Since the start of Big XII conference play, all I have heard is Bobby Hurley this and Bobby Hurley that. Coming into the season, Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devils were picked to finish 12th in the conference this season. As of the writing of this article, 2/12/2025, the Sun Devils are currently sitting in 14th place. With that being said, the only thing separating them from 14th place and 11th place is a one-game difference. There is a log jam in the middle of the Big XII this season.
What has Bobby Hurley done in Tempe?
I think that many people are forgetting the fact that Bobby Hurley started this team off at a 9-2 record with the 26th hardest non-conference schedule. Their only losses were against then #6 Gonzaga and #9 Florida. Both of which, the Sun Devils were large underdogs and were expected to lose. They had some good wins over in-state foe Grand Canyon University, University of New Mexico, and Saint Mary's along the way.
Prior to this season, Bobby Hurley has a .540 win percentage in Tempe over the last ten Seasons for the Sun Devils. Sports Reference ranks all of the coach's SOS after each season and categorizes them accordingly. Since Bobby Hurley has come to Tempe, his SOS has been 8.61x harder than the NCAA average. He has also had several seasons where his team's schedule has been more than 10x the NCAA average. This season, his SOS ranks 11.86x harder than the average. Once conference play started, the team's SOS nationally went from the 26th hardest to the 11th hardest given our Big XII schedule.
Has their been opportunity for Bobby Hurley this season? I would be lying to you if I said that there wasnt. There is four games that I can point to on the schedule that Hurley and Co should have won off the bat. If those games went the other way, ASU is staring at a 16-7 record vs a 12-11 record currently overall and a 7-5 record in conference play. The 7-5 record in conference play, suprisingly would have them a 1/2 game above Kansas for 5th place in the conference with seven games to play.
Can Bobby turn the ship around?
I certainly believe that the fans have a bad taste in their mouth because of conference play. The Sun Devils have lost four of their last five and eight of their last ten games. The recency bias is going to KILL Bobby Hurley if the fans don't do it first. The four games that I was talking about earlier were UCF, Cincinnati, Kansas St, and Oklahoma St. I think it is important to note that once we hit conference play, the Sun Devils were hampered with injuries. From rookie phenom Joson Sanon missing time with an ankle injury, to Jayden Quaintance missing time to a ankle/knee injury,and Adam Miller and Alston Mason missing short stints as well. The Sun Devils only play seven guys on any given night so if you have any one of those guys missing, even if it is for a half of a game, it puts a REAL hamper on rotations.
Additionally, I think it is also important to note that Arizona St ranks in the top 50 nationally in fouls and 66th nationally in 2-foul participation. 2-foul participation represents the percentage of time that players are on the court with 2-fouls. Typically players that have 2-fouls tend to play significantly more conservatively to avoid getting that dreaded 3rd or 4th foul in a game. When a team is forced to play more conservatively, it is harder to play your game or style. If an opponent knows that you have to play more conservative, by nature they are going to play more aggressive and put you in a tough spot defensively, both on ball and off.
Arizona St still has to play Texas Tech 2x, Houston, BYU, Arizona, and Kansas St again before the end of the season. KenPom has the Sun Devils expected to lose seven of their last eight games. If Bobby Hurley wants to turn the ship around and not get booed off the court after Arizona State's final home game against Texas Tech, Hurley needs to find a way to win atleast two games that his squad is not forecasted to win. The most likely opportunities is going to be at home against BYU, or on the road against Utah/Kansas St.
Let's remember the good times with Bobby!
I think it is safe to say that the rise to stardom for Kenny Dillingham and the Arizona State Football team has put a terribly sour taste in the mouths of basketball fans. I have heard it sitting at games so I know it is true. "If Kenny can do it, why cant Bobby"? I know that it is hard for fans to fathom the fact that the two sports couldn't be any less alike and the fact that one team is good has absolutely no bearing on the other team.
Hurley is 2-4 in the NCAA Tournament since he has arrived in Tempe. Both of those wins came in Dayton in the "First Four" so some don't consider them tournament wins. Whether you want to believe it or not, those are tournament wins and will reflect as such whenever Hurley decides to hang up the dress shirt one last time. In the 2019-2020 season, the Sun Devils were predicted in Joe Lundardi's bracket to be the #9 seed in the NCAA tournament before it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Had the tournament not been cancelled, this would have been the first time that ASU had made the tournament in three consecutive seasons since 1964.
Hurley and Company have never had below an 11-seed in the NCAA tournament in the four trips that he has had while in Tempe. Granted, a piece of that may be due to the conference affiliation/prestige of the Pac-12 in the years prior to its downfall, but none the less, being an 10 or 11 seed in most years should be praised. Yet, Bobby Hurley is getting ridiculed off the chair after just one "bad season".
What's Next?
Coming into the season with extremely high expectations for the talent that Bobby Hurley had brought into Tempe was inevitable. Having two 5-star athletes on the court at the same time for the first time in quite some time. Of course fans were excited for what was to come. The issue is that fans refuse to face the reality, that this was NEVER going to be the season that the Sun Devils were a 1-seed in the tournament or even a 3-seed for that matter.
Regardless of what fans think of Bobby Hurley, I don't think that his seat is nearly as hot as fans want it to be and I think that we need to temper expectations for the next 1-2 seasons. The Sun Devils will continue to play in DFA. Yes I have heard fans saying we need to tear down the stadium and start over, don't get me started on how stupid that sounds. Bobby Hurley will continue to coach this team, and they will continue to bring in talent and put a good team on the court.
REMEMBER! JUST BECAUSE FOOTBALL IS GOOD, DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT BASKETBALL IS EXPECTED TO DO THE SAME
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