What's at Stake for ASU vs. Iowa State, Keys to Victory

The Sun Devils still have a lot to play for over the final games of the current season.

ASU Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) celebrates with fans after their 70-60 win over the Kansas Jayhawks at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on March 3, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils are seeking to finish their 2025-26 regular season on a high note on Saturday afternoon against the sixth-ranked Iowa State Cyclones - a team that has lost three of their last five games heading into the matchup.

There's much on the line for both programs in their second meeting as Big 12 rivals, with Iowa State rallying late to secure a double-digit win in Tempe in January 2025.

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

Follow overarching implications of what may be head coach Bobby Hurley's final regular season game as head coach at Arizona State below, as well as a major key to ASU coming out with a second consecutive seismic victory.

Stakes of Matchup Are High for ASU

Arizona State is destined to play either Oklahoma State or Baylor in the first round of the tournament - the only thing that is left to figure out is positioning on the upcoming bracket. The Sun Devils can only earn an 11 seed with a win and Colorado loss to Arizona - any other result would mean that ASU is the 12 seed.

Arizona State securing the 12 seed would in all likelihood result in a rematch against Kansas in round two with a round one victory, as the latter will secure the five seed in the bracket. The 11-seed placement would place Arizona State on the same side of the bracket as the winner of the TCU-Cincinnati game on Saturday - the Sun Devils fell to the former and defeated the latter, but Cincinnati has been one of the best teams in the conference in recent weeks.

Jan 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) attempts to steal the ball from Arizona State Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) during the second half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Key to Arizona State Victory: Match Iowa State's Tenacity

This might feel like a generalization - and is just may be. However, Iowa State is a well-oiled machine that shoots the ball extremely proficiently from beyond the arc, presents one of the most menacing defensive infrastructures of anyone Arizona State will play this season. The Cyclones roster a plethora of players that can and will make a difference at any given moment of the game. T.J. Otzelberger is a strong tactician and the team is very disciplined.

Arizona State has to come out of the gate with the same intensity that they did against both Texas Tech and Kansas - maybe even more due to being on the road. Massamba Diop will certainly be key in setting that tone on both ends of the floor.

Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) shoots a three pointer against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-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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