Bobby Hurley Gets Honest About Feeling Dejected Following ASU Loss
In this story:
TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-9, 1-5 Big 12) have seen their 2025-26 season take a tailspin over the last four weeks.
Bobby Hurley's squad has now lost seven of their last eight games in response to a 9-2 start to the campaign - including losses to Oregon State and Wednesday night's second half collapse against West Virginia, which Mountaineer head coach Ross Hodge credited to his team executing in a more efficient manner.
The sense of defeat and dejection was felt in Hurley's post-game press conference, where he typically utilizes the platform to vent grievances.
Arizona State on SI breaks down what was said after the game, and if there is a possibility that this team climbs out of the midseason funk below.
Hurley Speaks on Level of Dejection
The 54-year old head coach began the presser in a manner of reflection, as he has come to the conclusion that the team isn't receptive to his coaching, and that attempting to try different things is falling flat - this served as a segue into the 11th-year head coach talking about the degree of disheartenment he is feeling at the moment, which appears to be at an all-time high.
"Yeah, it is in terms of just, you know, the light at the end of the tunnel. It's hard to see a lot of light. I love the group, though, this group is far different than some other teams that I've had like that at times might have made me sick to my stomach. You know this, this group of people are very willing to try and give what they have. So I am not overly disappointed in that regard.
It's just more of the hope - and the schedule has something to do with it. Like, let's call it what it is, sending a team to BYU and getting one home game and then two more games against a rival, and then, like, one of the best teams in the country all in the road. I mean, that's just ridiculous. So all these factors matter in some ways."
There are many different avenues that can be taken here, at least as far as interpretations are concerned.
The most clear rapid-fire reaction is that Hurley is simply out of answers, out of patience, and resigned to the fact that this is another lost season - with limited signs that there is any optimism to hold onto in the coming weeks.
This position is entirely understandable, as it has been crystal-clear that the New Jersey has been fully bought in on the program, the city of Tempe, and the state of Arizona from the time he took the head coach position. He cultivated some of the most exhilerating seasons in the history of the program, was able to recruit at a historic pace, and had fans incredibly optimistic that a new era of Sun Devil basketball was dawning.
The fallout from the COVID-19 era - as well as multiple high-profile freshman recruits not working out - resulted in the head coach trying something completely outside the box from a roster-building perspective.
Hurley brought in a myriad of mid-major talents that had a high chance of translating well to high-major play, as well as unheralded recruits based in Europe to compete in what is possibly the most strenuous conference in college basketball.
While the group is obviously more likable compared to previous renditions (Hurley alluded to this post-game as well), the continued strain of injuries has negatively impacted the roster as a whole, as seven or eight-man rotations have been the norm for much of the last month.
The Big 12 schedule being structured in the manner that it was did the Sun Devils no favors either, as they faced three national title contenders on the road - all within the first two weeks of league play.
In conclusion, this is a talented group of players that are also largely likable. However, numerous debilitating setbacks - from injuries, to a lack of home-court advantage, to a brutal start to Big 12 play - have left Hurley in a state of shock that feels unlikely to wear off in the near future.
The Sun Devils are set to enter what will surely be considered a must-win game against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday night - this truly may serve as the final opportunity to "get right" ahead of the home stretch of the 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.
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.