PHOENIX –Arizona State men’s basketball is stuck. With a five-game losing streak and losers of 10 of its past 12 games, ASU is drowning in the Big 12. The Sun Devils started the season 10-3 and are now below .500 at 12-13. Head coach Bobby Hurley has been the face of the program for a decade, but could his job be on the hot seat by the end of this season? It’ll take a strong finish for Hurley and ASU to regain the good faith of Sun Devil fans, and no better place to start against No. 5 Houston.
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Jan 28, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley reacts in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
After Saturday’s loss to TCU, Hurley said his players didn’t even want him to talk to them, and the team is at a “premier frustration level.” During this stretch, the Sun Devils have struggled to find consistent offense because of the absences of senior guards Adam Miller and BJ Freeman and freshman center Jayden Quaintance, who’ll remain out against Houston.
ASU struggles to start the game strong, typically falling behind because of poor shooting. However, it consistently makes a run late to bring the deficit to a one-score game. That pattern is consistent with the Sun Devils’ past five losses, and it’s a bad habit they need to break.
Feb 12, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley reacts to a call in the second half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
It’s nothing new for a Hurley-led team to struggle in the second half of the season, as the past decade has seen ASU falter once it reaches conference play. Throughout the years, the Sun Devils would thrive in non-conference play with hopes of getting over the hump. However, the dream always meets a cruel end with a nightmare end to the season, deflating ASU.
The program is flatling, and a win against one of the premier teams in the nation, Houston, could bring it back to life. A win could also save Hurley’s job, as a winless February is a stain on his record, while another loss would make it the longest losing streak for ASU since the 2020-2021 season. Hurley and the Sun Devils dig themselves into this hole, and only they can be the ones to crawl their way out.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
