Iowa State trounced Arizona State 91-42 on Wednesday in the second round of the Big 12 tournament. This defeat might have been the Sun Devils’ final game with coach Bobby Hurley. The game took place in Kansas City, Missouri.
Iowa State’s 49-point win was the largest in Big 12 tournament history. This topped Texas’ 43-point win over Colorado in 2000, according to ESPN Research. It was also the second-largest loss in Arizona State history, only surpassed by a 50-point defeat to Texas Tech in 1956.
Hurley’s Future in Question
Speculation suggests Arizona State may move on from Hurley. He now has a record of 185-167 in his 11th season.
Hurley addressed his future, stating, “I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I don’t know. I have not spoken about my future next year,” He added, “But I don’t have any regrets. I laid it out all on the line to the best that I could every night. And I did it until the last buzzer sounded.”
It is unclear whether Arizona State would accept an invitation to a lesser postseason tournament. It is also unclear whether Hurley would coach them again. Senior Allen Mukeba said, “He changed my life,” and called being part of the team a blessing.
Cyclones Dominate on Offense
Milan Momcilovic scored 21 points for the fifth-seeded Cyclones. Joshua Jefferson contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds. Iowa State (26-6) beat the Sun Devils (17-16) for the second time in less than a week.
The Cyclones advanced to play No. 16 Texas Tech in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Hurley Reflects on His Tenure
Hurley stated that he had no regrets over his time in the desert. He led the Sun Devils to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. This was a first for the program since the 1980-81 seasons.
- At one point, he had Arizona State ranked third in the nation.
- He recruited several players that have gone on to play professionally.
Hurley also spoke about the relationships he built. “My dad impacted kids, and I watched it happen growing up and throughout my whole life. So the biggest thing is regardless of winning championships and all this other stuff, it’s about the relationships and the players I can coach.”
He concluded, “That is what means the most to me.”