ASU basketball: Five reasons why Arizona State is better than expected

In his third Arizona State season, coach Bobby Hurley is ahead of schedule. The Sun Devils this season were expected to contend for an NCAA Tournament bid, the program's first since 2014.

Instead, they're unbeaten and ranked fifth in the country.

How did this happen? How did ASU -- coming off consecutive losing seasons -- go from an early season feel-good story to the top story in college basketball? Here are five reasons that explains their surge:

1. ASU's senior guards have improved

Much of the attention this first month has focused on the new guys. And no doubt, redshirt-freshman Romello White, junior-college transfer De’Quon Lake and freshman guard Remy White all have been terrific. But…