WHEN: Friday at 6 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
TICKETS: Click here to purchase
LIVE STREAM: https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060
LIVE AUDIO: Sun Devil Athletics TuneIn Channel
LIVE STATS: Click here
PROMOTIONS
Friday vs. BYU: Enjoy the holiday theme, pictures with Santa on the court postgame, and annual Teddy Bear Toss! Fans are encouraged to bring a new or gently used teddy bear to throw on the court at halftime and will receive $5 tickets at the box office. All collected bears will be donated to a local organization benefiting kids in need. Arrive early as a limited number of ugly sweater t-shirts are available at the East Entrance of Desert Financial Arena.
Sunday Funday vs. Idaho State: All kids, 8th grade and younger, will receive FREE admission at the box office, enjoy $1 popcorn at the concession stands, the pregame high five tunnel, and postgame autographs! Parents can take advantage of $5 tickets with promo code SUNDAY. Be sure to join us before game in the Arboretum for the Taste of Tempe event featuring FREE healthy food samples, education, and activities starting at noon!
UP NEXT
The Arizona State women's basketball team (5-2) begins a stretch in which it will play three straight and five of six games at home when it hosts BYU (3-2) on Friday at 6 p.m. MST at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. The Sun Devils will close out the weekend on Sunday at 2 p.m. MST when they face Idaho State.
The Sun Devils spent Thanksgiving weekend in Estero, Fla., where they won two of three games – defeated Maine (57-31) and Middle Tennessee (61-60) and lost to Purdue (59-52) – at the Gulf Coast Showcase. Sophomore guard Taya Hanson (9.3 ppg), senior guard Robbi Ryan (8.3 ppg), senior post Ja'Tavia Tapley (7.3 ppg) and freshman post Eboni Walker (7.3 ppg) were ASU's top scorers for the weekend. Sophomore post Jayde Van Hyfte was ASU's leading rebounder, averaging 7.7 boards in the three games. Van Hyfte (6-9/66.7 pct.) and Walker (10-20/50 pct.) combined to shoot 55 percent for the weekend.
All three of ASU's freshmen had significant contributions in the win over Middle Tennessee. Eboni Walker had eight of her 12 points in the second half. Sara Bejedi had eight points and a team-high eight rebounds and Sydnei Caldwell added five points and a team-high three steals.
The Sun Devils started the 2019-20 campaign with pair of double-digit home wins, defeating Air Force 87-56 (Nov. 5) and Army 83-51 (Nov. 10). Leading the way were Tapley (14.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Van Hyfte (12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg), who combined to average 26.5 ppg and 13.0 rpg. The duo also combined to shoot 65.6 percent from the floor. Both players had career nights in ASU's win over Army as Tapley scored a (then) career-high 18 points, to go with six rebounds four steals and two assists, while Van Hyfte notched her first career double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds).
The Sun Devils came up short in their first road contest of the season, falling at Minnesota 80-66 (Nov. 17). ASU struggled from the floor, hitting only 34 percent of its shots against the Gophers. Tapley (16 points), Hanson (career-high 14 points), senior guard Reili Richardson (10 points) and Ryan (10 points) all scored in double figures for the Sun Devils, who outrebounded the Gophers 43-34.
ASU rebounded with a 66-41 win over Cal Poly on Nov. 24. For the second time in three games, Tapley posted a career-high in scoring with 23 points while Van Hyfte pulled down a career-best 12 rebounds.
BYU was picked to finish second in the West Coast Conference. The Cougars are led by junior guard Paisley Johnson (15.2 ppg), senior guard Brenna Chase Drollinger (11.4), senior forward Jasmine Moody (11.0 ppg) and junior center Sara Hamson (10.4 rpg). Drollinger, Johnson and Hamson were named to the 2019-20 WCC Women's Basketball Preseason Team.
COVERAGE
Friday's game vs. BYU will be streamed at http://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university. The game can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and the Sun Devil Athletics TuneIn Channel. 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
• Despite the proximity of the two schools, this will be only the third meeting between ASU and BYU in the last 28 years. BYU has won five of the eight games played between the two teams going back to 1976. The most recent meeting occurred in 2010 in Tempe, when the Cougars defeated the Sun Devils 61-53 in the second round of the WNIT.
• ASU's next win will be the 450th at ASU for head coach Charli Turner Thorne. Turner Thorne needs 11 more wins for 500 career wins (includes 40 as head coach at Northern Arizona).
• ASU is 63-13 (.829) in non-conference play since 2013.
• The Sun Devils come into Friday's game ranked among the top 30 in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (2nd/18.4 rpg), 3-point FG pct. defense (18th/23.3), rebound margin (23rd/+11.9), scoring defense (24th/54.0) and steals per game (26th/11.4).
• ASU is ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in redounding defense (1st/29.86 rpg), offensive rebounds per game (1st/18.4 rpg), scoring defense (3rd/54.0), 3-point FG pct. defense (2nd/23.3), turnover margin (4th/+5.57) and steals (4th/11.43 spg).
• ASU individual leaders in the Pac-12: Ja'Tavia Tapley: 4th in FT pct./81.3, 8th in offensive rebounds/2.7 rpg, 13th in steals/1.6 spg; 15th in scoring/12.9 ppg, 16th in rebounding/6.3; Jayde Van Hyfte: 2nd in offensive rebounds/4.1 rpg, 7th in rebounding/7.1 rpg, Sara Bejedi: 8th in steals/1.7 spg; Taya Hanson: 13th in 3-pointers/11; Eboni Walker: 5th in offensive rebounds/2.86 rpg.
• On average, ASU's bench has outscored the opponent's reserves 30.1-10.4.
• ASU has outrebounded all seven of its opponents.
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in quarter 15 times this season (7x in single-digits).
• Senior guard Reili Richardson is currently in third place on ASU's all-time list for career assists (474). She needs 10 assists to pass Elisha Davis (483/2013-16) for 2nd place and 61 more to pass Briann January, ASU's all-time assists leader (534/2006-09).
• Jayde Van Hyfte has grabbed 10 or more rebounds twice in ASU's last four games and three times this season.
• Graduate transfer Ja'Tavia Tapley has proven to be a dominant presence thus far. She has played in every game (5 starts) and currently leads the team in scoring (12.9 ppg), field goal percentage (50.8), free throw percentage (81.3) and free throws made (26) and attempted (32), is 2nd in rebounds (6.3) and 3rd in steals (1.6 spg).
• Starting senior post Jamie Ruden, senior guard Kiara Russell and reserve sophomore guard Jamie Loera have all missed time due to injury/illness. Ruden has missed ASU's last five games, Russell two games and Loera all seven games.
• ASU is currently in the midst of stretch in which it is playing five of six games at home. ASU's only road game this month is on Dec. 18 when it plays at New Mexico State. The Sun Devils open Pac-12 play on Dec. 29 when they host Arizona.
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 the coaches poll.