Arizona State Stars Speak After Season Saving Win Over Cincinnati
In this story:
TEMPE -- Arizona State star guards Moe Odum and Anthony "Pig" Johnson spoke with the media following Saturday's 82-68 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats.
To watch the full availability, view below.
Below is a partial transcript of what Odum had to say with commentary added.
On Getting on Same Page With Bobby Hurley
"We had a meeting, actually, about it, you know, he wasn't wrong, like, we not. We wasn't deliberately ignoring him. It was just, you know, like, when you when the coach draws something up and we don't run it right after, you know, that's, that's, that's considered not listening. So, like, he was right. We was not listening. We was not running out of bounds plays correctly."
Hurley voiced his hopelessness in connecting with the team after Wednesday's game - it appears as if the Sun Devils had a positive team meeting, collaborated in a constructive manner, and got on the right page on both sides of the ball - this is evidenced by the offense posting a 13-28 mark from three-point range, and the defense allowing Cincinnati to just 68 total points.
On Working on Own Craft
"Yeah, it's just all about trusting in your work. I feel like the game, when I went three for seven last game from the free throw line, I was rushing. I wasn't breathing, I wasn't bending my knees. So I just, just got back to the drum board and just, you know, took my breath. You know, you get 10 seconds at the line. So I took my breath like I usually do, then my knees, and just try to focus on making the shot."
Odum missed four free throws in the loss to West Virginia, and admitted that he has been feeling incredible pressure to perform on a consistent basis. Odum certainly let loose on Saturday, collecting the second best scoring output of the season (33), while also dishing out eight assists and recording three steals.
On Valuing Possessions
"Just like every possession is, like, very important, rather than where I'm coming from. You may give up possessions, but like being in the Big 12 with these coaches, they coach X's and O's to a tee. So just having the like important conversation, that's where it goes back to coach Hurley saying we don't listen like we cannot mess up out of bounds plays... just because we don't listen like we can't do that because, you know, we don't got space."
On Impression of Massamba Diop's Contributions
"Some fight. I kind of got on with Massamba earlier. I feel like he wasn't playing hard. Then he responded the second half came out blocking shots, rebounding. I think he finished with 10 rebounds. I think they can finish with 10 rebounds.
So he just responded really well. You know, the Big 12 is crazy, like from guards to big to the frontcourt. So it's like, we got our hands full. Massamba got his hands full. So it's like, I don't know. I'm gonna just start telling the bigs, like, let's see who could get more stops and big guards. I just, I'm trying to bring that competitive fire back. So I just really like what I saw from Massamba."
Diop has emerged as one of the best bigs in the Big 12 over the first 11 weeks of the season, continuing this on Saturday with a performance that was predicated around 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.
Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.
Please follow us on X when you click right here, as well as @khicks_21 for nonstop Arizona State coverage!
Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.