Bobby Hurley Continues to Hammer Down ASU's Culture in 2025-26

The Sun Devils are building a defined culture that wasn't necessarily present a year ago.

Dec 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona State University Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) dunks over Oklahoma University Sooners guard Jadon Jones (12) in the second half at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Images | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- Arizona State's 86-70 drubbing of an SEC foe in the Oklahoma Sooners has resulted in many more eyes being placed on Bobby Hurley's squad, just two months after the team was picked to finish last in the Big 12.

The talent on the 2025-26 team clearly is better than anyone anticipated, but perhaps what's even more vital is the tight-knit nature of this roster and the defined culture that coach Hurley has worked to instill over recent months.

Perhaps the clearest example of the newfound culture was when Hurley subbed out the entire starting lineup after Oklahoma took a 4-0 lead in the first 90 seconds of the game, in a display of the team not rebounding well as a unit.

The lineups that Hurley unearthed in response yielded a 27-2 run to build up a 20-plus point lead that was reinforced for the remainder of the game. Hurley opened up on what he was expecting from the change in the press conference that was held in the aftermath of the dominant win.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley yells out to the referee during their game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 6, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hurley Gets Honest About Team Culture

"All I knew was that we talked about rebounding. We had specific drills where and they would tell you that a shot went up and whoever got the rebound played offense, or every guard and every player had to run to the paint to get a rebound, just so we avoided standing around and watching the flight of the ball, not going after the basketball. So if, if, in my thought was, if I don't do anything about this after giving up two offensive rebounds right away, then what I'm saying is meaningless."

There's little doubt that this mindset has positively impacted the 2025-26 roster, as point guard Moe Odum has been open about pushing his teammates to work harder on a daily basis as well. This roster clearly shows up for each other, are as connected as any Arizona State team in years, and are out to prove the naysayers wrong.

ASU Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) drives into the lane against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 6, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Does Near Future Look Like for ASU?

The Sun Devils are now inside the top 75 in the NCAA NET rankings - showing clear progress towards becoming a tournament-level squad. They will have two games that they must win to avoid a "bad" loss (Northern Arizona, Oregon State), as well as two opportunities to pick up a quality win in a neutral-site battle with Santa Clara and a road bout with UCLA.

Although Arizona State doesn't have a prospect to the level of what Kansas, Brigham Young, and other Big 12 foes have, they clearly have the culture/connectivity to continue to compete with many teams across the nation.

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.

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