TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State University women's basketball team will play five teams that qualified for the postseason last season during the non-conference portion of its 2016-17 schedule.
Included in this year's non-conference slate are contests against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams Maryland (back-to-back Big Ten Champions), St. Johns, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee. The Sun Devils could potentially play a fifth 2016 NCAA qualifier in the ASU Classic. ASU will open its annual home tournament against Boston and then the following day will face either Florida (2016 NCAA Tournament participant) or Long Beach State (2016 WNIT participant).
ASU will face Maryland and St. John's in back-to-back contests when it travels to Las Vegas for the South Point Shootout taking place Thanksgiving weekend.
The Sun Devils will also face a challenging road trip in December when they take on Kentucky and Middle Tennessee in consecutive games.
See below for info on each of ASU's 2016-17 non-conference opponents.
vs. Illinois State – Fri., Nov. 11, 2016/2015-16 record: 8-22
ASU has won five of its six lifetime meetings vs. Illinois State. In the most recent meeting (Dec. 17, 2014 at Illinois State) Quinn Dornstauder scored a game-high 19 points, Promise Amukamara added 14 and Sophie Brunner gave her hometown fans plenty to cheer about as she scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in ASU's 89-44 win.
vs. San Jose State – Sun., Nov. 13/2015-16 record: 13-17
First meeting between the two schools since Dec. 30, 1998 (ASU won 83-46 in Tempe). ASU has won three of the five all-time meetings.
at Marquette – Sat., Nov. 19/2015-16 record: 14-16
Rematch of last season's contest won by the Sun Devils, 90-80 in Tempe. Elisha Davis scored 11 points and tied a career-high with 11 assists while Arnecia Hawkins led ASU with 17 points. After missing the previous six games due to injury, Sophie Brunner scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in her first game back. ASU has won two of the three all-time meetings (all played in Tempe). Prior to last year's game, the two schools split their previous two meetings with ASU winning the first encounter 119-72 in 1992 and Marquette coming away with a 69-50 win in 1997.
vs. Maryland at South Point Shootout (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Fri., Nov. 25/2015-16 record: 31-4/NCAA Second Round
ASU and Maryland will meet for the first time at this season's South Point Shootout. The Terrapins are coming off a 2015-16 campaign in which they qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive season. After winning the Big Ten title for the second straight season Maryland was awarded a No. 2 seed in the Lexington Region. The Terrapins were upset by Washington, 74-65, in the second round of NCAAs.
vs. St. John's at South Point Shootout (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Sat., Nov. 26/2015-16 record: 23-10/NCAA First Round
For the second time in as many days the Sun Devils will face a 2016 NCAA Tournament team when they take on St. Johns. Last season the Red Storm won its first BIG EAST title since 1988 and went on to earn a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament where it was defeated by Auburn, 68-57. This will be only the second meeting between the Sun Devils and the Red Storm. ASU won the only previous matchup (Dec. 8, 1990) 83-77 in Tempe.
vs. Boston University – Sat., Dec. 3/ Round One of ASU Classic/2015-16 record: 3-26
The Sun Devils will open the first day of the ASU Classic against Boston University. The only other meeting between the Sun Devils and Terriers took place in the 2006 ASU Classic, a contest won by the Sun Devils 75-53.
ASU will face Long Beach State or Florida in Round Two of the ASU Classic on Sun., Dec. 4
Long Beach State/2015-16 record: 24-9/WNIT First Round
Long Beach State made its third WNIT appearance in four years last season and ended the season with 24 wins giving the 49ers back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1992. ASU's all-time record against Long Beach State is 2-15. The first 16 meetings occurred in the 70s and 80s. The Sun Devils won the most recent contest against the 49ers, 74-67 (OT), in the championship game of the 2013 ASU Classic (Dec. 9, 2013). ASU Classic Tournament MVP Sophie Brunner scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Kelsey Moos added 13 points and six boards.
Florida/2015-16 record: 22-9/NCAA First Round
The Gators have advanced to the postseason eight times (4 NCAA/4 WNIT) in the last nine years. Last season Florida finished with a 22-9 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Gators, who were a No. 5 seed, were upset in the first round by No. 12 seed UAlbany. ASU is 1-2 all time against the Gators. The last meeting took place at the 2012 South Point Shootout where the Sun Devils came away with a 74-58 win to clinch the tournament title.
at Kentucky – Sun., Dec. 11/2015-16 record: 25-8/NCAA Third Round
The Sun Devil and Wildcats will square off in a rematch of last season's season opener won by Kentucky, 68-64 (OT) in Tempe. Sophie Brunner had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the first meeting between the two teams. The Wildcats have qualified for the NCAA Tournament each of the last seven seasons, including a Sweet 16 appearance last season.
at Middle Tennessee – Tues., Dec. 13/2015-16 record: 24-9/NCAA First Round
Last season Middle Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons. The Blue Raiders earned an automatic berth after winning Conference USA's Tournament. This will be the second meeting between the two teams in the last three seasons. In the 2014-15 season opener (the first ever meeting between the Sun Devil and Blue Raiders), Sophie Brunner scored a game-high 20 points to go with 12 rebounds in ASU's 81-67 win in Tempe.
vs. Oral Roberts – Sat., Dec. 17/2015-16 record: 14-16
This will be only the third meeting between the two schools and the first since the 1986-87 season opener won by ASU 99-62 in Tempe. Oral Roberts was victorious in the first meeting, 63-59, played on Jan. 12, 1985 in Tulsa, Okla.
vs. Holy Cross – Wed., Dec. 21/2015-16 record: 13-17
This will be the only the third meeting between the Sun Devils and Crusaders and the first since 2003. ASU won the previous two meetings: 67-49 in 1995 (game was played in Anchorage, Alaska) and 81-56 in 2003 (in Tempe).
The 2016-17 Sun Devils return three senior starters – posts Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder and Kelsey Moos – from the 2015-16 squad that captured a share of the Pac-12 regular season title, won 26 games (tied for third-highest win total in program history) and went on to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest placement in program history.
Included in this year's non-conference slate are contests against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams Maryland (back-to-back Big Ten Champions), St. Johns, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee. The Sun Devils could potentially play a fifth 2016 NCAA qualifier in the ASU Classic. ASU will open its annual home tournament against Boston and then the following day will face either Florida (2016 NCAA Tournament participant) or Long Beach State (2016 WNIT participant).
ASU will face Maryland and St. John's in back-to-back contests when it travels to Las Vegas for the South Point Shootout taking place Thanksgiving weekend.
The Sun Devils will also face a challenging road trip in December when they take on Kentucky and Middle Tennessee in consecutive games.
See below for info on each of ASU's 2016-17 non-conference opponents.
vs. Illinois State – Fri., Nov. 11, 2016/2015-16 record: 8-22
ASU has won five of its six lifetime meetings vs. Illinois State. In the most recent meeting (Dec. 17, 2014 at Illinois State) Quinn Dornstauder scored a game-high 19 points, Promise Amukamara added 14 and Sophie Brunner gave her hometown fans plenty to cheer about as she scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in ASU's 89-44 win.
vs. San Jose State – Sun., Nov. 13/2015-16 record: 13-17
First meeting between the two schools since Dec. 30, 1998 (ASU won 83-46 in Tempe). ASU has won three of the five all-time meetings.
at Marquette – Sat., Nov. 19/2015-16 record: 14-16
Rematch of last season's contest won by the Sun Devils, 90-80 in Tempe. Elisha Davis scored 11 points and tied a career-high with 11 assists while Arnecia Hawkins led ASU with 17 points. After missing the previous six games due to injury, Sophie Brunner scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in her first game back. ASU has won two of the three all-time meetings (all played in Tempe). Prior to last year's game, the two schools split their previous two meetings with ASU winning the first encounter 119-72 in 1992 and Marquette coming away with a 69-50 win in 1997.
vs. Maryland at South Point Shootout (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Fri., Nov. 25/2015-16 record: 31-4/NCAA Second Round
ASU and Maryland will meet for the first time at this season's South Point Shootout. The Terrapins are coming off a 2015-16 campaign in which they qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive season. After winning the Big Ten title for the second straight season Maryland was awarded a No. 2 seed in the Lexington Region. The Terrapins were upset by Washington, 74-65, in the second round of NCAAs.
vs. St. John's at South Point Shootout (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Sat., Nov. 26/2015-16 record: 23-10/NCAA First Round
For the second time in as many days the Sun Devils will face a 2016 NCAA Tournament team when they take on St. Johns. Last season the Red Storm won its first BIG EAST title since 1988 and went on to earn a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament where it was defeated by Auburn, 68-57. This will be only the second meeting between the Sun Devils and the Red Storm. ASU won the only previous matchup (Dec. 8, 1990) 83-77 in Tempe.
vs. Boston University – Sat., Dec. 3/ Round One of ASU Classic/2015-16 record: 3-26
The Sun Devils will open the first day of the ASU Classic against Boston University. The only other meeting between the Sun Devils and Terriers took place in the 2006 ASU Classic, a contest won by the Sun Devils 75-53.
ASU will face Long Beach State or Florida in Round Two of the ASU Classic on Sun., Dec. 4
Long Beach State/2015-16 record: 24-9/WNIT First Round
Long Beach State made its third WNIT appearance in four years last season and ended the season with 24 wins giving the 49ers back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1992. ASU's all-time record against Long Beach State is 2-15. The first 16 meetings occurred in the 70s and 80s. The Sun Devils won the most recent contest against the 49ers, 74-67 (OT), in the championship game of the 2013 ASU Classic (Dec. 9, 2013). ASU Classic Tournament MVP Sophie Brunner scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Kelsey Moos added 13 points and six boards.
Florida/2015-16 record: 22-9/NCAA First Round
The Gators have advanced to the postseason eight times (4 NCAA/4 WNIT) in the last nine years. Last season Florida finished with a 22-9 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Gators, who were a No. 5 seed, were upset in the first round by No. 12 seed UAlbany. ASU is 1-2 all time against the Gators. The last meeting took place at the 2012 South Point Shootout where the Sun Devils came away with a 74-58 win to clinch the tournament title.
at Kentucky – Sun., Dec. 11/2015-16 record: 25-8/NCAA Third Round
The Sun Devil and Wildcats will square off in a rematch of last season's season opener won by Kentucky, 68-64 (OT) in Tempe. Sophie Brunner had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the first meeting between the two teams. The Wildcats have qualified for the NCAA Tournament each of the last seven seasons, including a Sweet 16 appearance last season.
at Middle Tennessee – Tues., Dec. 13/2015-16 record: 24-9/NCAA First Round
Last season Middle Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons. The Blue Raiders earned an automatic berth after winning Conference USA's Tournament. This will be the second meeting between the two teams in the last three seasons. In the 2014-15 season opener (the first ever meeting between the Sun Devil and Blue Raiders), Sophie Brunner scored a game-high 20 points to go with 12 rebounds in ASU's 81-67 win in Tempe.
vs. Oral Roberts – Sat., Dec. 17/2015-16 record: 14-16
This will be only the third meeting between the two schools and the first since the 1986-87 season opener won by ASU 99-62 in Tempe. Oral Roberts was victorious in the first meeting, 63-59, played on Jan. 12, 1985 in Tulsa, Okla.
vs. Holy Cross – Wed., Dec. 21/2015-16 record: 13-17
This will be the only the third meeting between the Sun Devils and Crusaders and the first since 2003. ASU won the previous two meetings: 67-49 in 1995 (game was played in Anchorage, Alaska) and 81-56 in 2003 (in Tempe).
The 2016-17 Sun Devils return three senior starters – posts Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder and Kelsey Moos – from the 2015-16 squad that captured a share of the Pac-12 regular season title, won 26 games (tied for third-highest win total in program history) and went on to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest placement in program history.