{
  "id": 17176645,
  "title": "Randy Bennett in for a rude awakening with ASU basketball, per media",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/randy-bennett-in-for-a-rude-awakening-with-asu-basketball-per-media",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T04:32:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/randy-bennett-rude-awakening-asu-043213789.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to the Big 12 media, Arizona State basketball is anticipated to face an uphill battle in its first year under head coach Randy Bennett. The Monster Energy Big 12 Men’s Basketball Media Preseason Poll ranked the Sun Devils a disappointing 12th out of the 16 teams in the conference for the upcoming 2026-27 season. This ranking is a stark contrast to the team's previous struggles, as ASU has failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in any of the last 12 campaigns and has not advanced past the first round of the tournament in any of them.\n\nBennett's arrival comes after guiding the Saint Mary's Gaels to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, with three of those runs extending to the first round. This starkly contrasts with ASU's own performance, which has consistently fallen short of the NCAA Tournament. As if the situation couldn't get any worse, the Arizona Wildcats have emerged as the overwhelming favorite in the media poll. The Wildcats triumphed in both the regular-season Big 12 championship and the Big 12 Tournament last season, and they boast the No. 11 overall recruiting class for this cycle. Moreover, they successfully navigated to the NCAA Tournament Final Four in the previous season.\n\nThe Wildcats' prowess is further demonstrated by their consistent presence in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament over the past three seasons, a testament to their continued success. In contrast, ASU's recent history has been a series of disappointments, with the program failing to make the NCAA Tournament in any of the last decade. Finally, it is worth noting that eight of the 16 Big 12 teams managed to secure an NCAA Tournament berth last season, further highlighting the gap in competitive strength between the two programs.",
  "summary": "Arizona State basketball ranks 12th in the Monster Energy Big 12 Men’s Basketball Media Preseason Poll for the 2026-27 season.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}