Odum ignites ASU in Hawaii, shapes team’s Big 12 outlook

Going from Tempe to Honolulu marked a true momentum shift for Arizona State and its rebuilt from scratch roster, a statement stretch for a team intent on proving people wrong. The Sun Devils left the islands with a runner-up finish, a signature win over Texas, and plenty to chew on as they turn their attention to Saturday’s trip to Oklahoma.

“It was really good to spend that kind of time with a lot of new players, both on and off the court, to have 10 days there in Honolulu and Maui,” head coach Bobby Hurley reflected. “I’m proud of the way we competed, winning three out of four and getting to the championship. I think it was a good trip in a lot of regards.”

Hurley’s comments blended praise, evaluation, and a clear prescription for growth. ASU showed plenty of grit in Hawaii, battling back from a 12-point deficit against Washington State and pushing through three games in three days in the tournament, but the trip also revealed what still needs to be corrected.

While the Sun Devils displayed plenty of offensive firepower, including senior guard Moe Odum’s career-high 36-point performance against Texas, the most by an ASU player since Alonzo Verge’s 43 in 2019, and a 100-point outing against Washington State, their defensive struggles and rebounding issues hurt them in the title game. 

“We came back in a lot of games. Showed a lot of grit in the Hawaii game and Texas game and even Washington State,” Hurley noted. “We played a late game on the first night, and had to come back again. That game took a lot out of us, the Texas game and sort of battle through Washington State. And we were right there with USC, and just in the last eight minutes, we could not get loose balls and some defensive rebounds we needed to get.”

Hurley was not sugarcoating anything. Offensively, efficiency has increased, and ball security has been an asset; however, the defensive and rebounding fundamentals required to sustain success over the course of the season must be tightened.

The Trojans pulled down 12 offensive rebounds that turned into 13 second-chance points and held an 11-rebound overall advantage, while ASU allowed USC to shoot a season-high 60 percent from the field.

“We need to do better at that end of the floor,” Hurley emphasized.

In essence, the trip showed the team’s potential to compete, but the trip also identified the areas of growth that must occur.

Odum provided the highlight reel performances and leadership that bonded the roster, giving fans a glimpse of the optimism ahead. In Maui, the veteran guard displayed why he is increasingly viewed as the engine of this team. He scored in a multitude of ways, made clutch plays, and called out his teammates when necessary, all while doing so without fanfare. 

Odum led the Sun Devils to second place in the Maui Invitational, averaging 26.3 points and four assists per game, shooting 55% from three-point range; he lit up Texas, making 6 of 12 three-point attempts and shooting from all corners of the floor. Odum was honored by being selected to the All-Tournament team and as the Big 12 Newcomer of the week.

“He’s a fighter, he’s a competitor, and he wants to win, and he’ll do what it takes to get that job done,” Hurley remarked. “If that means it’s facilitating and making his teammates better, or if it’s him looking for his own shot, if that’s what he’s saying, then he has the ability.”

Odum, a cornerstone leader who focuses less on stats and more on the team’s chemistry, described the trip in simpler terms.

“We just learned that in order to win games, we have to bond off the court,” Odum emphasized. “Talent is just not going to win games. We have to be able to have the chemistry, take constructive criticism, and I feel like that’s what we did.”

When the ball stuck to the players’ hands and the bench went wild, that chemistry developed, and it helped define Odum as a facilitator and scorer, which was a big part of the Sun Devils’ identity.

“It just felt like I was super confident out there,” Odum said of his hot streak. “Coach Hurley gave me the confidence to be able to play through my mistakes. I made a lot of mistakes throughout those games, and he just gave me the confidence to just keep going.”

Odum will need to be vocal and bring that same energy to Oklahoma, a veteran team that is physical, deep, and runs efficiently. Hurley framed the Sooners as a team that has improved since the start of the year and does a great job of creating second-chances and getting shots to their primary scorers.

“Very experienced team, well-coached team,” Hurley highlighted. “They run good sets on offense, particularly for Pack to get him shots. He’s leading the country in made three-point field goals, and he’s been playing for a while, and he’s a really good basketball player.”

Odum highlighted the simple, physical demands of the matchup.

“We’ve got to be super physical,” Odum explained. “We’ve got to be able to, we’ve got to be the team that hits first. Let them know we here. We got to rebound. We got to clean up our rebound, and we got to clean up our interior defense.”

On the practice court, Coach Hurley’s message to his players has been clear: build on the strengths they showed in Maui and address the areas that need improvement. He highlighted the team’s ball control as a consistent positive, with Arizona State averaging 10.3 turnovers and 7.1 steals per game. While those numbers reflect strong ball security and an impressive takeaway rate, Hurley emphasized that turnovers and steals alone cannot make up for missed rebounds and lapses in defensive play.

“If we’re going to become like a good team, a team that has a chance to knock on the door for a tournament opportunity, we have to get better on defense, and we have to get better in our rebounding,” Hurley stated.

Playing in Maui was a chance to measure the group against top-flight competition and reveal who will grow into bigger roles. That growth will be hammered out over a tough December slate and into conference play. 

“We have five games in nine days,” Hurley pointed out. “We got to do a good job in those games and here we are again with these last five nonconference games.

Odum’s leadership will serve as a benchmark for how ASU prepares for the Big 12. With so many new and young players who have yet to experience everything college basketball demands, he welcomed the challenge of being a vocal leader and a counterpoint to Hurley’s coaching philosophy.

“I always tell them, I’ve been here before. I’ve gone through everything, the ups and downs in college. Like, if there’s something you have to go through in college, I’ve been through it,” Odum reflected. That confidence allowed him to step into a larger role without losing the team-first instincts that make him effective.

The Sun Devils return home with evidence they can compete against elite programs and with a reminder of the obstacles between them and consistent success. The Maui trip provided both. ASU improves to 6-2 heading into Saturday’s matchup against Oklahoma. The next test is Oklahoma, and the long haul that awaits. 

If the Sun Devils can pair Odum’s fiery leadership with the discipline Hurley expects, and take control of the boards, the lessons and momentum from Hawaii could grow into something much bigger. As Hurley said, the trip was an important step forward, and the team knows the hard work is just getting started.

“We have to get better as a team,” Hurley insisted. “We’ve got to improve in the areas we haven’t been as good in.”