3 Winners From Arizona State's Comeback Win Over Kansas State
In this story:
TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-7, 1-2 Big 12) snapped a three-week long losing streak with a comeback victory over conference foe Kansas State on Saturday afternoon in Tempe.
The Sun Devils went into the contest facing a myriad of challenges, including only boasting eight active scholarship players going into the game. This didn't phase the squad in the end, and now the season is once again alive.
Arizona State on SI names three of the most conspicuous winners from Saturday below.
Bobby Hurley
This win displayed the grit that Hurley typically puts on display when his back is against the wall.
Hurley has a well-documented history of defying the odds when the chips are stacked against him, as was shown during the 2018-19 and 2022-23 seasons - this season has potential to be just that.
The 54-year old head coach managed a seven-man rotation well, made key second half adjustments that resulted in a 51 point half, and managed the last minute of the win quite well.
Massmba Diop
Diop has continued his ascent into stardom over the first two months of the season on a reliable basis, but the ascension has become even more pronounced in Big 12 play.
The 20 year old was very likely the most significant on-court factor in the win despite the other rotation players stepping up in their own right.
Diop's 21 points came on just 10 shot attempts, while also shooting 5-6 on free throws. His nine rebounds continue to show tangible improvement in that area, while the five blocks he accounted for continue to be blatant proof of dominance on the defensive side of the ball.
Arizona State's Tournament Hopes
Arizona State's season was very likely hanging in the balance on Saturday.
A loss to Kansas State would have extended the losing streak to five games, while also keeping them winless in league play. Upcoming road games against Arizona and Houston lent a high chance that the Sun Devils would have stumbled back to Tempe with a 9-9 record and a losing streak that would have extended for over a month by that point.
Arizona State now stands at 10 wins with positive momentum going into the daunting road games. By most accounts the team needs to win between 18 and 20 games to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years - this seems attainable once again following the victory over the Wildcats.
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.