WHEN: Sunday at 12 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
TICKETS: Click here to purchase
TELEVISION: Pac-12 Networks
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE AUDIO: Sun Devil Athletics TuneIn Channel
LIVE STATS: Click here
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The Arizona State women's basketball team (10-2) opens Pac-12 play on Sunday at noon when it hosts No. 18 and unbeaten Arizona (11-0) at Desert Financial Arena. Sunday's game is the first of two contests the teams will play – the rematch will take place Fri., Jan. 24 in Tucson – with a half point in the annual Territorial Cup Series at stake in each game.
Including Sunday's contest, the Sun Devils will be facing ranked opponents in four of their first five conference games. Next week ASU will travel to Los Angeles for games against No. 10 UCLA (11-0) and USC (8-3) before returning home to face No. 2 Oregon (10-1) and No. 3 Oregon State (11-0).
Despite the loss of key contributors to graduation/injury the Sun Devils were able to navigate their way to a 10-2 non-conference record. They closed non-conference play with six wins in a row, including a double-digit triumph over Creighton (70-55), which came into the game ranked No. 7 in the NCAA RPI.
ASU's success has been the product of a team effort. In the first 12 games, the Sun Devils have already have seven different players who have led for tied for the team high in scoring. During its current six-game winning streak, they have seven players averaging between 6.3 - 10.7 ppg. And that does not include senior post Jamie Ruden, who scored 11 points in ASU's most recent contest against Creighton, Ruden's first game back after missing nine games due to injury. As has been the case in years past, the Sun Devils have been especially effective both on the defensive end – 18th in the nation in scoring defense – and at controlling the boards – third in the nation in offensive rebounds, fourth in the nation in rebounding margin.
Sunday's game will feature two of the top defenses in the country as the Wildcats start Pac-12 play No. 1 in the nation in both scoring defense (43.6 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (29.0). On the offensive end, Arizona is No. 10 in the nation in field goal percentage (47.9).
SERIES NOTES VERSUS ARIZONA
The Sun Devils have won 28 of the last 33 meetings... Most recently, ASU swept the season series in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and split with the Wildcats in 2017 and again last season with Arizona coming away with a 51-39 win in the conference opener in Tucson and the Sun Devils returning the favor 60-47 in Tempe... In addition to the two regular season wins in 2018 – 75-50 in Tempe and 69-45 in Tucson – ASU also recorded a 76-47 win over the Wildcats in the first round of the 2018 Pac-12 Tournament... Current ASU guard Robbi Ryan poured in a career-high 24 points in the 2018 win in Tempe.
COVERAGE
Sunday's game vs. Arizona will be televised by Pac-12 Networks (Cindy Brunson, Joan Bonvicini). The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 and the Sun Devil Athletics TuneIn Channel. Pregame coverage will start at 11:30 a.m. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 and 2019 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 16th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• After a 10-2 non-conference record in 2019, ASU is now 68-13 (.839) in non-conference play since 2013. During that same stretch it is also 75-13 (.852) at home.
• ASU's current six-game winning streak represents the 26th time since 2004 that it has had a winning streak of five or more games. A win on Sunday would match ASU's longest winning streak of the 2018-19 season.
• The Sun Devils come into Sunday's game ranked among the top 40 in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3rd/18.2 rpg), rebound margin (4th/+14.2), 3-point FG percentage defense (16th/24.6), scoring defense (18th/54.0) and steals per game (39th/10.8).
• ASU is ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in rebounding defense (1st/29.6 rpg), offensive rebounds per game (1st/18.2 rpg), rebounding margin (1st/+14.1), 3-point FG percent defense (2nd/24.6), scoring defense (3rd/54.0 ppg), steals (3rd/10.8 spg) and turnover margin (4th/+3.4).
• ASU individual leaders in the Pac-12: Ja'Tavia Tapley: 6th in rebs/7.9 rpg, 10th in FT pct./69.4, 19th in scoring/12.3 ppg; Reili Richardson: 5th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.6), 14th in 3-pointers per game (1.6); Jayde Van Hyfte: 2nd in offensive rebs/3.7 rpg, t15th in rebs/6.7 rpg; Eboni Walker: 8th in offensive rebs/2.8 rpg; Kiara Russell: 10th in steals (1.7 spg).
• On average, ASU's bench has outscored the opponent's reserves 28.7-9.6. Eboni Walker (8.0 ppg), Sara Bejedi (6.3 ppg) and Iris Mbulito (4.5 ppg) have combined to average 18.8 ppg during ASU's six-game winning streak.
• ASU has outrebounded all 12 of its opponents. It has scored 15 or more second chance points five times, including a season-high 32 vs. Army.
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in quarter 24 times this season (13x in single-digits). In its last five games, it has outscored the opposition 114-50 in the third quarter.
• Graduate transfer Ja'Tavia Tapley has proven to be a dominant presence thus far. She has played in every game (10 starts) and currently leads the team in scoring (12.3 ppg), rebounds (7.9) and free throws made (34) and attempted (49), is tied for 2nd in steals (1.3 spg), 3rd in FG pct. (51.4) and 4th in assists (1.8 apg). Tapley, who had a streak of three straight double-doubles earlier this month, pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds in ASU's win over BYU (Dec. 6), the highest single-game rebound total in more than 20 years.
• Senior guard Reili Richardson is currently in 2nd place on ASU's all-time list for career assists (495). She needs 40 assists to pass Briann January and become ASU's all-time assists leader (534/2006-09). During ASU's six-game winning streak, Richardson has averaged 10.3 ppg and connected on 42 percent (14-33) of her 3-pointers.
• Jayde Van Hyfte has grabbed 10 or more rebounds three times this season. She is shooting 58 percent (19-33) in ASU's last six games.
• With senior post Jamie Ruden's return from injury in ASU's contest vs. Creighton (Dec. 20), Charli Turner Thorne had every player on ASU's roster available to play for the first time this season. After starting the first two games, Ruden missed ASU's next nine games, including its losses at Minnesota and vs. Purdue. Senior guards Kiara Russell (two games) and Robbi Ryan (1.75 games) and sophomore guard Jamie Loera (10 games) also missed time due to either injury or illness.
POLLS
Both the coaches and media picked the Sun Devils to finish fifth in the Pac-12. ASU was ranked 20th in the preseason AP poll and 18th in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. The Sun Devils moved up one spot to 19th in the AP poll after opening with a pair of double-digit wins over Air Force and Army. They fell out of both polls after their 80-66 setback at Minnesota on Nov. 17. They are currently receiving votes in both the AP and coaches polls.