Arizona State Continues Attempt to Climb Up Big 12 Standings

The Sun Devils are entering the final 13 games of their season - and are pursuing a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Jan 10, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley against the Kansas State Wildcats in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-8, 1-4 Big 12) are entering the final seven weeks of the 2025-26 season after going on a stretch of losing six of the last seven games.

Head coach Bobby Hurley has been faced with many challenges in recent weeks, including the roster battling through several injuries, as well as facing the toughest start to Big 12 play opponent-wise.

Arizona State on SI explores how the 1-4 start to league play has shaped their perception, as well as what they must do to come out better out of the recent struggles.

Jan 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) shoots a three point shot over Arizona Wildcats guard Dwayne Aristode (2) during the second half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Big 12 Hierarchy is Shaping Up

Matthew Postins of Heartland College Sports placed Arizona State in the sixth and final tier of Big 12 squads going into the week, as they continue to posture themselves as a real threat in the most complete conference in college basketball.

12. Baylor (11-6, 1-4) (Last Ranking: 13)

13. Arizona State (10-8, 1-4) (Last Ranking: 12)

14. Utah (9-9, 1-4) (Last Ranking: 16)

15. TCU (11-7, 1-4) (Last Ranking: 11)

16. Kansas State (9-9, 0-5) (Last Ranking: 14)

Arizona State's lone victory has come against what seems to be a hapless Kansas State team on January 10. The team will receive opportunities to defeat Baylor, TCU, and Utah as well in the weeks to come - with a pair of games against a middling Utah squad.

West Virginia (Wednesday's opponent) and Cincinnati (Saturday's opponent) are both placed in higher tiers at the moment, while the top team in the league in the Arizona Wildcats will head up to Tempe for a rematch on January 31.

What Does ASU Need to do to Reach Tournament?

Arizona State is currently at the bottom of the Big 12 standings, but don't discount the ability that the program has to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2022-23 season.

For starters, Arizona State's relentless fight against teams that are perceived to be far above their weight class should inspire confidence that the team will be able to rattle off victories against opponents on a similar footing. This includes the two games against Utah, as well as a rematch with Colorado.

Conventional wisdom would lend to the belief that the Sun Devils will need to win between 18 and 20 games to reach the goal that they set out to accomplish heading into the season - which means it's likely now or never to actually work towards reaching the benchmark.

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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