ASU’s Hurley supports task force, excited for backcourt, better defense

The atmosphere of Thursday’s Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Media Day was much different compared to past years.

Coaches were already anticipating the questions swirling the unforeseen bribery investigation that sent waves through the NCAA.

Arizona State’s head coach Bobby Hurley was asked if he was stunned with any of the controversy.

“Just the FBI involvement,” Hurley said. “There are always rumors and things that go on that you hear but you have no evidence of. So you just try to run your program the best way you can run it. And you don’t tolerate anything that goes beyond the rules.”

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced Thursday that the conference will be launching its own task force to develop reform proposals in response to the federal bribery. Hurley was supportive with the decision.

“There should be plenty of dialogue in various ways of people that have had great experiences in college basketball can come together,” Hurley said. “Figure out ways to adjust the system and find some long-term solutions.”

Although a good part of the media session focused heavily on the investigation, Hurley was asked questions pertaining to his team and expectations heading into the season.

The third-year ASU coach got time to praise his experienced backcourt in seniors Tra Holder and Shannon Evans who were second and third in scoring for their team last year, 16.2 points and 15.0 points per game, respectively.

Hurley also detailed his special relationship with Evans.

“Shannon and I bonded immediately,” Hurley said. “He was the first guy I coached my first year. So every year I’ve been a head coach, Shannon has been in my program. ”

Evans played under Hurley since the coach got his first position at Buffalo in 2013. The guard played his first year at ASU in 2016-17, where he led the team in assists, steals and free throw percentage.

Evans played the most minutes on the team, and being the floor general, Hurley has seen growth through all the years he has spent with his point guard.

“He came in as a high-level athlete with good talent,” Hurley said. “He’s really harnessed that talent and fine-tuned it. He’s become more of a student of the game and understanding and making good decisions when he’s playing.”

The Sun Devils found themselves in the top six of the Pac-12 preseason poll. It was the first time media members who cover the conference have selected ASU to finish in the top half of the conference since 2010-11.

The optimism behind the team stems from the improved depth coming into this season.

“I mean, we have 10 scholarship guys, so most likely nine or eight, it depends on the situation,” Hurley said. “Hopefully [we’re] not going to do what I did against UCLA at home. I played five guys every minute except for one. I don’t want to do that again.”

ASU added two four-star lengthy recruits in 6-foot-8 Romello White and 6-foot-7 Kimani Lawrence in the frontcourt to disrupt opposing offenses, something they struggled to do last season.

“I think that we’re focusing a lot on defense,” Hurley said. “It was an issue for us last year. We were certainly capable of scoring with some of the best teams in the conference, but not so much at the defensive end. “