TEMPE, Ariz. – Contests versus 2018 Final Four participant Louisville and NCAA regional semifinalist Baylor highlight the Arizona State women's basketball team's 2018 non-conference schedule, announced by head coach Charli Turner Thorne on Thursday.
The Sun Devils will play 11 non-conference games, including six contests (possibly as many as seven) against teams that qualified for postseason play last March. In addition to the aforementioned NCAA Tournament teams, ASU will also face 2018 WNIT participants Colorado State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Southern.
The Sun Devils will open the 2017-18 season on Nov. 6 when they host Incarnate Word. Five days later, Veterans Day, ASU will travel to Fort Defiance, Ariz., where it will take on perennial national powerhouse Baylor in its 'Showdown on the Rez' game, honoring Native American Heritage Month and also providing a platform to recognize and honor Native Americans who served in the armed forces. The game against the Lady Bears will be televised by ESPN2.
One week later (Nov. 18) the Sun Devils will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for their first official road game of the season at Arkansas.
ASU will be in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving weekend for the annual South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. The Sun Devils will play two games in two days, opening with 2018 Final Four participant Louisville on Nov. 23 and concluding with SIU on Nov. 24. This will be ASU's fourth appearance at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout since 2009. In 2012 the Sun Devils came away with the tournament title.
After playing four of their first five games away from Wells Fargo Arena the Sun Devils will be at home for four of their six contests in December starting with the annual ASU Classic (Dec. 1-2), which will feature Alabama, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa. ASU will face Louisiana Tech in round one Dec. 1 and will face either Alabama or Tulsa on Dec. 2.
After a home contest against Southern (Dec. 7), ASU will travel to Fort Collins, Colo., to face Colorado State on Dec. 9. One week later (Dec. 16) ASU will journey to La Crosse, Wisc., for a neutral site game against Kansas State.
ASU will conclude non-conference play at home against Fresno State (Dec. 20).
Including last season's 9-3 record, ASU's 49 regular season, non-conference wins are more than any other team in the Pac-12 since 2013.
The Sun Devils are coming off a 2017-18 campaign in which they tied the school records for consecutive NCAA appearances (five) and 20-win seasons (five). The squad will return all of its core players next season including 2018 All-Pac-12 standout and leading scorer Kianna Ibis and 2018 All-Pac-12 honorable mention/Pac-12 defensive honorable mention selection Robbi Ryan.
The Pac-12 schedule will be announced later this summer.
See below for info on each of ASU's 2018 non-conference opponents.
vs. Incarnate Word – Tues., Nov. 6 • 2017-18 record: 5-24
First meeting between the two schools.
vs. Baylor in Fort Defiance, Ariz. – Sun., Nov. 11 • 2017-18 record: 33-2/NCAA Sweet 16
Working in conjunction with ASU's Office of American Indian Initiatives, 'Showdown on the Rez' will take place on Veterans Day and serve as a celebration of Native American Heritage Month and also provide a platform to recognize and honor Native Americans who served in the armed forces. Baylor went 33-2 last season and advanced to the regional round of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th consecutive season. This will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools with the Lady Bears claiming wins in the previous two meetings, most recently in 2009.
at Arkansas – Sun., Nov. 18 • 2017-18 record: 13-17
ASU has won both of the all-time meetings (both in Tempe), including last season's 89-43 decision, a game in which Courtney Ekmark tied the single-game school record with seven 3-pointers.
vs. Louisville at South Point Thanksgiving Shootout – Fri., Nov. 23 • 2017-18 record: 36-3/NCAA Final Four
ASU will open the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout with a contest against 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Louisville. The Sun Devils have prevailed in both of the all-time meetings, most recently the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament in which current Sun Devil assistant coach Briann January helped ASU rally from a 14-point deficit in the last 11 minutes to come out on top and advance to the Sweet 16.
vs. SIU at South Point Thanksgiving Shootout – Sat., Nov. 24 • 2017-18 record: 16-13
Will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools and the first since back-to-back meetings in 1992 (ASU won at home) and 1993 (SIU won at home).
vs. Louisiana Tech – Sat., Dec. 1/Round One of ASU Classic • 2017-18 record: 19-12/WNIT First Round
Last season Louisiana Tech advanced to the WNIT for the second straight season. The only prior meeting between the two schools came in the regional semifinal round 1982 NCAA Tournament, a game won by Louisiana Tech (92-54).
ASU will face Alabama or Tulsa in Round Two of the ASU Classic on Sun., Dec. 2
Alabama • 2017-18 record: 20-14/WNIT quarterfinals
Alabama had a strong finish to the 2017-18 campaign, winning six of its last 10 (all four losses in that stretch were by seven points or less, including two in OT). Alabama has won both meetings against ASU (both neutral site contests with the last meeting taking place in 1996).
Tulsa • 2017-18 record: 10-21
Would be the second all-time meeting. ASU came out on top 80-69 in 1985 in a game that was played at Tulsa.
vs. Southern – Fri., Dec. 7 • 2017-18 record: 17-14/WNIT First Round
Southern is coming off its fourth all-time appearance in the WNIT. ASU won the only prior meeting in 1981 in Tempe.
at Colorado State – Sun., Dec. 9 • 2017-18 record: 21-12/WNIT Second Round
Last season's berth in the WNIT represented Colorado State's fifth consecutive postseason appearance. ASU has won eight of the nine all-time meetings, most recently an overtime triumph on the road in 2011.
vs. Kansas State in La Crosse, Wisc. • 2017-18 record: 18-16/WNIT Round of 16
Game between the Sun Devils and Wildcats will be contested at a neutral site in La Crosse, Wisc. Kansas State is coming off its fourth straight postseason appearance that saw it advance to the WNIT Round of 16.
vs. Fresno State • 2017-18 record: 17-15
ASU will close the non-conference portion of its schedule with a home contest against Fresno State. Charnea Johnson-Chapman helped the Sun Devils improve to 3-0 all-time against the Bulldogs after scoring a career-high 16 points in last year's 81-49 win in Fresno.
The Sun Devils will play 11 non-conference games, including six contests (possibly as many as seven) against teams that qualified for postseason play last March. In addition to the aforementioned NCAA Tournament teams, ASU will also face 2018 WNIT participants Colorado State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Southern.
The Sun Devils will open the 2017-18 season on Nov. 6 when they host Incarnate Word. Five days later, Veterans Day, ASU will travel to Fort Defiance, Ariz., where it will take on perennial national powerhouse Baylor in its 'Showdown on the Rez' game, honoring Native American Heritage Month and also providing a platform to recognize and honor Native Americans who served in the armed forces. The game against the Lady Bears will be televised by ESPN2.
One week later (Nov. 18) the Sun Devils will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for their first official road game of the season at Arkansas.
ASU will be in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving weekend for the annual South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. The Sun Devils will play two games in two days, opening with 2018 Final Four participant Louisville on Nov. 23 and concluding with SIU on Nov. 24. This will be ASU's fourth appearance at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout since 2009. In 2012 the Sun Devils came away with the tournament title.
After playing four of their first five games away from Wells Fargo Arena the Sun Devils will be at home for four of their six contests in December starting with the annual ASU Classic (Dec. 1-2), which will feature Alabama, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa. ASU will face Louisiana Tech in round one Dec. 1 and will face either Alabama or Tulsa on Dec. 2.
After a home contest against Southern (Dec. 7), ASU will travel to Fort Collins, Colo., to face Colorado State on Dec. 9. One week later (Dec. 16) ASU will journey to La Crosse, Wisc., for a neutral site game against Kansas State.
ASU will conclude non-conference play at home against Fresno State (Dec. 20).
Including last season's 9-3 record, ASU's 49 regular season, non-conference wins are more than any other team in the Pac-12 since 2013.
The Sun Devils are coming off a 2017-18 campaign in which they tied the school records for consecutive NCAA appearances (five) and 20-win seasons (five). The squad will return all of its core players next season including 2018 All-Pac-12 standout and leading scorer Kianna Ibis and 2018 All-Pac-12 honorable mention/Pac-12 defensive honorable mention selection Robbi Ryan.
The Pac-12 schedule will be announced later this summer.
See below for info on each of ASU's 2018 non-conference opponents.
vs. Incarnate Word – Tues., Nov. 6 • 2017-18 record: 5-24
First meeting between the two schools.
vs. Baylor in Fort Defiance, Ariz. – Sun., Nov. 11 • 2017-18 record: 33-2/NCAA Sweet 16
Working in conjunction with ASU's Office of American Indian Initiatives, 'Showdown on the Rez' will take place on Veterans Day and serve as a celebration of Native American Heritage Month and also provide a platform to recognize and honor Native Americans who served in the armed forces. Baylor went 33-2 last season and advanced to the regional round of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th consecutive season. This will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools with the Lady Bears claiming wins in the previous two meetings, most recently in 2009.
at Arkansas – Sun., Nov. 18 • 2017-18 record: 13-17
ASU has won both of the all-time meetings (both in Tempe), including last season's 89-43 decision, a game in which Courtney Ekmark tied the single-game school record with seven 3-pointers.
vs. Louisville at South Point Thanksgiving Shootout – Fri., Nov. 23 • 2017-18 record: 36-3/NCAA Final Four
ASU will open the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout with a contest against 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Louisville. The Sun Devils have prevailed in both of the all-time meetings, most recently the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament in which current Sun Devil assistant coach Briann January helped ASU rally from a 14-point deficit in the last 11 minutes to come out on top and advance to the Sweet 16.
vs. SIU at South Point Thanksgiving Shootout – Sat., Nov. 24 • 2017-18 record: 16-13
Will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools and the first since back-to-back meetings in 1992 (ASU won at home) and 1993 (SIU won at home).
vs. Louisiana Tech – Sat., Dec. 1/Round One of ASU Classic • 2017-18 record: 19-12/WNIT First Round
Last season Louisiana Tech advanced to the WNIT for the second straight season. The only prior meeting between the two schools came in the regional semifinal round 1982 NCAA Tournament, a game won by Louisiana Tech (92-54).
ASU will face Alabama or Tulsa in Round Two of the ASU Classic on Sun., Dec. 2
Alabama • 2017-18 record: 20-14/WNIT quarterfinals
Alabama had a strong finish to the 2017-18 campaign, winning six of its last 10 (all four losses in that stretch were by seven points or less, including two in OT). Alabama has won both meetings against ASU (both neutral site contests with the last meeting taking place in 1996).
Tulsa • 2017-18 record: 10-21
Would be the second all-time meeting. ASU came out on top 80-69 in 1985 in a game that was played at Tulsa.
vs. Southern – Fri., Dec. 7 • 2017-18 record: 17-14/WNIT First Round
Southern is coming off its fourth all-time appearance in the WNIT. ASU won the only prior meeting in 1981 in Tempe.
at Colorado State – Sun., Dec. 9 • 2017-18 record: 21-12/WNIT Second Round
Last season's berth in the WNIT represented Colorado State's fifth consecutive postseason appearance. ASU has won eight of the nine all-time meetings, most recently an overtime triumph on the road in 2011.
vs. Kansas State in La Crosse, Wisc. • 2017-18 record: 18-16/WNIT Round of 16
Game between the Sun Devils and Wildcats will be contested at a neutral site in La Crosse, Wisc. Kansas State is coming off its fourth straight postseason appearance that saw it advance to the WNIT Round of 16.
vs. Fresno State • 2017-18 record: 17-15
ASU will close the non-conference portion of its schedule with a home contest against Fresno State. Charnea Johnson-Chapman helped the Sun Devils improve to 3-0 all-time against the Bulldogs after scoring a career-high 16 points in last year's 81-49 win in Fresno.