Naming 3 Winners From Arizona State's Triumph Over Cincinnati

The Sun Devils have reason to be optimistic following a bounce-back win.

Jan 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) celebrates with teammate Noah Meeusen (15) against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Is the 2025-26 Arizona State basketball season salvagable?

The Sun Devils entered Saturday's game against Cincinnati posting a 10-9 record after sitting at 9-2 at one point in non-conference play. They faced a de-facto must-win game scenario against the Bearcats, as a loss would have meant eight losses in a nine game stretch.

Arizona State on SI selects three "winners" from Saturday night's win - with an emphasis on the figures that contributed to the win, as well as the fight the team showed in general.

Bobby Hurley

Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley makes a substitution against Cincinnati at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 24, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hurley's sentiments that were echoed on Wednesday night were apparently heard and understood by the members of the team, as players held a meeting with coaches and staffers to get back on the same page in between the two games.

Hurley's immediate job security was put into question by some following the loss - which was compound by his comments about not being able to reach the team.

The 11th-year head coach acknowledged that the strategy behind those said comments following Wednesday's game were deliberate - they certainly appeared to pay off in a major way in the second half against the Bearcats. For now, it seems that the 54 year old will continue to lead the Sun Devils into a potential late-season surge.

Jan 24, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Moe Odum

Odum once again proved to be both the leader and catalyst that Hurley recruited him to be in this must-win scenario.

The senior point guard didn't only earn his fourth 20-point performance of conference play, he totaled his second-best scoring game of the season (33) - doing so in an incredibly efficient manner.

The New York native still faces substantial pressure to be the best player on the floor for the Sun Devils on a game-by-game basis, but proved to have the capacity to do so once again - pitching in eight assists and three steals in addition to the scoring outburst.

Arizona State guard Moe Odum (5) looks over at the officials during a game against Cincinnati at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 24, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona State's Resiliency

This is a general take, but the fanbase has to be pleased with the fight that the team showed on Saturday.

A loss would have continued the spiral, which would have added fuel to the talks surrounding Hurley's immediate future, as well as opinions that the team gave up on the season.

What was seen on Saturday proved to be far from waving the white flag on the season - now the Sun Devils are set to face a pair of steep challenges in UCF and Arizona in the next week.

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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