Arizona State Hosts Utah in Big 12 Matchup

Sun Devils look to improve tournament profile with win over struggling Utes

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Arizona State Sun Devils will host the Utah Utes in a Big 12 Conference men's basketball game on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona. Arizona State, currently 14-14 overall and 5-10 in conference play, is a 6.5-point favorite over the 10-18 (2-13 Big 12) Utes. The Sun Devils are hoping to boost their NCAA Tournament chances with a win over the lower-ranked Utes.

Why it matters

This game is important for Arizona State's postseason hopes, as a loss to the struggling Utes could hurt their NCAA Tournament profile. Utah, on the other hand, is looking to play spoiler and pull off an upset on the road against their conference rival.

The details

Arizona State's defense has struggled this season, ranking 313th in the nation in points allowed per game at 78.9. They also rank near the bottom in other defensive categories like 3-point percentage allowed and free throw percentage allowed. The Sun Devils will need to tighten up defensively to slow down a Utah team that has been inconsistent offensively. For the Utes, this represents a chance to pick up a marquee road win and potentially play their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation.

  • The game will tip off at 1:30 p.m. MST on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

The players

Arizona State Sun Devils

The Arizona State Sun Devils are the men's basketball team of Arizona State University, competing in the Big 12 Conference.

Utah Utes

The Utah Utes are the men's basketball team of the University of Utah, also competing in the Big 12 Conference.

Bobby Hurley

Bobby Hurley is the head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Utah is a must-win for the Sun Devils. The Utes currently sit below 100 in the NCAA NET rankings ... which would constitute another bad loss on Arizona State's tournament profile.”

— Kevin Hicks (azcentral.com)

“The Arizona State defense concedes 35.5% on shots from beyond the arc (236 of 664) and opponents are knocking down 74.8% of their free throw attempts. They surrender 15.1 dimes and 35.8 boards per game, which is ranked 296th and 270th in those defensive categories. The Sun Devils defensively are ranked 313th in college in points given up per game with 78.9. They are forcing 13.4 turnovers per game and have allowed teams to shoot 46.2% from the field (294th in the nation).”

— Guy Bruhn (azcentral.com)

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a step closer to securing a spot in the Big 12 Tournament, while the loser will need to make a late-season push to improve their postseason chances.

The takeaway

This matchup between the Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes represents an important conference game for both teams as they look to bolster their NCAA Tournament resumes. The Sun Devils will need to shore up their porous defense to avoid a damaging loss to the struggling Utes, while Utah hopes to pull off an upset on the road and keep their slim postseason hopes alive.