Arizona State rallies around Bobby Hurley amid exit talk, beats Baylor 83-79 in Big 12 Tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley did not dismiss reports that his time with the Sun Devils is coming to a close.

In fact, he more or less acknowledged them.

But that doesn’t mean Hurley or the Sun Devils are ready to give up on this season, and his career in Tempe. That was evident Tuesday during the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, where No. 12 seed Arizona State leaned on 19 points from Pig Johnson to earn an 83-79 victory over No. 13 seed Baylor and a date with seventh-ranked Iowa State in the second round.

Advertisement

“Well, I mean, I talked to the team, and we saw the report on it. I didn’t hide anything from them,” said Hurley, whose contract is due to expire after this season. “They’re playing for each other. I’m coaching them to the best of my ability. I have not been told anything.

“The source is reputable, and a guy that I know. But I’m just doing my job and coaching this team and enjoying my moments.”

There were a lot of them to enjoy against Baylor on Tuesday.

The Sun Devils (17-15) jumped out to a big early lead, just as they have so many times this season; only they kept the pressure up in the second half, when a malaise tends to set in. They pushed their advantage to as many as 15 points before some poor foul shooting in the closing minutes allowed the Bears to make the final score look much more respectable.

Advertisement

“We’ve been playing really well in first halves of games, and that’s something I talked to the guys about,” Hurley said. “We came very close to putting two halves together, minus the poor free-throw shooting down the stretch.”

Hurley, the 1992 Final Four MVP who led Duke to two national championships, was considered a home-run hire by Arizona State after he needed just two years to turn Buffalo into a winner. By his third season in the desert, Hurley had the Sun Devils in the NCAA Tournament; at one point that season, they were ranked third in the nation with a roster that was turning some heads.

Yet…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/arizona-state-rallies-around-bobby-201347385.html

Author : DAVE SKRETTA

Publish date : 2026-03-10 20:13:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.