TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Fans spilled out of the stands onto the court, jumping and shouting in celebration of Arizona State's massive upset.
As the chaos swirled around him, Bobby Hurley, a coach known for his fiery sideline demeanor, calmly walked along the scorer's table shaking hands with Kansas' coaches and players before heading up the ramp.
No fist pumps, no shouts of joy, even if may have been his final home game.
Just a coach proud of the way his team fought through adversity — just as he did throughout his career.
“These kids care about the game, they want to play the right way, and a lot of them are underdogs, like I always was,” Hurley said after Arizona State's 70-60 victory over No. 14 Kansas on Tuesday night. “And that’s why I could relate to them.”
Hurley's role as the ultimate underdog was part of what made his hiring 12 years ago such a big splash.
An undersized point guard, he won two national championships at Duke and is still the NCAA's career assists leader. He played five seasons in the NBA before a car accident cut his career short.
Hurley won almost immediately after becoming a head coach, taking Buffalo to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his second season.
He also won at Arizona State, just not enough.
Through 11 years of ups and downs, Hurley entered the final season of his contract likely needing an NCAA Tournament berth to keep his job. The Sun Devils fell well short, leaving them needing a miracle run at the Big 12 Tournament or bust.
“He is the greatest coach that’s ever coached me,” said Arizona State guard Moe Odum, who had 23 points against Kansas. "I’d go to war with him anytime. I don’t care what anybody says.”
If Tuesday night was his final home game, it was quite a way to go out.
Two of the biggest highlights of Hurley's tenure — outside of three NCAA Tournament appearances — were wins over Kansas in consecutive seasons.
The Sun Devils won at Allen Fieldhouse in 2017 against the second-ranked Jayhawks, part of a 12-0 start that propelled them to No. 3 in the AP Top 25, matching the highest ranking in program history.
The Sun Devils did it again the following season in Tempe, taking down Kansas for their only home win over a No. 1 team.
Fate brought the Jayhawks back for the potential end of Hurley's home finale in the desert.
The Sun Devils came out with the same fire their coach has on the sideline and during his playing days, smothering the Jayhawks while building a 20-point lead.
A coach was ejected and it wasn't Hurley — Bill Self was tossed for arguing an offensive call on Jayhawks star freshman Darryn Peterson.
Kansas stormed back, pulling with four, then back to two after Arizona State again stretched the lead to double digits.
Unlike some of the games they couldn't find a way to finish, the Sun Devils pushed back, shoving the Jayhawks out the door and Hurley to a win in what could be his final game at Desert Financial Arena.
“I don't think it was me,” Hurley said. “It would have been a nice storyline, but I really believe that's who they are.”
Competitive to the end, just like their coach.
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