Arizona State and Mississippi State both reached the NCAA Tournament last season, so both should get a good test when they meet for their season opener in the Barstool Sports Invitational on Wednesday night in Chicago. ASU went 23-13 a season ago and won a play-in game against Nevada (98-73) before losing to TCU (72-70) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Sun Devils return just three players from that team, and Hurley brought in seven transfers from other Division I programs to restock the roster. Arizona State will start the season without one of its returning players, forward Alonzo Gaffney, who has a foot injury, and one of its transfers, former LSU and Illinois guard Adam Miller, who is awaiting a ruling on his waiver request. The Bulldogs, 21-13 last season, also will start the season short-handed. All-Southeastern Conference First Team forward Tolu Smith, who averaged 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds last season, is sidelined until the SEC season because of a foot injury. Bulldogs coach Chris Jans said everyone will have to have a part in overcoming the absence of Smith, who has started 84 games across three seasons. We think Arizona State actually does well here in the absence of Tolu. Hurley is a great coach and remember his brother won the natty with UConn last year, so he has probably been preparing like a madman this season to have his team do very well so as not to be the black sheep of the family so to speak. Let's roll with the Sun Devils.