ASU Basketball Mailbag: NCAA Tournament Hopes, Key Players, and More

The Sun Devils are in a better-than-expected position early on in the season - is it sustainable?

ASU Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley yells out to his team as they play the Georgia State Panthers at Desert Financial Arena on Nov. 17, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Arizona State has been one of the surprises of the 2025-26 college basketball season to this point behind a 6-2 record, including a victory over a quality power five opponent in Texas.

Bobby Hurley reshaped the roster over the offseason to better withstand injuries and other outside factors - it has paid off to this point - but will that continue?

ASU on SI answers three key questions for those invested in the program below.

Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) leans into Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Tyon Grant-Foster (7) on Nov. 14, 2025, at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: Does Arizona State have the ability to make the NCAA tournament this season?

The short answer - yes. The Sun Devils are certainly not in the category of teams that will virtually have to win their conference tournament in March to quality - but there is still a long way to go.

Arizona State will likely have to get between 18-20 wins to feel safe as far as making the tournament for the first time since 2022-23 - this means that the clearest path is to finish non-conference play 4-1, while winning at least eight conference games, including in the tournament.

Hurley has built a resilient team headlined by offensive engines Moe Odum, Anthony "Pig" Johnson, and reliable role players to compliment them - a tournament berth is within reach if everything falls in place.

Q: What is your assessment of the job that coach Hurley has done this season?

Hurley has been a polarizing figure within Arizona State athletics for several seasons to this point, but he has undeniably done an admirable job thus far in 2025-26.

Hurley has been vindicated by additions such as Odum, Johnson, Massamba Diop, and Allen Mukeba - while also navigating crushing injuries such as G/F Vijay Wallace incredibly well. Hurley's rotation management, structuring of the offense in place, and assembling of a coaching staff that has seemingly performed well play into the notion that this is his best coaching job in years.

While the 11th-year head man has an uncertain future with the program, there is certainty that he is doing a great job this season.

ASU Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) dunks the ball against the Georgia State Panthers at Desert Financial Arena on Nov. 17, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: Who is the player that MUST step up over the remainder of the season in order to reach elevated goals?

This one is simple - it's Marcus Adams Jr.

The junior and former four-star recruit has been off to a slow start in his return to high-major basketball after nursing a lower-body injury suffered at some point in the offseason.

The three-and-d wing is the only player that naturally slots in as a three on the basketball court on any given point of the game, he has to come into his own in the coming weeks of action.

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

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!