THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (7-3, 0-0 Pac-12) vs. Arizona (7-3, 0-0 Pac-12)
WHEN: Sunday at 5 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
WATCH: Pac-12 Network/Arizona
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (Pregame coverage starts at 4:30 p.m. MST)
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-3) returns to the hardwood for the first time in more than a week when it hosts Arizona (7-3) on Sunday (5 p.m. MST) in the 2023-24 Pac-12 opener for both teams. Sunday's game will be just the third contest ASU has played this month: vs. Pacific (Dec. 1) and vs. Grand Canyon (Dec. 8).
Since the schedule was finalized for the 2023-24 season, the month of December was always slated to be the month in which ASU would play the fewest number of regular season games between November and February (six). That number was reduced to five after ASU's contest vs. Xavier on Dec. 2 (the second game in as many days as part of the Briann January Classic) was canceled due to Xavier not having enough healthy players.
This month started a stretch of seven contests (not including canceled game vs. Xavier) in which ASU is playing all its contests in the state of Arizona: Tempe (six games), downtown Phoenix (one game - vs. Fresno State in Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series on Dec. 20). That sequence includes ASU's first three conference games: vs. Arizona (Dec. 17), vs. Utah (Jan. 5) and vs. Colorado (Jan. 7). In between the contest vs. Arizona and the two contests vs. the Pac-12's Mountain schools the first week of January, ASU will play its final two regular season non-conference games: the aforementioned contest vs. Fresno State on Dec. 20 and at home vs. Santa Clara on Dec. 30.
WATCH/LISTEN
Sunday's game vs. Arizona can be seen on Pac-12 Network/Arizona (Cindy Brunson/Mary Murphy). The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 4:30 p.m.). Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year and currently a finalist for the 2023 award, Jeff Munn is in his 20th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He'll be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 14, 2023)
• As a team, ASU leads the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (23.3/30th in the nation) and is second in the league in FTs made per game (14.9/43rd in the nation). ASU is also ranked among the top half of the league in 3-point FG pct. defense (5th/28.5) steals per game (6th/8.5), turnover margin (t-6th/+2.4).
• Jaddan Simmons leads the Pac-12 and is fifth in the nation in both free throws attempted (70) and made (56). She is also among the league leaders in minutes per game (2nd/34.46), steals per game (t-5th/2.4), FT pct. (15th/80.0) and scoring (19th/13.6 ppg).
• Trayanna Crisp is 8th in the Pac-12 in FT pct. (87.0), 9th in minutes per game (31.85), tied for 12th in 3-pointers per game (1.7) and 15th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45).
• Journey Thompson is 14th in offensive rebs per game (2.3).
SERIES NOTES VERSUS ARIZONA
• The Sun Devils have won 30 of the last 41 meetings, however Arizona has had recent success with seven wins in the last 10 contests.
• Arizona won both contests last season: 84-66 in Tucson & 80-67 in Tempe. Treasure Hunt (18.5 ppg), Tyi Skinner (17.0 ppg) and Jaddan Simmons (10.5 ppg) all averaged double figures in the 2 games. Hunt also led ASU in rebounding (6.0 rpg). Skinner led ASU with 26 points in the first contest and Hunt had 24 points in the rematch. Simmons added 19 points in the same contest including an 11-14 performance from the FT line.
• ASU's 81-77 win at home vs. No. 6/7 Arizona in the first meeting of 2022 (Feb. 11, 2022) was the second straight upset of a Top 10 Arizona squad. ASU knocked off the No. 9 Wildcats 66-64 (OT) in in the 2020-21 rematch in Tempe (Feb. 28, 2021). Simmons scored 11 of her 15 points over the last 9:20 (last 4:20 of regulation and 5:00 of OT) of the game and was awarded Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after the win.
• Arizona's 58-53 win on Dec. 29, 2019 was its first in Tempe since 2000. ASU swept the season series in 2015, 2016 & 2018 and split with the Wildcats in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• In its first 10 games, ASU has had 5 players lead/tie for team lead in scoring: Jaddan Simmons (5x), Kadidia Toure (3x), Trayanna Crisp (3x), Jalyn Brown (1x) and Treasure Hunt (1x). Simmons' career-high 26 points in ASU's win over Pacific (Dec. 1) represents the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil this season.
• In the rebounding department, 6 Sun Devils have led/tied for the team lead: Maggie Besselink (4x), Journey Thompson (3x), Toure (2x), Mallory Miller (1x), Sandra Magolico (1x), Hunt (1x). Toure's 14-rebound game vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13) represents the best rebounding game.
• Simmons (981 points) is 19 points away from reaching 1000 for her career. In ASU's last 2 games, she has averaged 23.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 10.0 FT att per game and connected on 58 percent (15-26) of her FGs.
• In ASU's last 4 games, Brown is averaging 17.5 ppg and is shooting 51 pct (29-57) from the floor. She has scored in double figures in all 6 games she's started (earlier this season came off the bench 2x after missing 2 games due to injury).
• Crisp scored a then-career high 17 points 2x in ASU's first 7 games. She surpassed that total with 18 points vs. Grand Canyon (Dec. 8). Crisp has scored in double figures in all but 2 games this season.
• During its recent 3-game winning streak – vs. South Florida (Nov. 24), vs. High Point (Nov. 25), vs. Pacific (Dec. 1) – ASU had a pair of dominating 3rd quarters to help give it a big lead heading to the final quarter: 24-6 vs. South Florida (ASU led 24-21 at the half) and 27-13 vs. Pacific (28-28 at the half). ASU also averaged only 10.3 turnovers per game in the 3 games (+6.5 fewer TOs than in its first 6 games).
• ASU is averaging 17.6 ppg off opponent turnovers this season. It scored a season-high 31 points off TOs at Grambling State (Nov. 16).
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in a quarter 18x, including 5x in single digits.
• ASU has held the opposition under 25 pct from long distance six times with only one opponent shooting higher than 50 pct.
• ASU scored a double-digit point total in each of the first 20 quarters of the season. Overall, it has scored in double figures in 37 of 40 quarters.
• In ASU's 3 games at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, Hunt averaged 14.7 ppg (+6.7 above season average) and shot 55.6 pct/19-34 FGs (+8.8 pct above pct for the season), including 50 pct from long range (5-10 3FGs).
• During earlier three-game stretch (game Nos. 2-4), Toure averaged 19.0 ppg and 9.3 rebs per game. She posted her first career double-double with career highs in points (22) and rebounds (14) to go with 3 steals vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13). Toure leads ASU in FG pct. (47.9).
ASU WITHOUT ALL-PAC-12 STANDOUT TYI SKINNER IN 2023-24
Although the Sun Devil women's basketball team's overall health is a 180-degree difference from last season, the squad was dealt a tremendous blow when Natasha Adair announced Oct. 4, 2023, that senior guard Tyi Skinner would miss the 2023-24 season due to a knee injury.
Skinner, who last season earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors from the league's coaches and All-Pac-12 recognition from media who cover the league, quickly established herself as one of top scorers in the Pac-12 and one of the most exciting players in the nation to watch in her first season in Tempe.
In 2022-23, Skinner scored 20 or more points 15 times, including a career-high 29 points on two occasions. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner went on to average 19.3 points per game, the most by a Sun Devil since the 1988-89 season. She concluded her first campaign in the Maroon and Gold among the leaders in the Pac-12 in points per game (19.3/2nd/27th in the nation), 3-pointers per game (2.43 per game/2nd), minutes per game (36.59/3rd/29th in the nation), free throws made (79/3rd) and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG percentage (34.7/6th) and free throw percentage (78.1/8th).
IN CASE YOU ARE JUST JOINING US
• ASU has had a pair of season-best three-game winning streaks this season. It started 3-0 after home wins over UTSA (70-55/Nov. 6), Montana State (75-62/Nov. 10) & San Francisco (77-69/Nov. 13). In the first half of its first three wins, ASU averaged 45.3 points & hit 49.5 pct of its shots. In the win vs. UTSA, ASU tied last season's highest point total in a half on its way to a 49-23 halftime lead. Against Montana State (Nov. 30), ASU scored 30 points in the first quarter, representing the third time it has scored 30 or more points in a quarter under head coach Natasha Adair.
• In its first loss at Grambling State (Nov. 16), ASU scored 32 points and shot 38 pct. in the first half while allowing the Tigers to score 45 points. Down by as many as 17, ASU came back to tie the game at 67-67 before the Tigers hit game-winning 3-pointer in final seconds.
• After allowing 70 points in the loss to Grambling State, ASU responded with a 72-40 win over Idaho State. The Bengals' final point total represented the fewest given up by ASU since a 49-40 win over VCU on November 27, 2020.
• After dropping an 84-42 decision to Texas in its first game at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 23), ASU once again rebounded with a 3-game winning streak. Less than 24 hours after the setback to Texas, ASU had to face a South Florida squad (Nov. 24) that entered the game among the Top 50 teams in the nation in rebounding margin (+10.8). ASU rose to the challenge and outrebounded the Bulls 38-32 in its 66-49 win. In its 77-69 win over High Point (Nov. 25), ASU shot 50 percent for the game, the first time it shot 50 percent or higher since a win at San Diego on Dec. 18, 2021. Brown's 20 points represented a new career high, while Hunt just missed a double-double with season highs in points (19) and rebounds (game-high 8 boards).
• ASU made it three straight wins after a 76-66 triumph over Pacific (Dec. 1). Simmons scored 17 of her career-high 26 points in the 2nd half, including 8 points in the final 94 seconds while Brown contributed a career high-tying 20 points for the second straight game.
• The Sun Devils nearly came back from 14 down in the 4th quarter (got within 4 points 2x) before falling to Grand Canyon, 66-59 on Dec. 8. Simmons (20 points), Crisp (18 points) and Brown (16 points) scored all but five of ASU's points. ASU was without Hunt (illness) in the loss.
WHEN: Sunday at 5 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
WATCH: Pac-12 Network/Arizona
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (Pregame coverage starts at 4:30 p.m. MST)
LIVE STATS: Click here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click here
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (7-3) returns to the hardwood for the first time in more than a week when it hosts Arizona (7-3) on Sunday (5 p.m. MST) in the 2023-24 Pac-12 opener for both teams. Sunday's game will be just the third contest ASU has played this month: vs. Pacific (Dec. 1) and vs. Grand Canyon (Dec. 8).
Since the schedule was finalized for the 2023-24 season, the month of December was always slated to be the month in which ASU would play the fewest number of regular season games between November and February (six). That number was reduced to five after ASU's contest vs. Xavier on Dec. 2 (the second game in as many days as part of the Briann January Classic) was canceled due to Xavier not having enough healthy players.
This month started a stretch of seven contests (not including canceled game vs. Xavier) in which ASU is playing all its contests in the state of Arizona: Tempe (six games), downtown Phoenix (one game - vs. Fresno State in Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series on Dec. 20). That sequence includes ASU's first three conference games: vs. Arizona (Dec. 17), vs. Utah (Jan. 5) and vs. Colorado (Jan. 7). In between the contest vs. Arizona and the two contests vs. the Pac-12's Mountain schools the first week of January, ASU will play its final two regular season non-conference games: the aforementioned contest vs. Fresno State on Dec. 20 and at home vs. Santa Clara on Dec. 30.
WATCH/LISTEN
Sunday's game vs. Arizona can be seen on Pac-12 Network/Arizona (Cindy Brunson/Mary Murphy). The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 4:30 p.m.). Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year and currently a finalist for the 2023 award, Jeff Munn is in his 20th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He'll be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
RANKINGS OF NOTE (AS OF DEC. 14, 2023)
• As a team, ASU leads the Pac-12 in FT attempts per game (23.3/30th in the nation) and is second in the league in FTs made per game (14.9/43rd in the nation). ASU is also ranked among the top half of the league in 3-point FG pct. defense (5th/28.5) steals per game (6th/8.5), turnover margin (t-6th/+2.4).
• Jaddan Simmons leads the Pac-12 and is fifth in the nation in both free throws attempted (70) and made (56). She is also among the league leaders in minutes per game (2nd/34.46), steals per game (t-5th/2.4), FT pct. (15th/80.0) and scoring (19th/13.6 ppg).
• Trayanna Crisp is 8th in the Pac-12 in FT pct. (87.0), 9th in minutes per game (31.85), tied for 12th in 3-pointers per game (1.7) and 15th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45).
• Journey Thompson is 14th in offensive rebs per game (2.3).
SERIES NOTES VERSUS ARIZONA
• The Sun Devils have won 30 of the last 41 meetings, however Arizona has had recent success with seven wins in the last 10 contests.
• Arizona won both contests last season: 84-66 in Tucson & 80-67 in Tempe. Treasure Hunt (18.5 ppg), Tyi Skinner (17.0 ppg) and Jaddan Simmons (10.5 ppg) all averaged double figures in the 2 games. Hunt also led ASU in rebounding (6.0 rpg). Skinner led ASU with 26 points in the first contest and Hunt had 24 points in the rematch. Simmons added 19 points in the same contest including an 11-14 performance from the FT line.
• ASU's 81-77 win at home vs. No. 6/7 Arizona in the first meeting of 2022 (Feb. 11, 2022) was the second straight upset of a Top 10 Arizona squad. ASU knocked off the No. 9 Wildcats 66-64 (OT) in in the 2020-21 rematch in Tempe (Feb. 28, 2021). Simmons scored 11 of her 15 points over the last 9:20 (last 4:20 of regulation and 5:00 of OT) of the game and was awarded Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after the win.
• Arizona's 58-53 win on Dec. 29, 2019 was its first in Tempe since 2000. ASU swept the season series in 2015, 2016 & 2018 and split with the Wildcats in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• In its first 10 games, ASU has had 5 players lead/tie for team lead in scoring: Jaddan Simmons (5x), Kadidia Toure (3x), Trayanna Crisp (3x), Jalyn Brown (1x) and Treasure Hunt (1x). Simmons' career-high 26 points in ASU's win over Pacific (Dec. 1) represents the highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil this season.
• In the rebounding department, 6 Sun Devils have led/tied for the team lead: Maggie Besselink (4x), Journey Thompson (3x), Toure (2x), Mallory Miller (1x), Sandra Magolico (1x), Hunt (1x). Toure's 14-rebound game vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13) represents the best rebounding game.
• Simmons (981 points) is 19 points away from reaching 1000 for her career. In ASU's last 2 games, she has averaged 23.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 10.0 FT att per game and connected on 58 percent (15-26) of her FGs.
• In ASU's last 4 games, Brown is averaging 17.5 ppg and is shooting 51 pct (29-57) from the floor. She has scored in double figures in all 6 games she's started (earlier this season came off the bench 2x after missing 2 games due to injury).
• Crisp scored a then-career high 17 points 2x in ASU's first 7 games. She surpassed that total with 18 points vs. Grand Canyon (Dec. 8). Crisp has scored in double figures in all but 2 games this season.
• During its recent 3-game winning streak – vs. South Florida (Nov. 24), vs. High Point (Nov. 25), vs. Pacific (Dec. 1) – ASU had a pair of dominating 3rd quarters to help give it a big lead heading to the final quarter: 24-6 vs. South Florida (ASU led 24-21 at the half) and 27-13 vs. Pacific (28-28 at the half). ASU also averaged only 10.3 turnovers per game in the 3 games (+6.5 fewer TOs than in its first 6 games).
• ASU is averaging 17.6 ppg off opponent turnovers this season. It scored a season-high 31 points off TOs at Grambling State (Nov. 16).
• ASU has allowed 13 or fewer points in a quarter 18x, including 5x in single digits.
• ASU has held the opposition under 25 pct from long distance six times with only one opponent shooting higher than 50 pct.
• ASU scored a double-digit point total in each of the first 20 quarters of the season. Overall, it has scored in double figures in 37 of 40 quarters.
• In ASU's 3 games at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, Hunt averaged 14.7 ppg (+6.7 above season average) and shot 55.6 pct/19-34 FGs (+8.8 pct above pct for the season), including 50 pct from long range (5-10 3FGs).
• During earlier three-game stretch (game Nos. 2-4), Toure averaged 19.0 ppg and 9.3 rebs per game. She posted her first career double-double with career highs in points (22) and rebounds (14) to go with 3 steals vs. San Francisco (Nov. 13). Toure leads ASU in FG pct. (47.9).
ASU WITHOUT ALL-PAC-12 STANDOUT TYI SKINNER IN 2023-24
Although the Sun Devil women's basketball team's overall health is a 180-degree difference from last season, the squad was dealt a tremendous blow when Natasha Adair announced Oct. 4, 2023, that senior guard Tyi Skinner would miss the 2023-24 season due to a knee injury.
Skinner, who last season earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors from the league's coaches and All-Pac-12 recognition from media who cover the league, quickly established herself as one of top scorers in the Pac-12 and one of the most exciting players in the nation to watch in her first season in Tempe.
In 2022-23, Skinner scored 20 or more points 15 times, including a career-high 29 points on two occasions. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner went on to average 19.3 points per game, the most by a Sun Devil since the 1988-89 season. She concluded her first campaign in the Maroon and Gold among the leaders in the Pac-12 in points per game (19.3/2nd/27th in the nation), 3-pointers per game (2.43 per game/2nd), minutes per game (36.59/3rd/29th in the nation), free throws made (79/3rd) and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG percentage (34.7/6th) and free throw percentage (78.1/8th).
IN CASE YOU ARE JUST JOINING US
• ASU has had a pair of season-best three-game winning streaks this season. It started 3-0 after home wins over UTSA (70-55/Nov. 6), Montana State (75-62/Nov. 10) & San Francisco (77-69/Nov. 13). In the first half of its first three wins, ASU averaged 45.3 points & hit 49.5 pct of its shots. In the win vs. UTSA, ASU tied last season's highest point total in a half on its way to a 49-23 halftime lead. Against Montana State (Nov. 30), ASU scored 30 points in the first quarter, representing the third time it has scored 30 or more points in a quarter under head coach Natasha Adair.
• In its first loss at Grambling State (Nov. 16), ASU scored 32 points and shot 38 pct. in the first half while allowing the Tigers to score 45 points. Down by as many as 17, ASU came back to tie the game at 67-67 before the Tigers hit game-winning 3-pointer in final seconds.
• After allowing 70 points in the loss to Grambling State, ASU responded with a 72-40 win over Idaho State. The Bengals' final point total represented the fewest given up by ASU since a 49-40 win over VCU on November 27, 2020.
• After dropping an 84-42 decision to Texas in its first game at the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 23), ASU once again rebounded with a 3-game winning streak. Less than 24 hours after the setback to Texas, ASU had to face a South Florida squad (Nov. 24) that entered the game among the Top 50 teams in the nation in rebounding margin (+10.8). ASU rose to the challenge and outrebounded the Bulls 38-32 in its 66-49 win. In its 77-69 win over High Point (Nov. 25), ASU shot 50 percent for the game, the first time it shot 50 percent or higher since a win at San Diego on Dec. 18, 2021. Brown's 20 points represented a new career high, while Hunt just missed a double-double with season highs in points (19) and rebounds (game-high 8 boards).
• ASU made it three straight wins after a 76-66 triumph over Pacific (Dec. 1). Simmons scored 17 of her career-high 26 points in the 2nd half, including 8 points in the final 94 seconds while Brown contributed a career high-tying 20 points for the second straight game.
• The Sun Devils nearly came back from 14 down in the 4th quarter (got within 4 points 2x) before falling to Grand Canyon, 66-59 on Dec. 8. Simmons (20 points), Crisp (18 points) and Brown (16 points) scored all but five of ASU's points. ASU was without Hunt (illness) in the loss.