WHEN: Thursday at 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT
WHERE: Beasley Coliseum • Pullman, Wash.
LIVE STREAM: https://pac-12.com/live/washington-state-university
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060/TuneIn
LIVE STATS: Click here
UP NEXT
After its longest homestand of the conference season (three games), the No. 20 Arizona State women's basketball team goes back on the road for games at Washington State (Thursday at 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT) and Washington (Saturday at 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT). This will be ASU's second journey to the Pacific Northwest in three weeks after traveling to Oregon last month for its contests at Oregon (L, 77-71 on Jan. 20) and at Oregon State (W, 79-76 2OTs/Jan. 20).
ASU (15-6, 6-4 Pac-12) comes into Thursday's contest tied for fifth place in the Pac-12 standings with UCLA (13-9, 6-4). No. 3 Oregon (21-1, 10-0) currently leads the way followed by No. 7 Oregon State (19-3, 9-1), No. 11 Stanford (18-3, 8-2) and No. 17 Utah (18-3, 7-1). ASU and UCLA are both one game ahead of seventh-place Cal (14-7, 5-5) and two games ahead of eighth-place Arizona (14-7, 4-6).
LAST GAME
Courtney Ekmark (20 points, seven rebounds) and Kianna Ibis (19 points, 10 rebounds) combined for 39 points and 17 rebounds to help lead the No. 21 Arizona State women's basketball team to a 60-47 win over Arizona on Friday night. The Sun Devils outscored Arizona 21-12 in the fourth quarter to break open what was a four-point game after the first 30 minutes. Ibis scored the first five points in the first minute of the fourth quarter to help give ASU some separation after Arizona's 11-3 run to close out the third quarter. Ekmark then helped close out the game by going 5-6 from the line in the final 2:12. Charnea Johnson-Chapman (three points, nine rebounds, two blocks) and Sophia Elenga (six points, seven rebounds) combined with Ibis and Ekmark for 33 of ASU's 44 rebounds. ASU ended the game with a plus-16 advantage on the boards (44-28) and limited Arizona to a 35-percent shooting effort. With the win, the Sun Devils avenged a 51-39 loss to Arizona in Tucson on Dec. 30 and have now won 28 of the last 33 meetings against the Wildcats.
COVERAGE
Thursday's game can viewed via live stream at https://pac-12.com/live/washington-state-university. It can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and TuneIn (coverage will start at 8 p.m. MT). Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 and 2018 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 15th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball.
RANKINGS/RPI/BRACKETOLGY
• After last week's win over Arizona, the Sun Devils moved up one spot to No. 20 in the AP poll and two spots to No. 18 in the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 women's basketball coaches' poll.
• The Sun Devils have bounced between 13th and 17th in the NCAA RPI since defeating Utah on Jan. 4. They were listed at No. 17 on Feb. 4.
• ESPN.com's Charlie Creme has the Sun Devils listed as a No. 5 seed in his most recent Bracketology update (Feb. 4/unchanged from Jan. 28). He previously had ASU as a No. 3 seed on Jan. 21.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• As Feb. 5, ASU is ranked among the nation's top 40 in fewest TOs per game (12th/12.4), assist/TO ratio (16th/1.28) and rebounding margin (27th/+7.7) and scoring defense (36th/57.7 ppg).
• ASU is the only Pac-12 team that has beaten both Utah and Oregon State in 2019 (both wins were also on the road).
• Although ASU is 1-4 in its five games against top 10 teams. Each of the five contests was decided in the final minutes or OT. ASU nearly pulled off upsets over then-No. 4 Baylor (L, 59-65), then-No. 5 Louisville (L, 56-58), then-No. 6 Stanford (L, 55-62) and then-No. 5 Oregon (L, 71-77) losing the four games by a combined 21 points. On Jan. 20 ASU broke through with a 79-76 win at then-No. 10 Oregon State.
• Senior All-Pac-12 post Kianna Ibis has scored in double figures in all but 2 games this season. In Pac-12 games she is among the top 15 in the league in scoring (17.1 ppg/tied for 10th), rebounds (7.4 rpg/10th) and FG pct. (50.4/8th). Last weekend she went over 1,000 points for her career (now has 1,018).
• Currently No. 2 on the team in scoring (10.2 ppg), senior Courtney Ekmark has knocked down 3 or more 3-pointers nine times this season.
• Junior G Reili Richardson is No. 2 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in assist-to-TO ratio. Currently with 389 career assists Richardson is tied for sixth place on ASU's all-time list for career assists. She needs eight more assists for fifth place and 11 more for fourth place.
• ASU has held opposition to 12 or fewer points in a quarter 28x this season (single digits 16x) and outrebounded the opposition all but 3x (vs. Baylor/vs. Cal/vs. UCLA).
• ASU has had 6 different players lead/tie for the team lead in scoring: Kianna Ibis (10x), Courtney Ekmark (8x), Sophia Elenga (2x), Jamie Ruden (1x), Reili Richardson (1x) and Charnea Johnson-Chapman (1x).
• ASU has knocked down 8 or more 3-pointers 7x this season, something it accomplished 4x all last season.
• ASU's bench has more than doubled opponents in points per game, 25.3-12.1.
• ASU is 4-2 this season in games decided by five points or less. The Sun Devils prevailed in their first road game of the season at Arkansas 88-85 on Nov. 18. ASU came up short in its upset bid of No. 3 Louisville as the Cardinals make a basket in the final seconds to escape with a 58-56 win at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas on Nov. 23. ASU overcame a six-point deficit with an 8-0 run in the final 80 seconds of its 65-63 win at Utah (Jan. 4). ASU came up with a pair of defensive stops in the final seconds in its 62-61 win over Cal (Jan. 13). On Jan. 20 ASU went to double OT to upset then-No. 10 Oregon State, 79-76 in Corvallis. On Jan. 25 UCLA hit a 3-pointer with nine seconds left and the Sun Devils fell at home, 61-59.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS WASHINGTON STATE
• The Sun Devils have been victorious in 34 of their last 41 meetings, including the last seven in a row. Courtney Ekmark (18 points), Kianna Ibis (16 points), Jamie Ruden (12 points), Robbi Ryan (10 points) and Reili Richardson (10 points) all scored in double figures in last year's 77-51 win in Tempe. Charnea Johnson-Chapman racked up a team-high nine rebounds as the Sun Devils outrebounded the Cougars by 26 (49-23). Also posting seven or more rebounds for ASU were Ryan (eight), Ibis (seven) and Sophia Elenga (seven). The Cougars had won four straight prior to ASU's current seven-game winning streak in the series.
NON-CONFERENCE SUMMARY
• ASU concluded non-conference 9-2, the sixth straight season it has won 9 or more games before the start of Pac-12 play. During that stretch ASU has won 84 pct of its regular-season, non-conf contests (58-11).
• ASU nearly upset top 5 teams on two different occasions in November. ASU led then-fourth-ranked Baylor (Nov. 11) by as many as 14 points in the 2nd quarter, by 11 at the half and entered the final period with a four-point lead , but in the end the Bears were able to outlast the Sun Devils, 65-59.
• On Nov. 23 ASU led then-No. 5 Louisville by as many as six in the fourth quarter. After shooting 45 pct (13-29) in the 2nd/3rd quarters, ASU shot only 14 percent over the final 10 minutes. Louisville scored the winning basket with less than two seconds left to escape with the win.
• ASU's seven-game winning streak to conclude non-conference play represented the 24th time since 2004 that it has had a winning streak of five or more games. The string of wins was the program's longest since it tied the school record with 15 straight in 2015-16.
DOMINANT DEVIL DEFENSE
• ASU is currently leads the Pac-12 in scoring defense (57.7 ppg).
• ASU has allowed an average of only 56.8 ppg since the start of the 2014-15 season (157 games). It has held the opposition to 50 or less points 50 times during that stretch. They are 49-1 in those contests. The only loss came at home to Cal (50-49) on Feb. 8, 2015. Over that same stretch (155 games), ASU has allowed the opposition to make only 28.9 percent of its attempts from long range.
• ASU has held each of its Pac-12 opponents below its scoring average: UA (-25.4), Utah (-16.1), Colorado (-1.2), Stanford (-8.5), Cal (-10.6), Oregon (-14.1), Oregon State (-5.7 in 2OTs), UCLA (-9.6), USC (-8.1 ppg), Arizona (-24.0).
• Against then-No. 5 Louisville on Nov. 23, ASU held the Cardinals 25 points below their average and put the clamps on Louisville's leading scorer Asia Durr, who had 14 points on 5-18 shooting (27.7 percent). Durr came into the contest averaging 25.7 points and had made half of her shots (26-52).
• ASU concluded the 2017-18 regular season first in the Pac-12 in scoring defense. It limited the opposition to 12 or fewer points in a quarter 51x last season, including a season low of two points scored by Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals (Mar. 1). On Feb. 23, 2018, ASU held eventual Elite 8 participant Oregon to 57 points – nearly 27 points below its scoring average at the time and its lowest point total of the season. In its 57-51 win over Oregon State (Mar. 2) in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Pac-12 Tournament the Sun Devils limited the Beavers to seven points in the first quarter and five in the final quarter, including a single point in the last 5 minutes. During that stretch ASU outscored OSU 13-1 to overcome a six-point deficit.
BENCH PRODUCTION
• In 2017-18 ASU's reserves outscored the opposition's bench 22.5-12.1. The overwhelming advantage in the category has continued this season as ASU's reserves have outscored the opposition's by an average of 25.3-12.1. Jamie Ruden, who paced ASU with 15 points in the season opener vs. Incarnate Word, finished fourth on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg) last season. Ruden is shooting 60 percent in ASU's last five games.
• Freshman Jamie Loera leads the team in 3-point FG pct. (9-18).
• In ASU's contest at Arkansas, freshman guard Iris Mbulito (13 points) and senior post Sophia Elenga (11 points) combined for 24 points. Elenga also added a career-high 12 rebounds in accounting for her first career double-double. Elenga was named to the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout All-Tournament Team after averaging 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds.
• Jamie Ruden (7), Jayde Van Hyfte (7), Kiarra Russell (6), Sophia Elenga (6) and Iris Mbulito (5) combined for 31 points in 68-59 win vs. USC (Jan. 27), the most points ASU bench has scored in Pac-12 game this season.
• Sun Devil reserves who have scored in double figures this season include Hanson (11), Elenga (11, 13, 12), Mbulito (13, 10) Jamie Ruden (15, 14, 12).
IBIS LEADS THE WAY
• ASU's active career leader in points (1,018), rebs (488), steals (94) and blocks (48), 2018 All-Pac-12 standout Kianna Ibis has scored 20 or more points 5x this season and 11x in her career (all in last two seasons).
• Has scored in double figures in all but 2 games and has grabbed 7 or more rebounds 10x, including season-highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds in upset of No. 10 Oregon State (Jan. 20).
• In earlier five-game stretch (at CU, vs. STAN, vs. CAL, at UO, at OSU), Ibis averaged 21.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg and connected on 61 pct. of her FGs (43-71), 53 pct. of her 3FGs (9-17) and 100.0 pct of her FTs (14-14). In the 2nd half of those games (and OT vs. OSU) she hit 82 pct of her FGs (21-26).
• Is averaging 17.2 points/7.7 rebs and has hit 51.3 pct of her shots, including 56 percent (9-16) from long range in ASU's 6 contests vs. ranked teams: No. 4 Baylor (13 pts/5 rebs), No. 5 Louisville (8/7), No. 6 Stanford (6/7), No. 21 Cal (26/6), No. 5 Oregon (22/8) and No. 10 Oregon State (28/13).
• Against Oregon State, Ibis scored 21 of her 28 points in the second half. She was perfect in the last 30 minutes (second half and OT) going 9-9 from the floor and 3-3 from the line to account for 21 points
• In last season's win at Utah (12/31/17), Ibis had one of the best offensive days turned in by a Sun Devil in recent memory as she scored a career-high 30 points, becoming the first Sun Devil to score 30 or more points since Kylan Loney accomplished the feat vs. Arizona on January 31, 2004.
• Scored 27 points in ASU's NCAA second round game vs. Texas last March, the third-highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil in an NCAA Tournament game.
REILI RICHARDSON GUIDES NEAR FLAWLESS ATTACK
• One of the biggest reasons ASU was able to shatter the school record for fewest turnovers per game (11.3) in a season in 2017-18 was the play of point guard Reili Richardson, who concluded the season ranked No. 4 in the nation and 1st in the Pac-12 in assist-to-TO ratio (3.46).
• Richardson currently leads the Pac-12 and is No. 2 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio and leads the team and is 9th in the Pac-12 in assists (4.6 apg). Also is 2nd on the team in FT pct. (75.0), 4th in steals (0.7 spg) and 5th in scoring (5.7 ppg).
• Has had only one (8x) or zero (5x) TOs in more than half of ASU's games and has 21 assists and only 3 turnovers in ASU's last 5 games.
• Scored GW on a buzzer-beater at then-unbeaten (12-0) Utah (Jan. 4).
• Currently with 389 career assists is tied for 6th place on ASU's all-time list for career assists. Needs 8 more assists for 5th place (Ryneldi Becenti/1991-93) and 11 more for 4th place (Kylan Loney/2002-05).
• Had season-high 16 points to go with 6 assists in 2OT win at No. 10 Oregon State (Jan. 20), accounting for 10 of the points in the two OT periods.
RYAN'S STEADY PLAY IMPORTANT PART OF ASU'S SUCCESS
• One of three Sun Devils who averaged double figures in scoring in Pac-12 play (10.9) last season, Robbi Ryan (2018 All Pac-12 honorable mention and All-Defensive honorable mention) was a key contributor to ASU's success on both ends of the floor in 2017-18.
• Ryan, who had 10 double-digit scoring efforts in conference games last season, was the only Sun Devil to average double figures in scoring in ASU's three contests vs. Oregon State last season (14.7 ppg).
• Is currently 3rd on the team in scoring (6.8 ppg), is 4th in 3-pointers (14) and 5th in rebounds (2.9 rpg) and assists (1.5 apg).
EK-MARKS THE SPOT
• Courtney Ekmark's excellent marksmanship from long range provided the Sun Devils with a dangerous weapon on the offensive end last season. Ekmark, who scored a season-high 21 points at Colorado State (Dec. 9), currently leads ASU in 3-pointers (45/9th in the Pac-12) and is 2nd in scoring (10.2 ppg). She has knocked down three or more triples nine times this season and was ASU's leading scorer during its seven-game winning streak to end non-conference play (13.0 ppg).
• A second-year law student in ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, in December 2017, Ekmark connected on seven 3-pointers to tie ASU's single-game school record for 3-pointers in 80-43 win over Arkansas (Dec. 21). Ekmark, who scored a career-high 23 points against the Razorbacks, tied the mark previously accomplished by current ASU assistant coach Briann January (at UC Davis, Dec. 3, 2008), Crystal Cobb (vs. Oregon, Feb. 2, 1991) and Ryneldi Becenti (vs. Washington State, Feb. 13, 1993).
• Ekmark's 58 3-pointers last season tied for fifth on ASU's all-time single-season list with Kylan Loney (58 in 2005).
JOHNSON-CHAPMAN STEPS UP IN THE POST
• One of the biggest factors in ASU's success throughout the 2017-18 season was the play of center Charnea Johnson-Chapman, who started every game last season and led the team in FG pct. (54.9), rebounds (6.5 rpg/16th in Pac-12), O-Rebs (2.2 rpg/t-13th in Pac-12) and blocks (20).
• Has started every game in 2018-19 and currently leads the team in rebounds (6.8 rpg/15th in the Pac-12), Off-rebounds (2.9 rpg/7th in the Pac-12) and shot blocks (0.7 bpg tied with Kianna Ibis) and is 4th in FG pct (50.4).
• Matched career highs in points (16)/steals (3) vs. No. 6 Stanford (Jan. 11).
• Scored all 10 of her points in the 2nd half and came one rebound short of a double-double at Oregon (Jan. 18).
RUDEN PROVIDES SUN DEVILS WITH INSTANT OFFENSE
• Has played in every game and is currently tied for 5th on the team in 3-pointers (13).
• In last 5 games has made 60 pct of her FGs (12-20).
• Led ASU with 15 points (6-7 FGs, 3-3 3FGs) to go with 4 rebounds and 2 assists in ASU's season opening win over Incarnate Word (Nov. 6).
• Scored 12 points in ASU's near upset of No. 5 Oregon (Jan. 18).
• After missing all 18 Pac-12 games as a freshman in 2017, Ruden came back to score double figures 14 times and finished second on the team in 3-point FGs (27) last season. She scored a career-high 19 points in ASU's win vs. Idaho (Dec. 18, 2017) and was responsible for the game-winning basket in ASU's 83-81 win at Utah on Dec. 31, 2017.
INTERNATIONAL IMPACT
• Over the summer junior Kiara Russell and freshmen Taya Hanson & Iris Mbulito were part of teams that won a medal in international competition.
• Mbulito earned MVP honors at the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship in Sopron, Hungary, as she helped Spain claim the gold medal. Mbulito posted a double-double (21 points, 12 rebounds) in the championship game in leading Spain to a convincing 69-50 win over Serbia. Mbulito, who had the game-winning basket with five seconds remaining in Spain's 51-50 quarterfinal win over France, averaged 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds (team high), 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in the tournament (seven games).
• Russell was a member of the U.S. team that won the gold at the FISU America Games. Russell was part of a squad that defeated its four opponents – Mexico, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil – by an average of 43.8 points. The USA claimed the gold with a 59-42 win in the championship game. The FISU America Games are a multi-sport event sanctioned by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).
• Hanson averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals in helping lead Canada to a silver medal at the FIBA U18 Women's Americas Championship. Hanson came one rebound short of a double-double (14 points, nine rebounds) in Canada's opening game of the tournament against Colombia. She surpassed that performance with a 16-point, 11-rebound outing in Canada's quarterfinal victory over Chile. Canada won its first five contests by an average of 23.2 points before falling to the USA in the gold medal game.
2017-18 REVIEW
• Last season the Sun Devils finished 22-13 and 10-8 in the Pac-12 (6th place), made their 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament (13th under the direction of head coach Charli Turner Thorne) and tied the school record for consecutive NCAA appearances (5) and 20-win seasons (5).
• A win over No. 10 Oregon State enabled ASU to make its eighth appearance in the semifinal round of the Pac-12 Tournament.
• ASU finished among the Top 30 in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (12th/11.7), assist-to-turnover ratio (16th/1.35), fewest fouls per game (22nd/14.1) and assists (29th/552).
• For the second time in four years, ASU led the league in scoring defense (also in 2014-15).
• Kianna Ibis (All-Pac-12) and Robbi Ryan (All-Pac-12 honorable mention and Pac-12 All-Defensive honorable mention) both earned Pac-12 honors. ASU's leading scorer last season, Ibis scored in double figures 23x, including a career-high 30 points in ASU's win at Utah (Dec. 31), the most points by a Sun Devil since 2004. Guards Reili Richardson (fourth) and Kiara Russell (16th) both finished among the top 20 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio, helping ASU shatter the school record for fewest turnovers per game (11.7/previous record was 14.3 set by the 2014-15 team). Courtney Ekmark led ASU with 57 triples and tied single-game school record with seven 3-pointers vs. Arkansas.
CHARLI TURNER THORNE HAS SUN DEVIL WBB AMONG NATION'S ELITE
• The all-time winningest coach in program history and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in career wins (437) Charli Turner Thorne has turned Sun Devil WBB into one of the nation's premiere programs since taking over in 1996-97.
• Included in ASU's earlier run of 13 consecutive postseason appearances (2000-12) were a school record five-consecutive NCAA Tournament bids from 2005-09. During that time ASU qualified for the Elite Eight on a pair of occasions, making it one of only 15 programs in the country to have qualified for the Elite Eight at least two times between 2007-12. Last season ASU matched the school record for consecutive years making the NCAA Tournament (five) and consecutive seasons (five) with 20 or more win (13th NCAA appearance under Turner Thorne).
• In 2016 Turner Thorne was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year (coaches and media), the second time she has been recognized with the honor (2001), after leading the Sun Devils to their second regular season Pac-12 championship. ASU would go on to earn its highest NCAA Tournament seed (No. 2) in program history. In 2016 ASU has also tied the program records for most conference wins (16) and consecutive wins (15) and set the program record for most road wins (11). Turner Thorne would go on to also be named the WBCA Region 5 Co-Coach of the Year.
• In 2014-15 Turner Thorne was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year for a season in which she led ASU to its best start in school history (18-1), its best conference start in school history (7-0), a second-place finish in the Pac-12 and 29 wins, the second-highest number in school history.
• In 2013-14 Turner Thorne raised the curtain on the team's current era of success as she helped the Sun Devils post one of the best turnarounds in the country as they went from a 13-18 record and a ninth-place Pac-12 finish (5-13) in 2012-13 to a 23-10 record and fourth-place Pac-12 finish (11-7). Included among ASU's 23 wins in 2013-14 were three triumphs over Top 25 teams.
• The outstanding success Sun Devil women's basketball has enjoyed under Turner Thorne is a 180-degree difference from the program that had an aggregate record of 20-60 in the three years prior to her arrival and only two NCAA Tournament wins in its history.
SUN DEVIL WBB CONTINUES TO BE THE PAC-12'S BEST IN THE CLASSROOM
• A league-high and school-record-tying eight Arizona State University women's basketball players were named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Academic teams in 2018. Headlining the list for ASU were forward Jamie Ruden, who earned first-team honors, and guard Robbi Ryan, who earned second-team recognition.
• The eight awards tied the school record for most student-athletes on the Pac-12's All-Academic Team. The 2006-07 team also had eight (two on first team, one on second team and five honorable mention).
• In 2017 ASU finished among the nation's best in combined team GPA. With a final team GPA of 3.672 for the 2016-17 academic year the Sun Devils finished fifth in the nation (the highest ranking in program history) among Division I institutions in the WBCA's annual Academic Top 25. The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III; NAIA and junior/community college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2016-17 season is the 22nd in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls. ASU's No. 5 finish represented the second time in three seasons the Sun Devils were among the top 10 programs in the country after placing seventh (3.558) for the 2014-15 academic year. In 2016-17 ASU was one of only eight teams around the country to be included in the WBCA's Top 25 and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Of those eight, ASU and DePaul were the only two schools to advance past the first round.
FUTURE SUN DEVILS
• Last November, Charli Turner Thorne announced Sydnei Caldwell and Eboni Walker signed national letters of intent with the Sun Devil women's basketball program.
• A 5-9 guard, Caldwell will be coming to ASU from the state of New Jersey. Ranked No. 27 at her position by ESPN.com, Caldwell averaged 15.8 points, 3.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds last season at Gill St. Bernard's High School where she led her squad to the South Jersey, Non-Public B semifinals. For her outstanding play in 2018, Caldwell earned First-Team All-Conference, Third-Team All-State (non-public), Honorable Mention All-Area (Courier News) and Honorable Mention All-NJ recognition. Caldwell, who plays AAU basketball for the New Jersey Sparks, averaged 19.6 points per game as a sophomore. As a sophomore in 2016, Caldwell scored a career-high 36 points in a win over No. 8 Franklin in the semifinals of the Somerset County Tournament. As a freshman in 2016, Caldwell was named First-Team All-Conference, Second-Team All-Area (Courier News) and Honorable Mention All-NJ honors.
• A 5-11 forward from Las Vegas, Nev., Walker averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds last year in helping lead her Centennial High School team to a 29-3 record and a fourth consecutive Class 4A state championship (Walker scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Centennial's overtime victory in the state title game). Ranked No. 9 at her position by ESPN.com, Walker earned First-Team All-State honors in 2018. A member of three state championship teams, Walker, whose club team won the 17-under championship at the ASGR summer basketball playoff earlier this year, has been named to the Las Vegas Sun's Super 7 each of the last two years. As a sophomore in 2017, Walker averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game on her way to earning Second-Team All-State and First-Team All-Northwest League honors. She also earned All-State Honorable Mention recognition as a freshman in 2016.
SHOWDOWN ON THE REZ
• The Arizona State University women's basketball program brought big-time NCAA women's college basketball to the Native American community last November when it hosted perennial national powerhouse and fourth-ranked Baylor at the Bee Holdzil Fighting Scouts Event Center on the Navajo Reservation in Fort Defiance, Arizona.
• Working in conjunction with ASU's Office of American Indian Initiatives, 'Showdown on the Rez' will served as a celebration of Native American Heritage Month and also provided a platform to recognize and honor Native Americans who served in the armed forces.
• Sun Devil WBB honored former ASU players and Native Americans Ryneldi Becenti (1992-93), Kalene Carl (1997), Michelle Tom (1998-99) and Rainy Crisp (2000-03). Click here for more information on the event.
SUN DEVIL WBB ON THE AIR
• Sun Devil WBB will appear on television 18 times – 16 appearances on the Pac-12 Networks once on ESPN2 and once on SEC Network – during the 2018-19 regular season ASU's 18 appearances are among more than 100 games featuring Pac-12 teams that will be carried on Pac-12 Networks (102) and ESPN2 (five).
• Every Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT, fans can tune into 'Off the Bench with Charli Turner Thorne' on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060. Every week Charli joins the voice of Sun Devil WBB Jeff Munn to review the weekend and look ahead to upcoming contests. The show can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio 1060's TuneIn channel.