LOS ANGELES -- With Arizona State off to its best start in over 30 years, coach Bobby Hurley didn’t want to get caught looking ahead.

So prior to the Sun Devils’ game against St. John’s at the Staples Center on Friday, Hurley wanted no part is discussing what was looming Sunday: a trip to Kansas' Phog Allen Fieldhouse to play the second-ranked Jayhawks.

But after the Sun Devils weathered a second-half comeback from St. John’s to win 82-70 and remain undefeated (8-0), Hurley quickly turned the page to what should easily be the team’s most difficult test to date.

“Just with [Kansas] coming off the loss to Washington, I know that they’ve had some really stiff, tough practices and I’m sure coach [Bill] Self is motiving them,” Hurley said. “And then you have Phog Allen, the advantage that that building is, and it’s going to be something for our players to experience that so it’s tough to simulate that.”

Romello White scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the Sun Devils' win over St. John's. Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire

Arizona State has yet to play a true road game and its trip to Lawrence will be its only one during nonconference play. In addition to its win against St. John’s, ASU beat Kansas State and Xavier on a neutral floor, but its five other games were in Tempe, where the Sun Devils have three more games this month before Pac-12 play starts at Arizona on Dec. 30.

“It’s going to pay dividends when we get to conference and go on the road,” Hurley said of playing at Kansas. “We’ve done really well in neutral sites and now we have to go to one of the most difficult places to play in college basketball. I’m curious to see how it stacks up with [Duke’s] Cameron Indoor.”

The Sun Devils are one of just eight remaining undefeated teams in the country and have done it by playing an exciting, up-tempo brand of basketball despite rotating just seven players. ASU came into the game ranked fifth nationally in scoring (92.7 points per game), but St. John’s (No. 8 nationally in scoring defense) figured to be one of the better defensive teams it would play all season.

“Everyone talks about the offensive numbers and where we stack up nationally. All that stuff is great and I’m happy for the guys to showcase that because I do think we are an entertaining team to watch,” Hurley said. “We play on instinct and don’t walk the ball up the court and our players have freedom.

“It’s a fun team to coach because there are playmakers at a number of positions.”

Romello White (22 points) and Shannon Evans II (18 points) provided the bulk of the scoring for Arizona State in what will be the team’s lone trip to Los Angeles this season.

“You always have to play to your strengths, right?” St. John’s coach Chris Mullin said. “They have three small guards and a nice shooter. [Hurley is] doing a good job with what he has. He knows what it’s like to build and does a great job playing the right style to your personnel. It’s what it’s all about."