Different expectations, team culture surround ASU at Pac-12 media day
More often than not during his time at Arizona State, head coach Bobby Hurley’s squads have frequently found themselves in the middle of the Pac-12 preseason poll. In a three-year stretch from 2017 to 2019, the Sun Devils were picked to finish sixth by the conference’s preseason media poll.
The high expectations surrounding Hurley and the Sun Devils ahead of last year’s season culminated in Arizona State’s second-place ranking in last year’s media poll. That crowning -- with five media members selecting the Sun Devils to win the conference ahead of the COVID-riddled season -- didn’t come close to fruition as ASU struggled with a multitude of issues and ultimately finished ninth in the conference standings.
As Hurley and forwards Kimani Lawrence and Marcus Bagley talked with the media Wednesday at the conference’s TV studios in San Francisco, they did so in a familiar position.
“I don’t really put a lot of stock into where we’re projected to be picked at this time,” Hurley said after Arizona State was picked to finish seventh in this year’s preseason media poll. “I just kind of follow my own instincts on what I’m seeing day-to-day, and I like my group. I think we are going to be very competitive in the league, but the league is very good.”
There’s an eagerness from Hurley to overcome the failures of the 2020-21 season, given the overwhelming success his Pac-12 peers experienced in the NCAA tournament. All five Pac-12 teams that made the trip to Indianapolis in March won their opening-round games; USC, Oregon State, and UCLA each made the Elite Eight.
“My season was nothing like some of the others (in the Pac-12), but I was so happy for the league,” said Hurley, “but a part of me was like, ‘let’s go. Get it in gear. We’ve gotta get back to the NCAA tournament.’”
Added Lawrence: “With all the ups and downs that we went through in the season, we were right there in close games with these teams that made deep runs in the tournament. So, a couple of things go our way, and maybe that’s us making a deep run. The team that coach Hurley put together, man, we’ve got a chance to do something special.”
An overhauled roster and constructive player attitudes have been the overwhelming theme of the offseason for Hurley. In the three times he’s spoken to the local media since Arizona State’s season came to a close at last year’s Pac-12 tournament, the seventh-year Sun Devil head coach has harped on a renewed sense of togetherness with his group.
“I think there were a lot of variables that contributed to last year and why things didn’t go according to plan. Certainly, we wanted to get a better vibe in the locker room,” Hurley said again Wednesday. The offensive success of the Sun Devils was not up to par for Hurley last season, as Arizona State finished 75th in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom.com. “A more connected group if we could. Guys that wanted to share the ball and just play the right way. At times we had issues with that.”
The Sun Devils’ problems weren’t just limited to the offensive mentality. The defensive physicality -- or lack thereof -- was noticeable for Arizona State last year. As he sat on the Pac-12 Networks set in the early afternoon Wednesday, Hurley joked about Kimani Lawrence’s 20-rebound performance against Washington.
“We added some more size, so I think we’re deeper and bigger in the paint,” Hurley said after a season that saw Arizona State rank 311th of all Division 1 programs in rebounding rate. The additions of former Ohio State big man Alonzo Gaffney and five-star freshman Enoch Boakye bolster the ASU frontcourt and provide depth behind junior forward Jalen Graham. “That was a major issue for us last year beyond the not sharing the basketball thing.”
It’s easier for Hurley to joke about last year’s deficiencies now that the infamous whiteboard that sat in his living room during the offseason has made its way to his garage. With roster turnover complete, the Sun Devils added wingspan, shot-blocking, and rebounding in hopes of a more sustainable defensive strategy.
With so many new faces, the unknowns stretch past just what the fanbase has a lack of knowledge on. One of the most telling moments in Arizona State’s media conference came via a question surrounding which Sun Devil wasn’t being talked about now that should be getting attention. Hurley quickly shifted the focus to Bagley and Lawrence, noting that he was interested in hearing which peers the two Sun Devils thought were standing out thus far.
“We’ve got a lot of different guys that bring a lot of different things to the table, but if I were to point out one player that definitely a lot of people will be talking about, it would probably be DJ Horne,” said Lawrence of the Illinois State transfer, who was an All-Missouri Valley selection last season. “He plays the right way. He keeps the game simple, and he definitely brings a different aspect to our team. He shoots the ball really well, and he’s locked in on defense. He’s bought into the culture that coach Hurley has instilled since day one.”
Hurley was quick to point out the impressive showings he’s seen from Ohio State transfer Luther Muhammad, another guard addition through the portal who sat out with injuries last season. Adding Horne and 2021 MAC Player of the Year Marreon Jackson via transfer from Toledo is something that Hurley said is possible because of the success of previous ASU guards. Hurley’s history coaching the position he had monumental success playing -- specifically with transfers from mid-major programs like Shannon Evans from Buffalo and Rob Edwards from Cleveland State -- has lent itself to more opportunities for the Sun Devils through the transfer portal.
“He’s come in and been a difference maker,” Hurley said of Jackson. At Toledo, Jackson averaged double figures in scoring in the past three seasons and had two triple-doubles in his last season as a Rocket. “He’s been vocal in our practices. He can create not only for himself but for his teammates, and he really does a good job of moving the ball.
“I think we have a better synergy in that regard of not being so ball dominant and moving the ball. I’m seeing the guys share it and make the extra pass in practice. So that’s been good to see. He’s spearheading that.”
Along with the preseason media rankings projecting the conference standings, they also tabbed Marcus Bagley as one of the 10 First Team All-Conference Selections. Bagley and Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin were the only two sophomores to be named to the First Team in an upperclassmen-heavy list.
“Coming back to college was a decision based on knowing how much better I could be on and off the court,” Bagley explained after entering his name into the NBA Draft and the transfer portal following an 11-14 season for ASU. Hurley said he envisions Bagley playing most of his minutes at the 3, his natural position and one that gives the Sun Devils great lineup flexibility with the newfound size. “hen it was time to make a decision, it was hard to see myself suiting up for anybody else.”
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the DDevils’Huddle, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today here and get all the latest Sun Devil news!
