Bobby Hurley Discusses Arizona State's Loss, Areas to Improve

TEMPE -- Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley spoke to media in a post-game press conference following a 95-89 loss to Colorado on Saturday afternoon in the opening game of Big 12 play.

To watch the full press conference, view below.

Below is a partial transcript from the press conference - with some added commentary.

knlnk — Jan 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) against the Colorado Buffaloes in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

On Reasons Behind Loss

"We fouled too much. We we learned how to foul at halftime. We fouled three times in the first half and and we really, you know, really, did a great job of fouling them in the second half. They shot 31 free throws in the second half. So you can't beat anybody doing that. Or, you know, I told them at halftime, it was probably as bad a first half as we've had this year.

About a half, in my opinion, just letting them shoot, not letting them shoot. They're a good team. They've beaten good teams. But 18 of 34 from the field. They had, they also got eight of those 16 misses that they had an offensive rebound. So, you know, that's just all effort, and we weren't ready to play and defend and play with energy at that end of the floor. And it cost us. We had to play them from behind."

The Sun Devils had several opportunities to win the game on Saturday, but ultimately did not execute as well as Colorado in the final minute of action.

On Status of Santiago Trouet

"I don't think, a long term situation. He's, he's got to get right, though, it's a lower, lower leg. And, you know, we sustain that in practice, which happens after Christmas and the break, and unfortunately, it was him so but I don't think he's that far away from playing. It might have been like another day or so, two days, yeah. I mean, it hurts our rebounding in the first half, for sure."

Trouet missed his first game of the season on Saturday, although it appeas he has a real chance to play against BYU on Tuesday.

On Three Point Shooting Struggles

"You know, just missing a ton of shots like we, you know, for the last three games. I mean, I've talked about the other two games were six of 28 tonight for three and a number of good looks that can't make right now. So we're in, you're learning a tailspin right now from behind the three point line in the last three games, and we had made a lot of those shots going into the UCLA game, and it's part of the reason we had a good record and we were viewed as a really good three point shooting team, but not the last three games."

The Sun Devils' season mark from three-point range has gone down by several percent over the last three games, but the potential to get back on track remains.

qfefe — Colorado Buffaloes Barrington Hargress (24) falls while attempting to block Arizona State Sun Devils Massamba Diop (35) during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, on Jan. 3, 2026. | 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.

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