Bobby Hurley’s Blunt Postgame Words Turn Heads After Colorado Game

The Colorado Buffaloes beat the Arizona State Sun Devils and with the season’s pressure mounting, ASU coach Bobby Hurley did not hide his frustration.

Feb 4, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley watches the team warm up before the game against the Utah Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Arizona State Frustration

The Colorado Buffaloes beat the Arizona State Sun Devils, and with the season’s pressure mounting, ASU coach Bobby Hurley did not hide his frustration. Hurley was particularly upset with his team’s defensive struggles yet again. “We stink on defense, Okay? We gave up 50 percent, so whether it was man or zone, I don’t know what the ratio was exactly, but 50-50, 60-40, man or zone, we were bad at both. So it was ‘pick your poison," Hurley said after the game.

The Sun Devils struggled to create stops and limit what the Buffaloes were able to do offensively. Colorado had four players score in double figures, highlighting Arizona State’s inability to slow the attack. For a team hoping to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth, the Sun Devils must find ways to generate stops and better contain opponents on the offensive end.

In tight games, a few simple factors often decide the outcome. In this case, one key area was fast-break points. Arizona State scored just five, while allowing 11 to Colorado. Giving up 11 easy transition points is a recipe for disaster.

Another deciding factor was shot quality. Colorado dominated the paint, outscoring ASU 42–26 inside. A margin that large near the basket is a major reason the home team secured the win.

Rebounding also proved pivotal. The Buffaloes outrebounded the Sun Devils 40–26 and, more importantly, Arizona State allowed 13 offensive boards, leading to numerous second-chance opportunities. At a certain point, giving an opponent that many extra possessions becomes too much to overcome.

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

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Feb 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Sebastian Rancik (7) reacts in the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

NCAA Tournament Future

Within the conference standings, both teams sit in a similar position, making this a significant matchup should tiebreakers or head-to-head results come into play later.

The Buffaloes improved to 4–7 in conference play and 14–10 overall. While not an ideal mark, Colorado faces two challenging road games next against the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the BYU Cougars on February 14. This stretch presents an opportunity to boost its résumé, though winning on the road in college basketball is never easy.

The Sun Devils now sit at 4–8 in conference play following this loss, coming shortly after a win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on February 10. Arizona State also faces a difficult upcoming slate, hosting Texas Tech on February 17 before traveling to Baylor on February 21.

With both teams near the bottom of the Big 12 standings, each has a steep climb ahead to improve conference positioning and keep any realistic March aspirations alive.