Former Arizona forward Paulius Murauskas has聽聽to follow coach Randy Bennett from Saint Mary's to ASU, meaning he'll be back at McKale Center again next season, this time as a Sun Devil.
The 6-8 Lithuanian left Arizona after playing a limited role as a freshman in 2023-24, then became the WCC's Newcomer of the Year in 2024-25 and an all-league pick in 2025-26 at Saint Mary's.
Saint Mary's forward Paulius Murauskas (23) controls the ball while pressured by Gonzaga guard Jalen Warley (8) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Murauskas posted last week that he would leave Saint Mary's, drawing immediate speculation that he would rejoin Bennett with the Sun Devils. A Phoenix-area native, Bennett after it opted Bobby Hurley as its head coach.
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"This place truly changed me not only as a basketball player, but as a person and I will always be grateful for that," Murauskas posted to Instagram about Saint Mary's. "This wasn't just a school or a team to me. It was home. It was home for my family too. Seeing my wife and daughter so happy here meant everything to me. That's what makes this goodbye so emotional."
Appearing with Saint Mary's for an Oct. 18 exhibition game at McKale Center last October, Murauskas collected 12 points, six rebounds and four assists with one turnover in UA's 81-68 win. He went on to average 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in 2024-25.聽
Saint Mary's forward Paulius Murauskas (23), left, and Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) tangle up in pursuit of a rebound during the second half of their exhibition game, Oct. 18, 2025, in Tucson.聽
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe
Bruce Pascoe
Reporter
