By Craig Morgan, thesundevils.com Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. -- In his most honest moments, Bobby Hurley saw this coming. The Sun Devil men's basketball team he inherited this season was forecast to finish an optimistic eighth in the preseason Pac-12 media poll, and Hurley admitted when the season started that he had work to do on the recruiting trail to bring in his type of players.
A 10-3 non-conference record against a tough slate of competition, coupled with Hurley's unrelenting expectations for himself and his teams may have temporarily clouded that perspective, but as the Arizona State coach addressed the media after a season-ending first-round exit in the Pac-12 Tournament last week in Las Vegas, he offered both candor and his unique brand of resolve.
"I think we should all manage our expectations," Hurley said after ASU's 75-66 loss to Oregon State at MGM Grand Garden Arena. "We were picked pretty low. I think with the nonconference it changed those expectations some.
"We got to where we were, maybe a tad below, but certainly my expectations weren’t met. We weren’t collectively focused on winning. We fought that some this year and we have to a do a better job of making sure that’s not the case moving forward."
Given Hurley's history, that challenge seems minor. ASU's first-year coach has a wealth of experience to draw upon as the son of a legendary high school coach, as an NCAA champion at Duke, as an NBA first-round pick, as a man who overcame a devastating auto accident and its associated injuries, and as a man who took tiny Buffalo to the NCAA Tournament.
There were also positives to be drawn from this season despite the Sun Devils' struggles in Pac-12 play. ASU recorded eight top-100 RPI wins, which was as many or more than 12 at-large NCAA Tournament teams. In non-conference action, ASU beat SEC co-champion Texas A&M (RPI 18), Southland Conference champion Stephen Austin (61), Ohio Valley Conference top seed Belmont (95), UC Santa Barbara (98) and Creighton (100), while in conference play it beat Oregon State (33), USC (51) and Stanford (87).
ASU also went 2-1 in non-conference road games this year, beating Creighton and UNLV, while falling at fifth-ranked Kentucky. The Sun Devils were 8-22 in their previous 30 nonconference regular season road games.
With all of that as backdrop, those who know Hurley best have no doubt what lies ahead.
"All of those experiences he's been through will give him insight and perspective that will allow him to really flourish in a couple years," former Duke teammate Grant Hill said. "It’s not only the highs and winning championships that teach you and help you teach others; it's also the low points. Just having that as a point of reference will be hugely impactful.
"Bobby's a really smart guy. He knows the game of basketball and that's something you can't fake. You can fool everyone else; you can’t fool players and they will see that in him, but Bobby has this other quality about him where he can inspire people to play and believe in him, and that's going to matter not just on the court, but when he walks into living rooms -- especially because of who he is."
ASU loses three senior starters off this year's team - forward Willie Atwood, guard Gerry Blakes, and center Eric Jacobsen - but Hurley's young backcourt of Tra Holder, Shannon Evans, and Kodi Justice showed promise. Holder averaged a team-best 14.2 points and shot 36.6 percent from 3-point range.
Up front, forwards Obinna Oleka and Savon Goodman also flashed great moments, and 6-9 freshman Andre Adams will be back after missing the season with a torn ACL. Oleka scored in double figures in 13 of his final 16 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and was 41 of 49 (.837) from the free throw line in that span.
Hurley will also have the first of his recruiting classes in Tempe next season. Guard Sam Cunliffe (6-6) of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle is a Top-100 recruit and 6-9 forward Jethro Tshisumpa will bring a strong defensive game.
"If you look at it glass half full and in a positive way, for me having gone through a lot this year I feel like I have learned a lot," Hurley said. "I feel like I can take a lot away from it. I have dealt with a lot of circumstances.
"Getting a chance to get a taste of this level and being able to see what needs to be done moving forward was good for me. My job is to give this group the best chance to play as far as they can and get the most out of it."