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BASKETBALL NU to play Arizona State in Phoenix on Dec. 20

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Aug 27, 2004
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Here's the release from NU...

Northwestern Announces Game with Arizona State in Phoenix

EVANSTON, Ill. -
The Northwestern men's basketball team will head to Phoenix, Arizona, to face Arizona State in the 2023 Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series Phoenix at Footprint Center on Dec. 20, the program announced Wednesday.

"We are excited about the opportunity to play Arizona State in Phoenix this year. This will be a tremendous challenge for us, as it will present a high level non-conference game on the road in a tournament-like atmosphere," Sullivan-Ubben head coach Chris Collins said.

Arizona State holds a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Wildcats and Sun Devils met three times in a span of four years from 2001-04, all of which have been won by the home team.

Arizona State, then led by Rob Evans, won the inaugural meeting between the two schools 77-60 on December 29, 2001 in Tempe. When the pair of teams returned to Evanston nearly two years later, Northwestern eked out a 63-61 victory on December 17, 2003. The Sun Devils won the most recent matchup 90-55 on December 20, 2004.

The matchup between Northwestern and Arizona State will be a reunion of sorts for Collins and Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley. The two both played for Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke in the '90s. Collins and Hurley's tenures in Durham crossed over during the 1992-93 season, when Hurley was a senior and Collins was a first-year. Hurley led the Blue Devils in points (17.0) and assists (8.2) per game that season, while Collins averaged 5.8 points and 1.2 assists.

Jerry Colangelo's Hall of Fame Series Phoenix, which will feature two separate sessions, includes the following matchups:

Session 1
Arizona State vs. Fresno State (W)
Arizona vs. Gonzaga (W)

Session 2
Arizona St. vs. Northwestern (M)
Arizona vs. Alabama (M)

Collins, entering his 11th year at the helm of Northwestern hoops, is coming off his second NCAA Tournament appearance and a second-place finish in the Big Ten courtesy of a 22-12 (12-8 B1G) campaign. He inked a contract extension through the 2027-28 season this offseason. Collins will return four of his top six scorers from last season, including All-Big Ten first team selection Boo Buie.
 
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