TEMPE- Bobby Hurley's time as head coach for Arizona State men's basketball is running out.
On a Saturday afternoon in Tempe, many of the fans in attendance were Arizona Wildcats supporters, while the Inferno was filled with Sun Devils students and alums such as James Harden and Cam Skattebo.
"There were too many red shirts in the arena," Hurley said postgame. "It was not a home game."
The Arizona State Sun Devils (11-11, 2-7 Big 12) lost their second straight game to the No. 1-ranked Arizona Wildcats (22-0, 9-0 Big 12), 87-74, as they were outscored, 49-36, in the second half.
Arizona State and Arizona had a close first half, where they were tied at 38 points apiece, after sophomore guard Noah Meeusen drilled a game-tying three-pointer before the buzzer.
"The score to me was not how close the game was... We had our chances, we just could not deal with their strength, their size," Hurley said postgame. "Their ability to do things that physically our roster just could not stay with... Then you've got these other variables come in.
"Koa Peat is 4-15 on the season from three. He just made two more. Granted, we weren't guarding him at all out there, and that was by design. Things like that start happening, it makes it even harder to win against a team this good.
It came down to the Sun Devils losing in the following categories: the Wildcats won battles in total rebounds (87-74), points in the paint (50-20), and scoring points off turnovers (21-10).
Arizona State shot 12-for-20 from the free-throw line and 27-for-65 from the field. The Sun Devils struggled to play with intensity and handle the Wildcats' strength in the second half.
"Our intensity," said senior guard Moe Odom, who finished with 15 points, three rebounds, and four steals.
"We've just been playing good first half, playing like crap second half. It's been like that (all year). Until we pick it up, it's going to be the same outcome every time."
The big question for the rest of the season is whether Hurley will return to Tempe as the head coach for men's basketball for the next season. During his tenure, the Sun Devils participated in three NCAA Men's Tournaments, which ended with losses in the first round in 2018, 2019, and 2023.
For example, the Arizona State women's basketball team brought in a new voice, Molly Miller, to serve as head coach, and the team positively changed culturally in her first season. Add in Kenny Dillingham, who led the football team to an appearance in the College Football Playoff and Big 12 Championship in 2024 as well.
Moreover, in order to build on the success for years to come, the Arizona State men's basketball team will need to find some 'Molly Miller magic.'
For now, it starts with finding a new voice to lead the way for men's basketball after having multiple roller coaster seasons for the Sun Devils.