Arizona State's 2025-26 Season at Crossroads Following West Virginia Loss

The Sun Devils are in a precarious position heading into the final weeks of the season.

Jan 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) against West Virginia Mountaineers guard Amir Jenkins (2) in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The turbulence that has followed Bobby Hurley and the Arizona State basketball program over the last several seasons has been palpable, as the Sun Devils have yet to accrue a winning season since their 22-win NCAA tournament campaign in 2022-23.

The 2023-24 team was plagued by a bench unit that did not live up to expectations, while the 2024-25 team suffered from a string of seismic injuries that reshaped the trajectory of the season, as well as the dismissal of guard B.J. Freeman.

The current roster was crafted by Hurley over the course of the offseason with a different idea in mind compared to the two seasons that came before - the Sun Devils brought on numerous mid-major standouts, as well as European players that were being underrepresented on the recruiting trail

The start to the season was certainly encouraging, as Arizona State started the season with a 9-2 mark, including wins over Texas, Oklahoma, and Santa Clara.

Things began to unravel shortly thereafter, as a competitive road loss to former Pac-12 foe UCLA was the first of what became a snowball effect of defeats.

Now, the 10-9 Sun Devils have seen their season officially come to a crossroads. The team is tied for last place in the extremely competitive Big 12 - their 1-5 mark is matched by Kansas State, Utah, and Baylor at the moment. They would be the lone winless team in the league, if not for a down-to-wire victory over Kansas State last Saturday.

Arizona State has won some huge games, have been competitive in gutting losses, and have been blasted by two elite oppoents over the last seven weeks.

Ultimately, they have lost seven of their last eight games, and are a strong finish to Kansas State away from posting a losing record going into Saturday's game against a Cincinnati team that has picked up momentum to an extent over the last two weeks.

The NCAA tournament was the ultimate goal heading into the season - even appearing within reach a month ago. Unfortunately, injuries, a brutal schedule, and what Hurley describes as a team that is no longer receptive to his coaching have sunk what was once a promising season.

If Arizona State desires to salvage what has been lost over the last few weeks, they absolutley must defeat Cincinnati - no questions asked. If this feat isn't accomplished, it seems as if the program is heading towards a similar fate that was seen last season.

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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