Naming One Area Where Healthy Arizona State Players Must Excel
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TEMPE -- Bobby Hurley and the Arizona State Sun Devils might just be back after snapping a four-game losing streak on Saturday.
There's a lengthy road to get to where the program wants to be this season, but the 87-84 triumph over the Kansas State Wildcats saw a return of the same fire that was seen throughout much of the non-conference slate.
The win came in the face of running a seven-man rotation due to the myriad of injuries that have piled up over the last two-plus months, which has necessitated a select few players to be consistently great in the pursuit of victory.
Arizona State on SI names one area that every player that was featured in the starting lineup on Saturday must continue to do for the squad to continue their winning ways over the final 15 games of league play.
Moe Odum: Three-point Efficiency
Odum is the definite vocal leader of the team in what is his senior season.
The former Pepperdine guard has put together averages of 16.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 1.5 SPG - largely staying impactful in the process.
However, Odum has yet to shoot an above-average mark from three-point range since the December 6 victory over Oklahoma, in which he connected on three of six attempts during.
It's not an overstatement to point out that the Sun Devils need Odum to return to the 40% levels he was at from behind the arc in November and early December in order to reach the heights they have set out to get to.
Anthony "Pig" Johnson: Continued Aggressiveness
Johnson could certainly improve his three-point efficiency in compliment of Odum, but his 31.7% mark from beyond the arc is on relatively low volume.
The main area Arizona State needs Johnson to continue to step up in is aggressiveness/effort level.
Johnson is currently on pace to finish inside of the top five in both free throw makes and attempts in a single season in the history of the program - this is indicative of the senior guard's relentless nature.
The former NAIA star doesn't take possessions off, almost always impacting the game in one way or another - this should be counted on to continue moving forward.
Santiago Trouet: Offensive Rebounding
Trouet has been an unheralded piece of the 2025-26 Sun Devils to this point of the season, with Hurley lauding his "blue-collar" playmaking during Saturday's contest.
The San Diego transfer is still pacing the team with 5.7 rebounds per game, with 2.3 of those being on the offensive glass - a career high for the Argentina native.
This number came to a head on Saturday - when Trouet secured seven offensive boards in a game that the Sun Devils were able to earn 24 second-chance points in. Many of those were due to Trouet - the hope is that the junior will continue to do the little things to aid in Arizona State piling up victories in pursuit of the NCAA tournament berth.
Allen Mukeba: Weak-side Defense
Mukeba has been another jolt of energy - much akin to Johnson, but in a different way.
Mukeba's impact has largely been defined by his sturdy 6'8" frame, finishing at an incredible rate, while also putting together several game-breaking performances on the defensive side of the ball.
Mukeba's IQ off-ball and his exceptional athleticism make for a strong combination. The senior forward has to continue making an impact on defense in support of the player mentioned below.
Massamba Diop: All-around Impact
Diop has been seen as the most promising prospect on the Arizona State roster since over the summer.
The freshman impressed to start his first non-European campaign, but has truly made a leap into stardom in recent weeks - to the tune of scoring 20 points in each of the last three games.
The Senegalese center's all-around impact is evident, as he averages 14.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 1.9 blocks per game - all while putting together impressive efficiency splits.
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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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.