How Arizona State basketball can beat Hofstra

In a basketball matchup set for 7 p.m. at Desert Financial Arena, Hofstra (1-1) will face off against Arizona State (2-0). This will be the third encounter between the two teams, with just the second matchup in their history. In their previous meeting, back in 1997, Hofstra emerged victorious with a score of 64-59.

Arizona State's roster is somewhat limited due to injuries. Sophomore forward Marcus Vaughns and senior forward Jonathan Griman have yet to take the court due to injury. Last season, ASU's Emmanuel Innocenti suffered a sprained ankle during their opening game and was unable to participate in their most recent matchup.

Hofstra, a member of the Coastal Athletic Conference, is led by Speedy Claxton, an NBA veteran who has been the team's coach for six years. Claxton, a Hofstra alumnus from 2000, guided the team to a 14-11 record the previous season. The Pride recently suffered a narrow 60-58 loss to Princeton, where they fell short in a nine-point lead with just 1:31 remaining on the clock.

Senior guard Trey Boyd and sixth-year guard Tanner Thomas have each averaged 12 points per game, with sophomore guard Nick Jefferson contributing 10.5 points per game.

Arizona State has shown significant improvement in their recent performance, notably in their 90-63 win against Northern Colorado. Paulius Murauskas led the team with a career-high 33 points, while Bryce Ford, one of two returning players from last year, added 17 points. Head coach Randy Bennett aims to increase playing time for more players, with eight players seeing the majority of the time in their opener but 11 players utilized in their most recent game.

The team's offensive engine is fueled by sophomore point guard Joel Foxwell, who delivered eight assists and did not turn the ball over in their latest outing.

Looking ahead, Arizona State is set to play their fourth consecutive home game against Louisiana-Monroe on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.