Bobby Hurley Recognizes Room For Improvement Despite Arizona State Win

TEMPE -- The Arizona State men's basketball team kicked off the 2025-26 season on a high note - securing an 81-64 victory over Southern Utah in a game that was never truly in doubt.

While there were many positives to take out of the win - including the offense flowing on a consistent basis and the scoring distribution being even - there were points of contention in the performance as well.

Head coach Bobby Hurley was semi-pleased with the victory in his post-game press conference - but also pointed to areas of improvement that the roster needs to focus on in the coming days.

feefe — Arizona State Sun Devils Santiago Trouet (1) and Massamba Diop (35) attempt to block Southern Utah Thunderbirds Isaiah Cottrell (0) during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Nov. 4, 2025. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"There's a lot of work to still be done, especially today, defensively, we were we lost containment of the ball way too much. I thought we were too spread out on defense, not helping. When a guy did drive the ball, they got into the paint way too much."

"They scored 40 points in paint. So we can't really afford to do that as the water gets deeper over the next couple of weeks. And so we got, we need this practice time. And good thing, we have a few days till our next game."

Arizona State on SI explores three areas the team needs to focus on moving forward below.

Defense

The defense had an overall solid performance, as they generated 16 turnovers, blocked eight shots, and forced the Thunderbirds to shoot 4-25 from beyond the arc.

Mar 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The Adidas shoes with Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky logo worn by Sun Devils guard Frankie Collins (1) in the second half against the Utah Utes at the T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

However, they also allowed 16 offensive rebounds, 40 points in the paint, and had defined lapses at times on that end of the court.

Overall, there were both great and less-than-ideal moments from the defense - they have time to develop chemistry before Big 12 play begins.

Ball Security

The Sun Devils' offense was largely intentional, free-flowing, and potent - but they did turn the ball over 14 times.

Hurley alluded to the fact that the team wouldn't be able to get away with careless mistakes, lapses in communication, and other errors when protecting the ball.

Thankfully, the team has several reliable ball-handlers who figure to continue to grow together in the months ahead

qwdwdqw — Arizona State Sun Devils Marcus Adams Jr. (8) looses possession of the ball during a game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, on Nov. 4, 2025. | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Integrate Marcus Adams Jr. Into Rotation

This is the most straightforward piece of the puzzle.

Adams is returning from a lower-leg injury that cost him several weeks of the offseason, and is clearly in the process of re-integrating himself into the team after playing 13 minutes in the opener.

Vijay Wallace's season-ending injury makes it even more paramount that the sharpshooter finds his footing soon, as the team needs a true small forward to slot into the lineup on a reliable basis.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and three major takeaways following a gutsy win over Iowa State here

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