The Big 12 men’s basketball landscape can change quickly and drastically, with teams moving in and out of the AP Top 25 poll each week and programs shifting with trends that bring magnitude to every game. For Arizona State (13-14, 4-12 Big 12), the narrative has abruptly shifted from its relentless slide in the conference standings to a team with newfound energy and a lot to play for.
“The entirety of it has been a lot,” Hurley said. “Proud of the group, though. On the road in a tough environment, we had lost a number of games. It would’ve been very easy to mail it in, but to the credit of the group, they were very committed to playing well in that game, and they guarded as well as we’ve played defense.”
On Sunday, the Sun Devils defeated Kansas State 66-54 in a statement road victory. The win marked their first in seven contests dating back to before February. Additionally, senior guard BJ Freeman, the team's leading scorer at 13.7 points per game, was dismissed from the program for being detrimental to the team, according to ASU men’s basketball. Freeman dealt with his fair share of disciplinary issues throughout conference play, missing a matchup against Oklahoma State for that very reason.
“If BJ were here, we’d say the same things,” Ali said. “Just win the game, win the game, win the game. We just came together and were like, ‘Yo, we got to finish out strong, get some momentum.’ All of our games are Quad 1, so we’re not done yet. As you guys can see, we’re fighting every game. We’re not just giving up hope because we lost all these games. We’ve still got something to prove.”
Despite missing its most consistent scoring outlet, ASU broke its six-game losing streak on Sunday, besting Kansas State in a game where it virtually led from tipoff. However, next up is a rematch against the program that gave Hurley’s team its introduction to the conference: No. 25 BYU (19-8, 9-5). BYU dominated ASU at home on New Year’s Eve, winning comfortably 76-56. The course of conference play has been testy for the Cougars, but a four-game winning streak of their own has them ranked in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
The New Year’s Eve clash served as a “welcome to the conference” moment for ASU. The Cougars kept it close in the first half, with both teams establishing themselves in a cagey affair. BYU went into the break ahead 31-26. The second half, however, was a steady display of authority from BYU, which outscored ASU by 15 points. Junior guard Richie Saunders led the way with a game-high 30 points, shooting 11-of-18 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.
That game also saw the first major injury in what became a consistent string of injury woes. Five-star freshman guard Joson Sanon went down with a mild ankle sprain, forcing the microwave scorer to miss five of six contests. For Hurley, the last fixture against the Cougars continues to resonate when reflecting on the Sun Devils’ Big 12 campaign.
BYU’s latest game was a blockbuster victory in Tucson against No. 19 Arizona in a nail-biting 96-95 final score. Saunders led the team in scoring on Saturday, putting up 23 points on just 10 shots and making eight. He also grabbed two steals. Four more players scored in double figures as the team shot 55.38% from the field and 45.16% from three-point range in the contest.
Offensively, BYU is among the upper echelon of the conference, averaging 80.8 points per game, which ranks second in the league. The Cougars have dominated the Big 12 through elite-level efficiency, leading the league in field goal percentage at 48.5% and ranking third in three-point percentage at 37%. The Cougars also make 10.7 three-pointers per game, and they shoot the ball better than any other team in the conference.
Defensively, BYU is a disciplined bunch, holding teams to just 69.5 points per game. While they garner stops at a mediocre clip, they allow just 30.9 combined rebounds per game, the best mark in the conference. Their rebounding margin is +6.2 per game, surpassed only by Arizona. The Wildcats dominated the boards on Saturday with 36 rebounds to the Cougars' 25.
So, what are the keys to success for ASU against a Cougars team in the midst of a stellar late-season push? Availability remains the most important factor for any player on the Sun Devil roster. Along with Freeman’s dismissal, five-star freshman forward Jayden Quaintance is questionable for Wednesday’s contest due to a leg injury. The freshman phenom had perhaps his best showing in the Maroon and Gold against Kansas State, scoring 18 points and shooting 8-of-11 from the field, including two three-pointers. In addition to his high-level scoring night, he grabbed seven rebounds with two steals and a block.
“It’s not ideal, that’s for sure. It’s certainly a lesson learned,” Hurley said. “This gets back to roster construction and having enough guys, so we’re not in this situation. But there have certainly been a lot of external things that have happened. We had a good practice today, and the guys hopefully will be excited about the opportunity.”
A positive for the program has been the timely growth of rotation pieces. Freshman forward Amier Ali and junior center Shawn Phillips Jr. have both averaged a jump of over five points per game in the last five-game stretch compared to their season-long numbers. With players bouncing in and out of the team due to injury or other circumstances, the improvement of this pairing has paid dividends for the program.
“Guys are getting better,” Hurley noted. “Ali has taken some good steps and made strides in the last few weeks. Phillips Jr. had another really good game for us. It’s nice to see a freshman not hit a wall and go backward, but to see a guy developing and getting better as the season goes.”
The Sun Devils’ tumultuous season has not been easy on the players or coaching staff. Hurley and the team have had their fair share of struggles with confidence and mental health, as both Ali and Hurley opened up about the dips in their form this year.
“I spent a couple of hours awake last night, in the middle of the night, just sorting out everything and playing different scenarios in my mind,” Hurley said. “Things that have happened this year, and I haven’t really done that. Usually, when I’m done with my day, and my head hits the pillow, my eyes don’t wake up again until I’m ready to go the next day. I know the anxiety and the stress of what we’ve gone through has impacted everybody, and I’m not immune to that either.”
“I had to get out of my head and just remember how I used to play basketball,” Ali said. “I really had to enjoy it again. You know, it was tough going through these games, not playing how I wanted to and not just individually, but for the team. I mean, they needed me multiple times, and you know, I failed to make shots, and that hurt my confidence even more.”
Despite the challenges faced through a rigorous season, ASU has the opportunity to rewrite its script with four games remaining on its regular season schedule. The program has yet to win a game at Desert Financial Arena since January 4 against Colorado, losing seven consecutive home games. Wednesday night provides the team and the players an opportunity to steer the ship in a more positive direction.
“We haven’t been able to win and close out these games at DFA,” Hurley said. “So I think that’s an important thing that we figure out how to win a game.”
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