THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (1-0) vs. Arkansas State (0-1)
WHEN: Friday at 3 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
WATCH: ESPN+
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click Here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click Here
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team will look to make it two wins in two games when it hosts Arkansas State on Friday (3 p.m. MST) at Desert Financial Arena. Friday's contest is the program's annual Salute to Service game. Fans are encouraged to come out and help celebrate military members throughout the game.
The Sun Devils opened the 2024-25 campaign with a 74-66 win over Jacksonville State on Monday. In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season, Tyi Skinner, who missed the entire 2023-24 season due to injury, scored a career-high 30 points to go with a team-high five assists. Jalyn Brown just missed scoring in double figures with nine points to go with six boards. Two of the newest members of the team – local product Kennedy Basham (eight points, game-high 10 rebounds, four blocks) and Nevaeh Parkinson (eight points) – combined for 16 points on the offensive end.
In addition to it being the season opener, Monday's game was also notable from ASU's perspective as it played its first game as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The win was not without drama as the Sun Devils trailed by three points entering the final quarter. ASU turned in an outstanding defensive effort, limiting Jacksonville State to a paltry 15 percent from the field while outscoring the Gamecocks 17-6 over the final 10 minutes.
"Gritty and gutsy win with this new group," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said. "When it was winning time, we got the stops we needed and we made big shots. I just thought it was a good team win. Seeing so many different things from players, I just told them this is a team that's never played together. So we're learning about each other and it's great to learn in a win. Especially in the fourth, I really saw them come together when we talked about winning time in the time out. There were key plays, key stops and key contributions from each one who stepped on the floor. So proud of our effort to find a way to win and finish strong."
WATCH/LISTEN
• Friday's can be seen on ESPN+. Braiden Bell (play-by-play) and former Sun Devil Arnecia Hawkins (color analyst) will be on the call.
• The game can also be heard on KDUS 1060 AM. Pregame coverage of start at 12:30 p.m. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 21st season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
• Jazion Jackson, one of the team's eight new players this season, needs one point to reach 1000 for her career. A fifth-year player, Jackson had her best season in 2023-24, averaging a career-high 11.6 ppg while starting 32 games for UTEP.
SERIES HISTORY
The Sun Devils claimed the only previous meeting, 69-66, at the 2013 Cancun Challenge. For ASU, the victory over Arkansas State was its third in as many days as it went unbeaten in the tournament.
DYNAMIC DUO DEBUT
The 2023-24 Sun Devils were dealt a serious blow when it was announced a month before the start of the season that superstar guard Tyi Skinner would miss the entire season due to a knee injury.
Skinner, who played her first two seasons at Delaware, joined Natasha Adair in Tempe after Adair was named ASU's head coach. In 2022-23, Skinner (2023 All-Pac-12 honorable mention) scored 20 or more points 15 times, including a career-high 29 points twice. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner averaged 19.3 ppg, 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), FTss made (79/3rd) and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG percentage (34.7/6th) and FT percentage (78.1/8th).
The 2023-24 Sun Devils were left pondering, 'what might have been,' had Skinner been able to share the court with Louisville transfer Jalyn Brown. Much like Skinner did in 2022-23, Brown would emerge as one of the top performers in the Pac-12. In league games, Brown finished 3rd in the Pac-12 in scoring (19.6 ppg), 9th in FT percent (80.6) and tied for 14th in 3-pointers per game (1.56). She scored in double figures 26 times (12 20-point games) including a pair of outings in which she had the two highest-scoring games by a Sun Devil since 2000: 35 vs. Colorado (Jan. 7, 2024) and 34 points at Washington (Jan. 21).
Brown, who earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors from the league's coaches and All-Pac-12 recognition from media who cover the league, went on to lead the team in scoring (17.3 ppg) and 3-pointers per game (1.4), was 2nd in FT pct. (76.9), 3-pointers (1.3 per game), minutes (35.54 mpg) and FTs made (103) and attempted (134), 3rd in assists (1.6 apg), tied for 3rd in steals (0.9 spg) and 4th in O-rebounds (1.1 rpg).
With Skinner recovered from her injury, Adair is excited to see what the Sun Devils are capable of with both Skinner and Brown on the court.
"It's poetry in motion; those two have known each other even prior to coming here from the Washington, DC area so they know each other's game, and more importantly it's about every other piece in addition to them," Adair said. I'm excited for our fans to see our size inside, it's going be hard to guard (us because) who are you going to sag off on and who are you going to double?
"Watching us work on that every day you can see it coming together. I'm excited about every piece because as much as they are talented there are so many other players and parts. I want to know how opponents are going to stop us."
In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season, Skinner scored a career-high 30 points – her 17th game as a Sun Devil scoring 20 or more points – in ASU's 74-66 win over Jacksonville State on Nov. 4.
WHEN: Friday at 3 p.m. MST
WHERE: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
WATCH: ESPN+
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060
LIVE STATS: Click Here
PURCHASE TICKETS: Click Here
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team will look to make it two wins in two games when it hosts Arkansas State on Friday (3 p.m. MST) at Desert Financial Arena. Friday's contest is the program's annual Salute to Service game. Fans are encouraged to come out and help celebrate military members throughout the game.
The Sun Devils opened the 2024-25 campaign with a 74-66 win over Jacksonville State on Monday. In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season, Tyi Skinner, who missed the entire 2023-24 season due to injury, scored a career-high 30 points to go with a team-high five assists. Jalyn Brown just missed scoring in double figures with nine points to go with six boards. Two of the newest members of the team – local product Kennedy Basham (eight points, game-high 10 rebounds, four blocks) and Nevaeh Parkinson (eight points) – combined for 16 points on the offensive end.
In addition to it being the season opener, Monday's game was also notable from ASU's perspective as it played its first game as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The win was not without drama as the Sun Devils trailed by three points entering the final quarter. ASU turned in an outstanding defensive effort, limiting Jacksonville State to a paltry 15 percent from the field while outscoring the Gamecocks 17-6 over the final 10 minutes.
"Gritty and gutsy win with this new group," ASU head coach Natasha Adair said. "When it was winning time, we got the stops we needed and we made big shots. I just thought it was a good team win. Seeing so many different things from players, I just told them this is a team that's never played together. So we're learning about each other and it's great to learn in a win. Especially in the fourth, I really saw them come together when we talked about winning time in the time out. There were key plays, key stops and key contributions from each one who stepped on the floor. So proud of our effort to find a way to win and finish strong."
WATCH/LISTEN
• Friday's can be seen on ESPN+. Braiden Bell (play-by-play) and former Sun Devil Arnecia Hawkins (color analyst) will be on the call.
• The game can also be heard on KDUS 1060 AM. Pregame coverage of start at 12:30 p.m. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 21st season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
• Jazion Jackson, one of the team's eight new players this season, needs one point to reach 1000 for her career. A fifth-year player, Jackson had her best season in 2023-24, averaging a career-high 11.6 ppg while starting 32 games for UTEP.
SERIES HISTORY
The Sun Devils claimed the only previous meeting, 69-66, at the 2013 Cancun Challenge. For ASU, the victory over Arkansas State was its third in as many days as it went unbeaten in the tournament.
DYNAMIC DUO DEBUT
The 2023-24 Sun Devils were dealt a serious blow when it was announced a month before the start of the season that superstar guard Tyi Skinner would miss the entire season due to a knee injury.
Skinner, who played her first two seasons at Delaware, joined Natasha Adair in Tempe after Adair was named ASU's head coach. In 2022-23, Skinner (2023 All-Pac-12 honorable mention) scored 20 or more points 15 times, including a career-high 29 points twice. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner averaged 19.3 ppg, 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), FTss made (79/3rd) and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG percentage (34.7/6th) and FT percentage (78.1/8th).
The 2023-24 Sun Devils were left pondering, 'what might have been,' had Skinner been able to share the court with Louisville transfer Jalyn Brown. Much like Skinner did in 2022-23, Brown would emerge as one of the top performers in the Pac-12. In league games, Brown finished 3rd in the Pac-12 in scoring (19.6 ppg), 9th in FT percent (80.6) and tied for 14th in 3-pointers per game (1.56). She scored in double figures 26 times (12 20-point games) including a pair of outings in which she had the two highest-scoring games by a Sun Devil since 2000: 35 vs. Colorado (Jan. 7, 2024) and 34 points at Washington (Jan. 21).
Brown, who earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors from the league's coaches and All-Pac-12 recognition from media who cover the league, went on to lead the team in scoring (17.3 ppg) and 3-pointers per game (1.4), was 2nd in FT pct. (76.9), 3-pointers (1.3 per game), minutes (35.54 mpg) and FTs made (103) and attempted (134), 3rd in assists (1.6 apg), tied for 3rd in steals (0.9 spg) and 4th in O-rebounds (1.1 rpg).
With Skinner recovered from her injury, Adair is excited to see what the Sun Devils are capable of with both Skinner and Brown on the court.
"It's poetry in motion; those two have known each other even prior to coming here from the Washington, DC area so they know each other's game, and more importantly it's about every other piece in addition to them," Adair said. I'm excited for our fans to see our size inside, it's going be hard to guard (us because) who are you going to sag off on and who are you going to double?
"Watching us work on that every day you can see it coming together. I'm excited about every piece because as much as they are talented there are so many other players and parts. I want to know how opponents are going to stop us."
In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season, Skinner scored a career-high 30 points – her 17th game as a Sun Devil scoring 20 or more points – in ASU's 74-66 win over Jacksonville State on Nov. 4.