Arizona State's Path to Potential Big 12 Title Finalized

The Sun Devils must do serious work in the coming week to secure an unlikely tournament bid.

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) is defended by Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Bobby Hurley's Arizona State Sun Devils (16-15, 7-11 Big 12) closed out the 2025-26 regular season on Saturday afternoon with a disappointing second half showing in an 86-65 loss to the top-10 ranked Iowa State Cyclones.

The Sun Devils were unable to build off of a 41-37 halftime lead in what would have been the third straight win to add to Bobby Hurley's last-ditch effort to remain in Tempe for at least another year or two. Iowa State on the other hand secured a double bye in the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City this week. Take a brief look at what lies ahead for ASU in the days ahead below with ASU on SI.

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Trevor Best (12) is defended by Iowa State Cyclones guard Jamarion Batemon (1) and forward Dominykas Pleta (21) during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Arizona State's Path to Big 12 Glory is Tough, but Defined

The loss to Iowa State ensured that Arizona State would be the 12 seed in the tournament, as they had potential to rise to 11 wih a win and a Colorado loss to Arizona. Baylor's 101-75 win over Utah secured the 13-seed for the Bears, which sets the stage for a matchup between the two in the very first game of the tournament at 9:30 A.M. AZT.

This is a rematch from Baylor's 73-68 win over ASU on February 21 - a game in which the Sun Devils faltered in the final minute of the game after bringing the deficit down to a single point late.

Feb 21, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley reacts on the sideline during the second half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

A win over Baylor would mean a rematch with Iowa State just days after competing for 25 minutes of what eventually proved to be a blowout loss and resounding win for a team that is in prime position to secure a premium seeding placement. A win over Iowa State would set up a quarterfinal rematch against Texas Tech - who received the double bye in the tournament as the four-seed. Arizona State is roughly three weeks removed from defeating the Red Raiders at home, and the team will continue to be without J.T. Toppin - who lost his season in the second half of the February 17 game.

What Does ASU Need to do to Reach Tournament?

Arizona State's record of 16-15 is somewhat misleading, as they have secured several impressive wins over the course of the regular season. However, playing lower-rated Big 12 teams multiple times such as Utah and Colorado has hurt their overall standing in NET.

ASU will likely need to win at least two games to find themselves firmly on the bubble - and potentially even more.

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Noah Meeusen (15) controls the ball against the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-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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