ASU Faces Potential Last Stand Against Iowa State

The Sun Devils are trapped in a battle for reaching their ambitions in the 2025-26 season heading into Wednesday.

Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) passes against Baylor Bears guard Obi Agbim (5) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The 83-79 victory that the Arizona State Sun Devils secured over the Baylor Bears in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday was largely a reflection of the entire 2025-26 season.

This particular Sun Devil team is relentless - even if flawed - and has become among the most fun/endearing watches in what is arguably the best conference in college basketball.

Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Gritty. Resilient. Skilled. Frustrating. Exhilarating. Those are just a few adjectives that describe the 17-15 Sun Devils as they head into their potential final stand this season against Iowa State on Wednesday morning.

There is still much to figure out in the days and weeks ahead for the ASU program - including what the future holds for head coach Bobby Hurley - but until then, the focus is on the court.

ASU Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) brings the ball up court against the Oregon State Beavers at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Dec. 21, 2025. | Joseph Rondone/Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sun Devils Seeking Revenge Against Iowa State

Iowa State has consistently been one of the best teams in all of college basketball this season behind elite outputs on both offense and defense, as well as a tendency to be dominant in spurts of games.

The aforementioned dominance was on full display in the previous game between the two last Saturday, when Iowa State took a 24-0 run to turn an Arizona State lead into a 20-point deficit in a matter of minutes.

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) reacts during the second half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

While Arizona State faces an uphill climb to take down the powerhouse Cyclones, there is a path to do so. Moe Odum must lead the offensive surge that showed up on Tuesday, when five players reached double-digit scoring figures.

What Would Postseason Fate be With Loss?

A loss would mean that the Sun Devils would definitely not reach the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive season - the last time they were selected was during the 2022-23 season, where the team ironically nearly defeated TCU in a round of 64 game.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley yells out to his team as they play the Kansas Jayhawks at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, on March 3, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The status of Hurley complicates things, as the Sun Devils would very much be in play to participate in the 2026 College Basketball Crown or in the NIT - although the team may opt not to participate in either due to a potential impending coaching search. It will be fascinating to see how Wednesday's game progresses and how the team responds to playing the Cyclones again

Until then, there's no doubt that the team will continue to battle for Coach Hurley - with Anthony "Pig" Johnson seeking to expand from his 19-point showing on Tuesday.

Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) dribbles during the first half against the Baylor Bears at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images