Randy Bennett opens new chapter with win in ASU men’s basketball coaching debut

TEMPE – The lights went out, flames shot into the air and Sun Devils fans turned up the heat with a warm welcome for Randy Bennett as he took the court for his regular-season coaching debut with Arizona State.

As student and fan cheers echoed through Desert Financial Arena, Bennett barely reacted. The crowd grew louder, but Bennett sat on the bench, keeping his focus on the game and his opponent, East Tennessee State.

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After 25 seasons at Saint Mary’s, Bennett turned the page to a new chapter in his career. The Mesa Westwood High School graduate returned to his Arizona roots, taking the sideline for the first time in a regular-season game as coach of the team for which he grew up rooting.

Bennett’s journey to his Sun Devils debut came with an unexpected detour. After accepting the coaching vacancy on March 23 following Bobby Hurley’s departure, Bennett had an undisclosed heart issue that led to a 10-day hospital stay at Mayo Clinic, delaying his introductory press conference to May 7.

Despite the unexpected setback, Bennett was roaming the sideline when the Sun Devils defeated East Tennessee State 75-65, giving Bennett his first victory at ASU.

When asked what it meant to finally coach the team he cheered for growing up, Bennett struggled to put the significance into words.

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“The only way I can say it is, this means a lot to me,” he said.

The victory did not come without obstacles. Only two players returned from last season’s roster. New situations bring challenges, but Bennett knows he must establish his coaching philosophy while his players build chemistry because they have limited experience playing together.

Bennett spent much of the game on the bench, allowing his assistants to play a more active role in communicating with the players offensively. Only occasionally did his calm demeanor give way to emotion on the defensive side of the ball.

He jumped out of his seat when his team drew a charge and remained standing for multiple possessions until a TV…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/randy-bennett-opens-chapter-win-180432640.html

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Publish date : 2026-11-04 18:04:00

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