked teams early in the season – losing by 46 to Kentucky and 33 to Purdue – but for a half in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal, it looked like they would take Oregon to the wire for the second time.