Arizona State Basketball Expected at Center of Coaching Carousel
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TEMPE -- Arizona State's 90-78 defeat at the hands of the TCU Horned Frogs moved the Sun Devils to 14-14 on the season - undoing the two-game win streak that the team previously put together to reignite hopes of a potential run to the NCAA tournament.
It seems as if the Sun Devils will not be reaching the 68-team bracket for a third consecutive campaign, save for a late-season miracle run that would include wins over both Kansas and Iowa State, as well as at least one win in the Big 12 tournament.
Anything short of a tournament appearance has been expected to spell the end of the 11-year tenure that Bobby Hurley has enjoyed in Tempe, as the veteran will see his contract expire at the end of June.
ESPN's Jeff Borzello has a similar view of the situation, as Arizona State was labeled as a "job that could open" in a coaching carousel update on Wednesday.
"Bobby Hurley's contract is up after this season and all signs point to the Sun Devils moving on from him. They've been playing better basketball of late, but they're headed for their third straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance. Overall, in Hurley's 11 seasons at the helm, Arizona State has gone to only three NCAA tournaments (it would have been a fourth had the tournament been held in 2020) and has yet to win a game. But when the dust settles on this cycle, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Hurley land on his feet closer to the Northeast."
The potential divorce between Hurley and Arizona State would be a bittersweet one, as the 54-year old managed to inject real life into a program that has largely been dormant since the mid 1990's, although many of those efforts stalled in the wake of the pandemic.
The 2025-26 team has been a pleasant surprise with everything considered in the process, as the Sun Devils went into the season picked to finish 16th (last place) in the conference - many even pondered if a 10 win mark would be reached.
One can wonder if the 9-2 start to non-conference play would have been held up with better health fortune, as players such as Adante Holiman, Vijay Wallace, and Marcus Adams Jr. have missed most if not all of the season, but the team ultimately was unable to do what it set out to do heading into the season regardless of context.
Borzello named a battle-tested and respected coach in the industry as a potential candidate to replace Hurley if the move officially comes to fruition - more on the possibility below.
Intriguing Name Mentioned as Possibility for Potential Opening
Randy Bennett - head coach at Saint Mary's since 2001 and a native of Mesa - was listed by Borzello as a potential name to watch in the upcoming cycle, with many factors being behind a potential move.
"Bennett has never shown interest in leaving Saint Mary's, despite taking the Gaels to 11 NCAA tournament appearances since arriving in Moraga in 2001. But with Arizona State potentially opening, could Bennett -- an Arizona native -- find that it's time to make the jump, especially with Gonzaga leaving the WCC?"
The most clear-cut reason behind Bennett departing the mid-major powerhouse lies in the fact that Gonzaga is departing the WCC for the newly reformed Pac-12 after this season - creating a power vacuum in the conference that will significantly harm Saint Mary's chances of ever being an at-large tournament selection. The other power in play is that Bennett, 63, is an Arizona native and attended Mesa Community College.
This pairing might not be the most "exciting" potential hire that Arizona State can make, although it would be difficult for AD Graham Rossini to look at the 72% career winning percentage, seven NCAA tournament victories, and seven WCC coach of the year awards just to not give the possibility any thought. Bennett's talent evaluation, regimented structure, and in-game wizardry has potential to be dangerous in a high-major job - if the Sun Devils were willing to provide requisite resources.
Expect Josh Schertz of Saint Louis, Jerrod Calhoun of Utah State, and Travis Steele of Miami (OH) to be other prized commodities during the cycle, although all three have the ability to be relatively selective.
Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.