Acrisure Classic Preview: UNM and Arizona State Feast Week Matchup
Photo: Erik Moulton/The Pit Press
You have a bench for a reason.
The UNM men’s basketball team throttled Texas Southern, 99-68, in The Pit on Sunday. The Lobos controlled the game from the jump and led by as many as 39 points late in the second half.
The Lobos were led by Tru Washington’s 19 points and ten rebounds and Mustapha Amzil scored 18.
But UNM got some help from the unusual suspects.
UNM head men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino unloaded his bench and as many as 11 of 12 players saw 8-plus minutes of playing time while every Lobo scored.
The 5-1 Lobos used the Sunday night tune-up game to prepare for this week’s MTE (multi-team event) in Palm Springs, CA - The Acrisure Classic. The Acrisure Classic is part of the Acrisure Series - the country’s largest MTE series, which will be held at the new 11,000-seat Acrisure Arena.
Arizona State and New Mexico's Thanksgiving night matchup will be preceded by USC and Saint Mary’s at 7 p.m.
Arizona State and New Mexico will meet for the 86th time, the first since 2012. The winner will get the winner of the USC/Saint Mary’s game on Friday, Nov. 29 at 9:30 p.m.
ACRISURE CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Thursday
USC vs Saint Mary’s - 7 p.m.
New Mexico vs Arizona State - 9:30 p.m.
Friday
Third Place Game - 7 p.m.
Championship Game - 9 p.m.
Arizona State Preview:
In an era where the transfer portal and NIL have changed the college basketball landscape, Arizona State is sticking with the old-school recruiting mentality and has found instant success.
However, ASU head men’s basketball coach Bobby Hurley still utilized the transfer portal. He sought key pieces to fill out this year's roster.
Jahid Bashir, the senior transfer from Ball State is averaging 12.7 points per game and six rebounds.
Alston Mason is a senior guard transfer from LSU and is averaging 13 points and three assists per game.
But it’s Hurley’s two true freshmen that are stealing the limelight.
Jayden Quaintance is one of the youngest players in college basketball (17 years old) but is playing like a veteran.
Quaintance is the highest-ranked recruit in Arizona State basketball history.
He originally committed to Kentucky but flipped to ASU when John Calipari left for the Arkansas job.
Quaintance is considered a lottery pick in the NBA Draft but isn’t eligible to declare until the 2026 season. Hurley will have the luxury of having him suit up as a Sun Devil for the next two seasons.
He’s averaging 7.7 points per game, seven rebounds, and 3.5 blocks. He’s had two games with 13 rebounds.
Hurley said Quaintance is one of the best players he has ever coached.
“I’ve always prided myself when I played on being able to sustain minutes and to be able to be a guy that could play 35-to-40 minutes without getting tired,” Hurley told Sports Illustrated. “Jayden (Quaintance) is far superior than I ever was in that regard or anybody I’ve ever coached. He just never stops. He’s relentless and goes after the basketball and plays with tremendous energy and passion. Very fortunate to have him in the program because he could easily be in a high school classroom somewhere right now.”
In addition to Quaintance, ASU has another rising star in the making. five-star and the No. 24 overall player in the 2024 recruiting cycle, Joson Sanon (originally committed to Arizona and Tommy Lloyd) joined Quaintance and the top recruiting class in Tempe.
The 6’5 guard has shown flashes of being a high-level scorer and deadly three-point shooter (51.7% from behind the arc). Sanon is averaging 14.3 points on the season and leads the Sun Devils in scoring this season (has logged at least 18-plus points in 3 games). On November 18th, Sanon was named Big-12 Co-Newcomer of the Week.
The Arizona State Sun Devils are 5-1 (KenPom 65) and have the 71st ranked offensive efficiency rating in the country. They rely heavily on 3-point makes (38.1% of their offense comes from 3-pointers).
Their defensive efficiency ranks 68th in the country and 35th in block percentage (primarily because Quaintance is averaging just over 3 per-game.
ASU has one quality Top-50 matchup under their belt in a 88-80 loss to #3 Gonzaga on the road. Hurley’s bunch went blow-for-blow with the Zags and even led 63-59 with just under 10-minutes left in the second half. Bashir led the Sun Devils with 22 points.
They also have two Top-100 quality showings in wins over Santa Clara (KenPom 104) and Grand Canyon (KenPom 96).
Aside from the early-season matchup at Gonzaga, the Sun Devils will get their 2nd toughest opponent thus far in New Mexico (KenPom 56) on Thursday evening.
ASU (5-1)
Coach: Bobby Hurley
Notable games:
ASU 81, Santa Clara 74
Gonzaga 88, ASU 80
ASU 87, Grand Canyon 76
Key Players:
Jayden Quaintance: 6’9 Freshman F - 7.7 PPG, 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.
Joson Sanon: 6’5 Freshman Guard - 14.3 PPG and 4 rebounds. Started 3 games. Leading scorer and primary 3-point shooter.
Basheer Jihad: 6’9 Senior F (transfer from Ball St.) - 12.7 PPG, 6 rebounds, Can shoot the 3, 34% career shooter. Scored 22 vs Gonzaga.
BJ Freeman: 6’6 Senior G (transfer from Milwaukee) - 11.5 PPG, 4.5 rebs, and 2.7 assists. 34% career 3-point shooter.
Alston Mason: 6’3 Senior G (transfer from Montana St.) 13 PPG , 3 assists. 39% from 3- point range this year on almost 4 attempts a game.
Adam Miller: 6’3 Senior G (played at LSU and ILL) - 9.5 PPG, 3 assists, shooting 44 % from 3 this year on 4.5 attempts a game.
Saint Mary’s (5-1)
Coach: Randy Bennett
Notable games:
St. Mary’s 77, Nebraska 74
St. Mary’s 86, 74 Chattanooga
Key Players:
Paulius Muraauskas: 6’8 Soph F (transfer from Arizona) - 16 PPG and 11 rebounds, 2 assists.
Augustas Marciulonis: 6’4 Senior G - 14 PPG and 6.4 assists. 38% from 3.
Mikey Lewis: 6’3” Freshman G - 14 points and 2 rebounds.
Luke Barrett: 6’6 Senior F - 11 PPG and 7 rebounds. 33% from 3.
Mitchell Saxen: 6’10 Senior C - 7 PPG and 5.6 rebounds.
Jordan Ross: 6’3 Soph G - 7 PPG and 2 assists.
UNM (5-1)
Coach: Richard Pitino
Notable games:
UNM 72, UCLA 64
St. John’s 85, UNM 71
Key Players:
Donovan Dent: 6’2 Junior Guard -. 18 PPG and 8.6 assists on 54% FG.
Nelly Junior Joseph: 6’10 Senior C - 15.4 PPG, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks.
Mustapha Amzil: 6’9 Senior F - 11.8 PPG, 7.4 rebounds, and 31% from 3.
Tru Washington: Soph G, 6’4”. Averaging 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3 steals.
CJ Noland: 6’4 Senior G (Transfer from North Texas, Oklahoma) - 10.2 PPG and 3 rebounds.
USC (4-1)
Coach: Eric Musselman
Notable Games:
California 71, USC 66
USC 82, San Jose St. 68
Key Players:
Saint Thomas: 6’7 Senior F (Transfer from Northern Colorado) - 9.4 PPG, 5.6 rebounds, and 6 assists. 31% from the 3-point range for his career.
Josh Cohen: 6’10 Senior F (6th-year player, transfer from UMass) - 10 PPG and 2.6 rebounds.
Desmond Claude: 6’6 Junior G (Transfer from Xavier) - 12.6 PPG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 30% from 3.
Terrance Williams: 6’7 Senior F (Transfer from Michigan) - 15 PPG, 4 rebounds, 46% from 3.
Wesley Yates: 6’4 Soph G - 12 PPG and 1.6 assists. 27% from 3.
Chibuzo Agbo: 6’7 Senior G (Transfer from Boise St.) - 10 PPG and 4 rebounds.
Matt Knowling: 6’6 Senior F (Transfer from Yale) - 7.5 PPG and 4.3 rebounds.
UP NEXT: New Mexico vs. Arizona State (Acrisure Classic - Palm Springs, CA)
Time: Nov. 28 at 9:30 p.m.
Location: Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, Calif.
Listen: Lobo Radio Network
Watch: Max/Tru TV
