Listing Out What's at Stake for ASU Basketball Over Final Stretch

The last three weeks of the Arizona State regular season are incredibly crucial for both the short and long term.

Jan 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley with center Massamba Diop (35) against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Bobby Hurley's Arizona State Sun Devils are heading into the final six games of the 2025-26 season after coming off of an impressive 85-76 win over Oklahoma State last Tuesday.

The final string of games pose no shortage of challenges, as the Sun Devils will hit the road for three games (Baylor, TCU, Iowa State), while also hosting two ranked squads (Texas Tech, Kansas) during the last three weeks of the regular season.

The Sun Devils have shown tremendous fight for a majority of the season, although they haven't put together a consistent stretch in the Big 12 to this point - ASU on SI takes a look at three major storylines that are likely to be answered as the season winds down below.

Jan 31, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley with guard Maurice Odum (5) against the Arizona Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Will the Sun Devils Make Last Ditch Push for NCAA Tournament?

It's still widely considered that Arizona State is a "long shot" to reach the NCAA tournament - this is reflected by the lack of presence on various projected brackets, as well as currently posting just a 3% chance to make the 68 team field according to TeamRankings.

Arizona State would be elevated into the bubble conversation if they were to win 18 games - this would mean that the team would have to win four of their last six regular season games, as well as at least one Big 12 tournament game.

Upcoming games against Baylor, TCU, and Utah will present chances to pad the win total, although none of those games are guaranteed to go the way of ASU. They will also likely need to secure at least one win in midst of the trio of games against Texas Tech, Kansas, and Iowa State that lie ahead - will they be able to make the late run?

Feb 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Bangot Dak (8) fouls Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) in the first half at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

What's the Long Term Approach?

The "big picture" is a major piece of what's at stake for the Sun Devils over the next several weeks.

The widely held assumption is that Hurley will need to take Arizona State to the 64-team field for the athletic department to consider discussing a new deal. While that remains unlikely, it is something that remains on the table, as this team possesses requisite talent to rattle off several victories.

If Hurley doesn't get returned, there will be a search that will likely be expansive from AD Graham Rossini that has potential to end up being the most consequential during his tenure in the position. There are several rising mid-major coaches that would presumably be of interest to the Sun Devils - the direction long-term in that scenario would have to be found relatively quickly, as the transfer portal and other areas of concern in the offseason would be impending shortly after the hire is made.

What Players Will be Prioritized to Retain?

Arizona State will have to figure out what players should be prioritized in terms of making an effort to return for the 2026-27 season and beyond - regardless of who is head coach.

Star PG Moe Odum is a senior this season, while Allen Mukeba is also a graduate student that will be without eligibility following the season.

This leaves Massamba Diop, Bryce Ford, Noah Meeusen, Andrija Grbovic, Santiago Trouet, and Marcus Adams Jr. as just a few of the players that the program has the ability to retain for next season. The hope is that all of these players are retained, but the focus is likely going to be on Diop - with the other players being high priority as well.

Meeusen is a player to watch as well, as the do-it-all combo guard will have two years of eligibility remaining after this season, while Adams has potential to secure another medical redshirt if he doesn't play in another game this campaign.

Arizona State returns to action on Tuesday night against nationally ranked Texas Tech in Tempe.

Feb 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Members of the Arizona State Sun Devils react in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

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