Previewing Challenging Week Ahead for Bobby Hurley, Arizona State

The Sun Devils have two key chances to pick up a season-defining win in the days ahead.

Jan 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) with head coach Bobby Hurley against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Bobby Hurley's Arizona State Sun Devils avoided falling to 10-10 on Saturday night in what was a quality show of fight in an 82-68 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

There had been a sense of hopelessness that permeated the media room within Desert Financial Arena following a poor second half performance in a loss to West Virginia last Wednesday - it truly seemed as if the game against Cincinnati had potential to make or break what once appeared to be a promising season.

Now, there is a sense of renewed hope in Tempe behind Moe Odum's heroics, a team-wide revival from behind the three-point line, and the optics that the team is working to shore up issues that have been echoed by Hurley.

Jan 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) celebrates with teammates Anthony Johnson (2) and Bryce Ford (4) against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Major challenges still await the Sun Devils over the last several weeks of the regular season, including in the next several days - as they are set to take on a pleasant surprise in the league, as well as the top ranked team in the country,

UCF has potentially served as the most pleasant surprise in the Big 12 thus far in 2025-26. UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins has seemingly escaped the hot seat for several seasons now - that appeared to potentially be coming to an end with the Knights entering the season projected to finish 14th in the conference.

The Knights are currently the 7th-highest rated Big 12 team in the NCAA NET rankings behind a 15-4 record and a 4-3 mark in the most challenging league in division one basketball.

UCF presents a challenge in the form of a balanced offense that shoots over 48% from the field, north of 38% from three-point range, and that averages 84 points per contest. The offense is headlined by former Florida and Mississippi State guard Riley Kugel, who is averaging 15 points per night, while three others are averaging double figure scoring numbers.

Former Arizona State forward Devan Cambridge has also been a key cog in the eye-opening start to the year. The seventh-year senior has shot 35% from three-point range, while also providing quality defense to the table.

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) steals the ball from UCF Knights forward Devan Cambridge (35) during the first half in the Big-12 conference men’s basketball on Jan. 20, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Saturday: #1 Arizona

Arizona makes the return trip to Tempe after an 89-82 win over the Sun Devils in Tucson on January 14.

The Wildcats average 89.8 points per game behind a dominant interior effort from Koa Peat, Motiejus
Krivas, and Tobe Awaka.

The Sun Devils and Wildcats are set to square off at noon MST on Saturday, with the game set to be broadcast on TNT.

Jan 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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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