{
  "id": 17790887,
  "title": "Arizona State men's basketball opens against East Tennessee State",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/arizona-state-mens-basketball-opens-against-east-tennessee-state",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-02T12:03:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/arizona-state-mens-basketball-opens-120336004.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "East Tennessee State will host Arizona State in the season opener for both teams, with the game taking place on November 2 at 8 p.m. at Desert Financial Arena. ESPN+ will broadcast the matchup. Randy Bennett, the new ASU coach who previously coached at Saint Mary's for 25 years, will lead the Sun Devils for the first time. This will be the first game between the two schools, despite having a historic encounter in the 1992 NCAA Tournament. East Tennessee State, coached by Brooks Savage, was 23-11 last season and was picked second in the Southern Conference preseason poll. The team features senior guard B.J. Ward, who was named to the preseason team and averaged 10.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Jayden Cooper, a South Alabama transfer, also stands out with 22 points in an exhibition game. East Tennessee State's defense was highlighted by outrebounding their opponents 46-25. For the Sun Devils, the roster has undergone significant changes, with only two players returning from a team that went 17-16. Notable additions include forward Paulius Murauskas and wing Dillan Shaw. Emmanuel Innocenti, a transfer from Gonzaga, and center Ben Defty from Boston College are also likely starters. The team's performance in national preseason publications is uncertain, as they were picked fifth in one poll but 12th in the Big 12 coaches' preseason poll.",
  "summary": "The Randy Bennett era is upon us. The new head coach will make his debut with the ASU men's basketball program on Nov. 2.",
  "key_points": [
    "Arizona State and East Tennessee State face off on November 2",
    "Randy Bennett makes debut as ASU coach after 25 years at Saint Mary's",
    "East Tennessee State features senior guard B.J. Ward and strong defense"
  ],
  "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."
}