THE GAME: Sun Devil WBB (4-4) vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (4-5)
WHEN: Saturday at 1:45 p.m. EST/11:45 a.m. MST
WHERE: Entertainment & Sports Arena • Washington D.C.
WATCH: Ryz Sports Network on Samsung TV Plus (channel 1002) or at www.samsungtvplus.com
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 11:15 a.m. MST).
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (4-4) concludes its road trip to the DMV on Saturday (1:45 p.m. EST/11:45 a.m. MST) when it faces Maryland Eastern Shore in the fourth annual Coaches Vs. Racism (CVR) Roundball Classic.
Saturday's game is the fourth in a seven-game stretch in which ASU is on the road for either a neutral site contest or as the away team in a true road game. ASU's game at Coppin State on Thursday was its first true 'away' game of the season. Saturday's contest – being played at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington D.C., home of the WNBA's Washington Mystics – is the last of the three neutral site games in the current seven-game stretch.
After this weekend's games, ASU will take an extended break for final exams before once again leaving the state of Arizona for road games at UC Davis (Dec. 15), at San Francisco (Dec. 17) and at Utah (Dec. 21). The contest at Utah will be ASU's first ever Big 12 Conference game.
WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday's game vs. Maryland Eastern Shore will be carried by Ryz Sports Network which can be accessed via Samsung TV Plus (channel 1002) or at www.samsungtvplus.com. The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060. Pregame coverage will begin at 11:15 a.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.
SERIES NOTES
• This will be the first ever meeting between ASU and Maryland Eastern Shore. Prior to Thursday's game at Coppin State, the last time ASU played in the DMV area was March of 2008 when it had NCAA Tournament games vs. Temple and vs. Duke at the University of Maryland.
WELCOME BACK
• Head coach Natasha Adair and Sun Devil players Jalyn Brown, Kennedy Fauntleroy, Tyi Skinner and Kadidia Toure all have ties to the DMV.
• Adair served as an assistant coach at Georgetown (1998-2004). She returned to Washington DC in 2016 when she was named the head coach at Georgetown, where she led the Hoyas for three seasons.
• Brown is from Baltimore and played basketball at both Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro, Md., and St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
• Originally from Upper Marlboro, Md., Fauntleroy played at New Hope Academy in Maryland before moving on to Georgetown. In her one season with the Hoyas, was unanimously named the 2023 Big East Freshman of the Year and was named to the league's all-freshman team.
• Hailing from Washington DC., Skinner played TPLS Christian Academy in Virginia before transferring to National Christian Academy in Maryland midway through junior season.
• Toure (Silver Springs, Md.) was a four-year varsity player for Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.). As a senior in 2022, Toure averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks on her way to WCAC Player of the Year honors and first-team All-Met recognition.
RANKINGS OF NOTE
• Through games played Dec. 5, ASU is ranked among the top 60 teams in the nation in FT percentage (11th/79.9/1st in the Big 12), defensive rebounds per game (28th/29.0/6th in the Big 12), scoring offense (55th/76.5/7th in the Big 12) and free throws made per game (60th/13.88/6th in the Big 12), and blocks per game (48th/4.6/6th in the Big 12).
• Individually, Tyi Skinner is 27th in the nation in FT percentage (90.0/1st in the Big 12), 44th in points per game (18.8/7th in the Big 12), 48th in 3-pointers per game (2.63/6th in the Big 12) and 50th in minutes per game (34.99/1st in the Big 12). Kennedy Basham is 29th in the nation in blocks per game (2.13/2nd in the Big 12).
LAST GAME
ASU's road trip started with a 74-68 overtime loss at Coppin State on Thursday in the team's first true road game of the season.
Jalyn Brown led the Sun Devils with 17 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. Tyi Skinner added 14 points and Nevaeh Parkinson just missed a double-double, scoring nine points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds. Parkinson, who scored a career-high 26 points in ASU's prior contest vs. South Dakota at the Music City Classic, knocked down the second 3-pointer of her career in the game.
Trailing 46-37 with 5:54 remaining, ASU used a 9-1 run to get back within a point, 47-46. Jyah LoVett, who scored nine points in the game, started ASU's rally with a 3-pointer. Also contributing to the run were Brown (four points) and Heavenly Greer (two points).
Neither team led by more than three in the fourth quarter until Brown hit a triple to give ASU a 59-55 lead with 3:33 remaining. The Eagles scored the next four points to tie the game at 59-59 and the teams subsequently went to overtime tied at 61-61. In the extra session, Skinner's 3-point play gave the Sun Devils a 68-67 lead – the fifth lead change in overtime – with 1:28 left.
Unfortunately for ASU, Skinner's free throw was the last of its offense as the Eagles closed the game with a 7-0 run to claim the win.
OUTSTANDING OFFENSE
Prior to its loss at Coppin State, ASU showed what its offense was capable of, eclipsing the 90-point mark for the second time this season in a 95-88 win over South Dakota (Nov. 27).
Five players – Parkinson (career-high 26 points, 12-13 FGs), Skinner (20 points, team high-tying seven assists, 6-11 3FGs, 6 rebounds), Brown (19 points, team-high 7 rebounds, 4 assists, career-high 4 blocks), Jyah LoVett (14 points, 5 assists) and Kennedy Fauntleroy (14 points, team high-tying 7 assists, 5 rebounds) – scored in double figures for the Sun Devils (4-3), who surpassed the 50-percent mark in shooting (52.2) for the second time this season.
ASU knocked down 12 triples, two short of tying the school record of 14 and the most since hitting 13 against Marist on Nov. 21, 2021. All six of Skinner's field goals were from beyond the arc, one triple shy of tying the school record of seven accomplished by five Sun Devils, most recently Taya Hanson vs. Cal on New Year's Day in 2021.
As a team, the Sun Devils dished out 27 assists, the most helpers since it also had 27 vs. Arkansas on December 21, 2017. Earlier that season, the Sun Devils amassed a season-high 31 assists vs. Sacramento State on November 18, 2017.
STATE OF PLAY
• The Sun Devils (4-4), who have eight new players on this season's roster, have experienced the ups and downs that can sometimes go with combining the talents of several outstanding players in the early stages of the season.
• After wins over SMU (80-73 on Nov. 16) and former Pac-12 foe Oregon State (79-60 on Nov. 17) in the annual Briann January Classic, the Sun Devils split their contests in Nashville, Tenn., falling to No. 14 Kentucky 77-61 before beating South Dakota 95-88. Nevaeh Parkinson was named to the Music City Classic All-Tournament Team.
• Against Kentucky, Parkinson came one rebound short of a double-double, scoring nine of her 12 points and grabbing seven of her nine boards in the second half to help keep ASU within striking distance. The following day vs. South Dakota, she once again came off the bench and scored a team- and career-high 26 points. Parkinson's single-game field goal percentage of 92.3 percent on 12 of 13 shooting vs. South Dakota, was the best individual performance for a Sun Devil attempting 10 or more shots in a game since Betsy Boardman made all 10 of her shots (1.000) vs. UCLA on February 17, 2001. Parkinson was also ASU's top rebounder in the two contests (6.5 rebounds per game).
• ASU opened the 2024-25 campaign with a 74-66 win over Jacksonville State (Nov. 4). 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. Two of the newest members of the team – local product Kennedy Basham (8 points, game-high 10 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Parkinson (8 points) – combined for 16 points.
• Despite scoring 96 points – the most scored by ASU during head coach Natasha Adair's time at ASU – the Sun Devils were edged in a 100-96 decision to Arkansas State (Nov. 8). Five players scored in double figure against the Red Wolves: Jalyn Brown (24 points), Parkinson (18 points), Skinner (16 points), Basham (14 points) and Kennedy Fauntleroy (13 points).
• In mid-November, ASU played three games in four days. The stretch started with a 70-59 loss against Grand Canyon in the Hall of Fame Series played at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. ASU led by as many as 12 in the first half and went to the locker room with a nine-point advantage, 42-33. Unfortunately for ASU, it experienced a 180-degree turnaround on both ends of the floor as it was outscored 37-17 over the final 20 minutes.
• The Sun Devils bounced back with consecutive wins over SMU (80-73 on Nov. 16) and former Pac-12 foe Oregon State (79-60 on Nov. 17). Against SMU, Skinner (26 points) and Brown (25 points) both came through with marquee performances as the duo combined for 51 points. In its win over Oregon State the following day, ASU recorded opponent season lows for points (60), field goals (19), 3-point field goals (3) and 3-point field goal percentage (13.0/3-23) and had season highs in shot blocks (8), turnovers forced (19) and points scored off turnovers (26) in what added up to ASU's largest margin of victory this season. Skinner scored 20 or more points for the third time this season (21 points/8-11 FGs, 4-4 FTs). Brown had 12 points (5-8 FGs) and Basham and Jazion Jackson had identical double-doubles (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the win.
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 29 points twice. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner averaged 19.3 ppg, (most by a Sun Devil since the 1988-89 ). She concluded her first campaign as a Sun Devil 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), FTs made (79/3rd) and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG pct (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).
In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season, Skinner scored a career-high 30 points – the 17th time she scored 20 or more points in a Sun Devil uniform – in ASU's 74-66 win over Jacksonville State (Nov. 4). Brown led ASU in scoring (24 points) vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8). Combined with Skinner's 16 points, the duo combines for 40 points in the game. Skinner had a team-high 15 points in ASU's contest vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14).
In ASU's 80-73 win over SMU (Nov. 16), Skinner (26 points) and Brown (25 points) combined for 51 points. In addition, both Skinner (8-16 FGs, 5-10 3FGs) and Brown (10-18 FGs, 3-7 3FGs) were efficient with their opportunities as they teamed up to shoot 53 percent (18-34 FGs) from the field, including 47 percent (8-17) from long range. Brown also led the team with five assists.
Out of the eight games ASU has played thus far, Skinner has led ASU in scoring four times and Brown three times.
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
Half the players on the 2024-25 squad are making their debut in the Maroon and Gold. Read on for a thumbnail summary of each player.
#0 /// Kennedy Basham /// F /// 6-7 /// Jr. /// Phoenix, Ariz.
• Kennedy Basham will be returning home after playing two seasons at the University of Oregon where she played in 47 games with 24 starting assignments (all 24 starts came sophomore season).
• Led team with 48 blocks and led or tied for team lead in 13 games, finishing with multiple blocks 15 times.
• Scored a season-high 15 points at Washington (Feb. 23) and followed that up with 14 points at Washington State (Feb. 25) for her first career games in double figures.
AT ASU IN 2024-25
• Currently leads ASU in blocks per game (2.1/29th in the nation and 2nd in the Big 12) is 2nd in rebs per game (7.1/12th in the Big 12), and is 4th in scoring (8.8 ppg)... Grabbed a career-high 13 boards vs. Grand Canyon (Npv. 14)... Had strong Sun Devil debut scoring 8 points, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds and blocking 4 shots vs. Jacksonville State (Nov. 4)... Accounted for 14 points and tied for the team lead in rebounds (6) vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8)... Had her first double-double as a Sun Devil (10 points, career-high 13 rebounds) and had 3 blocks vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14)... Had 3rd double-digit rebounding performance (10) and a career-high 6 blocks vs. OSU (Nov. 17).
#4 /// Jyah LoVett /// G /// 5-8 /// So. /// San Gabriel, Calif.
• LoVett is coming to ASU from San Jose State where she earned Mountain West All-Freshman Team honors for a season in which she played and started in 17 games as the team's primary point guard.
•Earned Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors three times.
• Averaged 18 ppg in her six Mountain West appearances.
• Scored a career-high 26 points twice: against Fresno State in the Mountain West opener (Jan. 3) and again at UNLV (Jan. 10).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in every game (one start) and is 2nd on the team in steals (1.4 spg) and free throw percentage (90.9/10-11), 4th in scoring (9.3 ppg) and tied for 4th in assists (2.3 apg)... Averaged 12.5 ppg in ASU's contests vs. Grand Canyon (10 points, season-high 4 steals) and vs. SMU (season-high 15 points)... Notched her second double-figure scoring game (14 points) vs. South Dakota (Nov. 27).
#7 /// Jazion Jackson /// G /// 5-9 /// Grad. /// Dallas, Texas
• Jackson will be bringing an abundance of experience to Tempe.
• Transferred to ASU from Texas Tech. Unfortunately, Jackson didn't play after a season-ending injury prior to the season.
• Played her first three seasons for North Texas where she started 72 of 81 games. Raised her scoring average each season while playing for North Texas: 5.9 ppg, 8.6 ppg, 9.2 ppg.
• Had the best season of her career playing for UTEP in 2022-23. Earned First-Team All-Conference USA honors after she started all 32 of UTEP's games and led the team in steals (2.06 per game/fourth in the conference) and was second on the squad in scoring (11.6 ppg), rebounds per game (5.8) and assists per game (2.3).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Currently leads the team in steals (2.3 spg/5th in the Big 12) and rebs (7.3 rpg/11th in the Big 12) and is tied for 4th in assists (2.3 apg)... Made her Sun Devil debut in the season's 3rd game vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14)... Went over the 1,000-point mark in career points (had 999 coming in) vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14) after scoring 4 points to go with 5 rebounds and 2 steals... Had career-high 13 rebs vs. SMU (Nov. 16) and followed with a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) vs. Oregon State (Nov. 17).
#10 /// Kennedy Fauntleroy /// G /// 5-7 /// Jr. /// Upper Marlboro, Md.
• Had outstanding freshman campaign at Georgetown where she was unanimously named the 2023 Big East Freshman of the Year and was named to the league's all-freshman team.
• Started 29 of the 30 games she played in 2022-23 and was named the Big East Freshman of the Week six times. In Big East play, averaged 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.9 assists per outing.
• Transferred to ASU from Oklahoma State where she played in five games last season. Opened season scoring 14 points in helping OSU defeat SIUE (Nov. 6). Also added four steals in the victory.
• Produced a solid all-around debut in her Sun Devil debut, scoring 7 points, grabbing 6 rebounds to go with 3 assists and 4 steals in win over Jacksonville State (Nov. 4)... Scored 13 points and dished out 7 assists vs. Arkansas State Nov. (9).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in every game with 2 starts... Is currently 5th on the team in scoring (7.8 ppg), 3rd in assists (2.5 apg) and 4th in steals (1.0 spg)... Scored 13 points and had a season-high 7 assists and 6 rebounds vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8)... Scored season high-14 points and tied season high in assists (7) vs. South Dakota (Nov. 27).
#12 /// Makayla Moore /// G /// 6-0 /// Jr. /// San Jose, Calif.
• Transferred to ASU from Seattle U where she played 49 games (28 starts) in two seasons.
• Started all 28 games she played last season and averaged a career-best 11.3 points while playing 29.2 minutes per game.
• Posted a career-high 23 points on a career-best 11 made field goals against UTRGV (Jan. 11, 2024).
• Pulled down career-high 10 rebs against UT Arlington (Jan. 13, 2024).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in 3 games and is averaging 7.7 minutes per game.
#15 /// Heavenly Greer /// F /// 6-3 /// Sr. /// Phoenix, Ariz.
• Like fellow first-year Sun Devil Kennedy Basham, Greer will be returning to her hometown of Phoenix.
• Greer will be familiar with many of ASU's conference opponents as played all three of her seasons in the Big 12: one season at Oklahoma (played 10 games) and two seasons at Kansas State (played 46 contests).
• Played in a career-high 30 contests in her first season playing for Kansas State (2022-23).
• Kansas State made it to the postseason in each of Greer's two seasons playing for the Wildcats (WNIT in 2023 and NCAA Tournament in 2024).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in 5 games and has connected on 63 percent of her shots (5-8)... Pulled down a season-high 6 rebounds in season opener vs. Jacksonville State (Nov. 4).
#22 /// Timya Grice /// C /// 6-5 /// Fr. /// Katy, Texas
• The lone freshman on ASU's 2024-25 roster, Grice led her Taylor high school squad to the No. 3 (28-7; 12-4 in district) spot in 2024, its first playoff berth since the 2018-19 season.
• In 2023-24, was named one of the Top 26 girls' basketball players in the state of Texas by SB Live and was selected to the TGCA All-State team.
• Prior to 2023-24 season, was No. 8 in Vype's Top 30 players in Houston.
• Scored 34 points and a pulled down a school-record 24 rebounds in a victory over district counterpart Seven Lakes.
Joined Taylor's squad in January of 2023, after moving from Mauldin, S.C.
• Averaged 8.7 points/6.1 rebs in 3 seasons playing for Mauldin (S.C.).
#32 /// Nevaeh Parkinson /// C /// 6-3 /// Grad. /// Dallas, Texas
• Parkinson is another player who will be toting plenty of experience to Tempe. After playing 20 games in two seasons at New Mexico, had a pair of breakout seasons at UC Irvine in helping the squad earn postseason berths in both 2023 and 2024.
• In 2022-23, was named the Big West's Best Sixth Player and also received All-Big West honorable mention recognition.
• After helping lead UC Irvine to the WNIT in her first season, helped her squad ascend even higher in earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament last season.
• Scored a career-high 18 points (8-10 FGs) and grabbed 10 rebounds in UC Irvine's NCAA Tournament first round game at Gonzaga (Mar. 23).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
• Currently leads the team in FG pct. (54.4) and is 3rd in scoring (10.9 ppg) and rebs (5.9 rpg ... Scored 8 points in ASU debut vs. Jacksonville St. (Nov. 4)... Tied then-career high with 18 points (8-10 FGs, 2-2 FTs) to go with 6 rebounds vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 9)... Pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds vs. SMU (Nov. 16)... Was named to the Music City Classic All-Tournament Team (vs. No. 14 Kentucky and South Dakota, Nov. 26-27)... Against Kentucky, came one rebound short of a double-double, scoring 9 of her 12 points & grabbing 7 of her nine 9 rebs in the 2nd half... Against South Dakota, she once again came off the bench and scored a team- and career-high 26 points... single-game FG pct. of 92.3 on 12 of 13 shooting was the best individual performance by a Sun Devil attempting 10 or more shots in a game since Betsy Boardman made all 10 of her shots (1.000) vs. UCLA on February 17, 2001... Was also ASU's top rebounder in the two contests (6.5 rebounds per game)... Came one point short of a double-double (9 points/10 rebounds) at Coppin State (Dec. 5).
BACK FOR MORE
Eight players are back from 2023-24, each with the ability to help the Sun Devils climb even higher in the first season of the Big 12.
#1 /// Kadidia Toure /// F /// 6-3 /// Jr. /// Silver Spring, Md.
• Transferred to ASU in 2023 after playing freshman season at James Madison.
• Has played in 56 career games with 7 starts (all 7 with ASU).
• In her first season at ASU, played in every game (7 starts) and led the team in FG pct. (43.5/among players who averaged 5.0 or more FG att per game), was 2nd in O-rebs (1.5 rpg), and 4th in scoring (5.7 ppg/among players who played in at least half the games).
2024-25
• Has played in 4 contests.
#3 /// Tyi Skinner /// G /// 5-5 /// Grad. /// Washington, D.C.
• Transferred to ASU after the 2021-22 season and made immediate impact averaging 19.3 ppg in 2022-23, most by a Sun Devil since 1988-89.
• Missed entire 2023-24 season due to injury.
• Has started 68 of 97 games, including all 36 she has played at ASU.
2024-25
• Has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
• Currently leads the team in scoring (18.8 ppg/44th in the nation and 7th in the Big 12), 3-pointers (2.6 per game/48th in the nation and 6th in the Big 12), assists per game (4.1/14th in the Big 12), FTs made (27) and attempted (30), FT pct. (90.0/27th in the nation and 1st in the Big 12) and 3FG pct (42.9/6th in the Big 12).
• In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season (missed entire 2023-24 season due to injury), Skinner scored a career-high 30 points – the 17th time she scored 20 or more points in a Sun Devil uniform – in ASU's 74-66 win over Jacksonville State on Nov. 4.
• Had consecutive 20-point games (26 vs. SMU and 21 vs. Oregon State) in ASU's two wins in the annual Briann January Classic... In those two wins, averaged 23.5 points and was 59 percent from the floor (16-27) and 50 percent from beyond the arc (6-12).
#13 /// Maggie Besselink /// G/F /// 6-3 /// Grad. /// Kingston, Ontario
• Versatile scorer and outstanding rebounder.
• Has been limited to 48 games (33 starts) because of injuries.
• Played in 12 games (11 starts) before suffering season-ending injury at Washington State (Jan. 19). At time of injury, was 2nd on the team in rebs per game (4.6) and 4th in O-rebs (1.3 rpg).
2024-25
• Made her 2024-25 debut vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14).
• Has played in last 6 games with one start (vs. South Dakota on Nov. 27) and has made 87.5 pct of her free throws.
• Is 5th on the team in rebounds.
• Pulled down season-high 7 boards vs. No. 14 Kentucky (Nov. 26).
#21 /// Hanna Miller /// F • 6-2 /// Jr. /// Aberdeen, S.D.
• Transferred to ASU from Dodge City CC (Dodge City, Kan.) where Miller played one season.
• Older sister of current Sun Devil Mallory Miller.
• Played in 3 games as a freshman and accounted for first points of career (4/1-1 3FG/1-2 FTs) in win vs. Idaho State (Nov. 19).
2024-25
• Has played in 4 games and is averaging 5.4 minutes per game.
#23 /// Jalyn Brown /// G /// 6-1 /// Jr. /// Baltimore, Md.
• Transferred to ASU in 2023 after playing freshman season at Louisville.
• As the 2023-24 season progressed, evolved into one of the top performers in the Pac-12. In league games, finished 3rd in scoring (19.6 ppg), 9th in FT percent (80.6) and tied for 14th in 3-pointers per game (1.56).
• Is the owner of the two highest-scoring games by a Sun Devil since 2000: 35 vs. Colorado (Jan. 7, 2024) and 34 points at Washington (Jan. 21, 2024).
2024-25
• Has started every game and is currently 2nd on the team in scoring (16.3 ppg/12th in the Big 12), FG pct. (44.5), FTs made (22) and attempted (27) assists per game (2.8), is 3rd steals (1.3 spg) and 4th in rebounds (3.4 rpg).
• Has scored in double figures 5x, including a season-high 25 points vs. SMU (Nov. 16). Also dished out a career-high 5 assists vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8) and vs. SMU (Nov. 16).
• Led ASU in scoring (17 points) & pulled down 6 rebs at Coppin St. (Dec. 5).
#24 /// Mallory Miller /// F /// 6-4 /// So. /// Aberdeen, S.D.
• Had solid freshman campaign, making important contributions as the season progressed.
• Younger sister Hanna plays for the Sun Devils.
• Played in 27 contests (four starts - all coming in last four games of the season).
• All 3 of her double-figure scoring games came in Pac-12 play.
• In ASU's 5 games prior to final weekend of regular season, averaged 8.4 ppg (3rd on team), 5.6 rpg and 1.2 bpg (led team in both).
#25 /// Adison Novosel /// G /// 5-11 /// Sr. /// Richfield, Ohio
• Transferred to ASU in 2023 after playing first two seasons at Saint Francis University (played in 35 contests with 25 starts).
• After appearing in seven games off the bench as a freshman, started 25 of 28 games in 2022-23.
• Played in 21 games (9.0 mins per game) in her first season as a Sun Devil. Six of her seven 3-pointers came in Pac-12 play.
• Played 30 mins and hit season-high 3 FGs vs. No. 15 Utah (Jan. 5).
#30 • Morasha Wiggins /// G /// 6-0 /// Sr. /// Kalamazoo, Mich.
• Transferred to ASU after playing her freshman season (2021-22) at North Carolina.
• Ranked 18th in the ESPNW Class of 2021 rankings, Wiggins was expected to be an impact player for ASU before suffering a preseason injury that forced her to miss the entire 2022-23 campaign.
NOTES ON ASU'S FIRST SEASON IN THE BIG 12
Big 12 Transfers: Three Sun Devil newcomers were on a Big 12 campus in the past year. Heavenly Greer played the past two years at Kansas State, Dallas native Jazion Jackson was at Texas Tech last year and Kennedy Fauntleroy was at Oklahoma State last year after earning 2022-23 Big East Freshman of the Year at Georgetown.
The Big 12 format: Teams will play three opponents home and away while facing six teams only at home and six opponents only on the road for a total of 18 Conference games. Opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitiveness.
ASU's Big 12 opponent breakdown: Home: Baylor (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Cincinnati (2024 WNIT Team), Iowa State (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), TCU (2024 WBIT Team), Texas Tech, West Virginia (2024 NCAA Tournament Team). Away: Central Florida, Colorado (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Houston, Kansas (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Kansas State (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Oklahoma State. Home and Away: Arizona (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), BYU (2024 WBIT Team), Utah (2024 NCAA Tournament Team)
When it starts/ends: League play begins Saturday, Dec. 21 with six games and concludes Sunday, March 2. The regular season will be followed by the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship, which will take place in Kansas City's T-Mobile Center for the second consecutive season.
WHEN: Saturday at 1:45 p.m. EST/11:45 a.m. MST
WHERE: Entertainment & Sports Arena • Washington D.C.
WATCH: Ryz Sports Network on Samsung TV Plus (channel 1002) or at www.samsungtvplus.com
RADIO: KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage starts at 11:15 a.m. MST).
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil women's basketball team (4-4) concludes its road trip to the DMV on Saturday (1:45 p.m. EST/11:45 a.m. MST) when it faces Maryland Eastern Shore in the fourth annual Coaches Vs. Racism (CVR) Roundball Classic.
Saturday's game is the fourth in a seven-game stretch in which ASU is on the road for either a neutral site contest or as the away team in a true road game. ASU's game at Coppin State on Thursday was its first true 'away' game of the season. Saturday's contest – being played at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington D.C., home of the WNBA's Washington Mystics – is the last of the three neutral site games in the current seven-game stretch.
After this weekend's games, ASU will take an extended break for final exams before once again leaving the state of Arizona for road games at UC Davis (Dec. 15), at San Francisco (Dec. 17) and at Utah (Dec. 21). The contest at Utah will be ASU's first ever Big 12 Conference game.
WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday's game vs. Maryland Eastern Shore will be carried by Ryz Sports Network which can be accessed via Samsung TV Plus (channel 1002) or at www.samsungtvplus.com. The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060. Pregame coverage will begin at 11:15 a.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.
SERIES NOTES
• This will be the first ever meeting between ASU and Maryland Eastern Shore. Prior to Thursday's game at Coppin State, the last time ASU played in the DMV area was March of 2008 when it had NCAA Tournament games vs. Temple and vs. Duke at the University of Maryland.
WELCOME BACK
• Head coach Natasha Adair and Sun Devil players Jalyn Brown, Kennedy Fauntleroy, Tyi Skinner and Kadidia Toure all have ties to the DMV.
• Adair served as an assistant coach at Georgetown (1998-2004). She returned to Washington DC in 2016 when she was named the head coach at Georgetown, where she led the Hoyas for three seasons.
• Brown is from Baltimore and played basketball at both Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro, Md., and St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
• Originally from Upper Marlboro, Md., Fauntleroy played at New Hope Academy in Maryland before moving on to Georgetown. In her one season with the Hoyas, was unanimously named the 2023 Big East Freshman of the Year and was named to the league's all-freshman team.
• Hailing from Washington DC., Skinner played TPLS Christian Academy in Virginia before transferring to National Christian Academy in Maryland midway through junior season.
• Toure (Silver Springs, Md.) was a four-year varsity player for Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.). As a senior in 2022, Toure averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks on her way to WCAC Player of the Year honors and first-team All-Met recognition.
RANKINGS OF NOTE
• Through games played Dec. 5, ASU is ranked among the top 60 teams in the nation in FT percentage (11th/79.9/1st in the Big 12), defensive rebounds per game (28th/29.0/6th in the Big 12), scoring offense (55th/76.5/7th in the Big 12) and free throws made per game (60th/13.88/6th in the Big 12), and blocks per game (48th/4.6/6th in the Big 12).
• Individually, Tyi Skinner is 27th in the nation in FT percentage (90.0/1st in the Big 12), 44th in points per game (18.8/7th in the Big 12), 48th in 3-pointers per game (2.63/6th in the Big 12) and 50th in minutes per game (34.99/1st in the Big 12). Kennedy Basham is 29th in the nation in blocks per game (2.13/2nd in the Big 12).
LAST GAME
ASU's road trip started with a 74-68 overtime loss at Coppin State on Thursday in the team's first true road game of the season.
Jalyn Brown led the Sun Devils with 17 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. Tyi Skinner added 14 points and Nevaeh Parkinson just missed a double-double, scoring nine points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds. Parkinson, who scored a career-high 26 points in ASU's prior contest vs. South Dakota at the Music City Classic, knocked down the second 3-pointer of her career in the game.
Trailing 46-37 with 5:54 remaining, ASU used a 9-1 run to get back within a point, 47-46. Jyah LoVett, who scored nine points in the game, started ASU's rally with a 3-pointer. Also contributing to the run were Brown (four points) and Heavenly Greer (two points).
Neither team led by more than three in the fourth quarter until Brown hit a triple to give ASU a 59-55 lead with 3:33 remaining. The Eagles scored the next four points to tie the game at 59-59 and the teams subsequently went to overtime tied at 61-61. In the extra session, Skinner's 3-point play gave the Sun Devils a 68-67 lead – the fifth lead change in overtime – with 1:28 left.
Unfortunately for ASU, Skinner's free throw was the last of its offense as the Eagles closed the game with a 7-0 run to claim the win.
OUTSTANDING OFFENSE
Prior to its loss at Coppin State, ASU showed what its offense was capable of, eclipsing the 90-point mark for the second time this season in a 95-88 win over South Dakota (Nov. 27).
Five players – Parkinson (career-high 26 points, 12-13 FGs), Skinner (20 points, team high-tying seven assists, 6-11 3FGs, 6 rebounds), Brown (19 points, team-high 7 rebounds, 4 assists, career-high 4 blocks), Jyah LoVett (14 points, 5 assists) and Kennedy Fauntleroy (14 points, team high-tying 7 assists, 5 rebounds) – scored in double figures for the Sun Devils (4-3), who surpassed the 50-percent mark in shooting (52.2) for the second time this season.
ASU knocked down 12 triples, two short of tying the school record of 14 and the most since hitting 13 against Marist on Nov. 21, 2021. All six of Skinner's field goals were from beyond the arc, one triple shy of tying the school record of seven accomplished by five Sun Devils, most recently Taya Hanson vs. Cal on New Year's Day in 2021.
As a team, the Sun Devils dished out 27 assists, the most helpers since it also had 27 vs. Arkansas on December 21, 2017. Earlier that season, the Sun Devils amassed a season-high 31 assists vs. Sacramento State on November 18, 2017.
STATE OF PLAY
• The Sun Devils (4-4), who have eight new players on this season's roster, have experienced the ups and downs that can sometimes go with combining the talents of several outstanding players in the early stages of the season.
• After wins over SMU (80-73 on Nov. 16) and former Pac-12 foe Oregon State (79-60 on Nov. 17) in the annual Briann January Classic, the Sun Devils split their contests in Nashville, Tenn., falling to No. 14 Kentucky 77-61 before beating South Dakota 95-88. Nevaeh Parkinson was named to the Music City Classic All-Tournament Team.
• Against Kentucky, Parkinson came one rebound short of a double-double, scoring nine of her 12 points and grabbing seven of her nine boards in the second half to help keep ASU within striking distance. The following day vs. South Dakota, she once again came off the bench and scored a team- and career-high 26 points. Parkinson's single-game field goal percentage of 92.3 percent on 12 of 13 shooting vs. South Dakota, was the best individual performance for a Sun Devil attempting 10 or more shots in a game since Betsy Boardman made all 10 of her shots (1.000) vs. UCLA on February 17, 2001. Parkinson was also ASU's top rebounder in the two contests (6.5 rebounds per game).
• ASU opened the 2024-25 campaign with a 74-66 win over Jacksonville State (Nov. 4). 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. Two of the newest members of the team – local product Kennedy Basham (8 points, game-high 10 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Parkinson (8 points) – combined for 16 points.
• Despite scoring 96 points – the most scored by ASU during head coach Natasha Adair's time at ASU – the Sun Devils were edged in a 100-96 decision to Arkansas State (Nov. 8). Five players scored in double figure against the Red Wolves: Jalyn Brown (24 points), Parkinson (18 points), Skinner (16 points), Basham (14 points) and Kennedy Fauntleroy (13 points).
• In mid-November, ASU played three games in four days. The stretch started with a 70-59 loss against Grand Canyon in the Hall of Fame Series played at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. ASU led by as many as 12 in the first half and went to the locker room with a nine-point advantage, 42-33. Unfortunately for ASU, it experienced a 180-degree turnaround on both ends of the floor as it was outscored 37-17 over the final 20 minutes.
• The Sun Devils bounced back with consecutive wins over SMU (80-73 on Nov. 16) and former Pac-12 foe Oregon State (79-60 on Nov. 17). Against SMU, Skinner (26 points) and Brown (25 points) both came through with marquee performances as the duo combined for 51 points. In its win over Oregon State the following day, ASU recorded opponent season lows for points (60), field goals (19), 3-point field goals (3) and 3-point field goal percentage (13.0/3-23) and had season highs in shot blocks (8), turnovers forced (19) and points scored off turnovers (26) in what added up to ASU's largest margin of victory this season. Skinner scored 20 or more points for the third time this season (21 points/8-11 FGs, 4-4 FTs). Brown had 12 points (5-8 FGs) and Basham and Jazion Jackson had identical double-doubles (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the win.
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 29 points twice. A starter in all 28 games, Skinner averaged 19.3 ppg, (most by a Sun Devil since the 1988-89 ). She concluded her first campaign as a Sun Devil 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), FTs made (79/3rd) and attempted (91/4th), steals per game (1.71/5th), 3-point FG pct (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).
In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season, Skinner scored a career-high 30 points – the 17th time she scored 20 or more points in a Sun Devil uniform – in ASU's 74-66 win over Jacksonville State (Nov. 4). Brown led ASU in scoring (24 points) vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8). Combined with Skinner's 16 points, the duo combines for 40 points in the game. Skinner had a team-high 15 points in ASU's contest vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14).
In ASU's 80-73 win over SMU (Nov. 16), Skinner (26 points) and Brown (25 points) combined for 51 points. In addition, both Skinner (8-16 FGs, 5-10 3FGs) and Brown (10-18 FGs, 3-7 3FGs) were efficient with their opportunities as they teamed up to shoot 53 percent (18-34 FGs) from the field, including 47 percent (8-17) from long range. Brown also led the team with five assists.
Out of the eight games ASU has played thus far, Skinner has led ASU in scoring four times and Brown three times.
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
Half the players on the 2024-25 squad are making their debut in the Maroon and Gold. Read on for a thumbnail summary of each player.
#0 /// Kennedy Basham /// F /// 6-7 /// Jr. /// Phoenix, Ariz.
• Kennedy Basham will be returning home after playing two seasons at the University of Oregon where she played in 47 games with 24 starting assignments (all 24 starts came sophomore season).
• Led team with 48 blocks and led or tied for team lead in 13 games, finishing with multiple blocks 15 times.
• Scored a season-high 15 points at Washington (Feb. 23) and followed that up with 14 points at Washington State (Feb. 25) for her first career games in double figures.
AT ASU IN 2024-25
• Currently leads ASU in blocks per game (2.1/29th in the nation and 2nd in the Big 12) is 2nd in rebs per game (7.1/12th in the Big 12), and is 4th in scoring (8.8 ppg)... Grabbed a career-high 13 boards vs. Grand Canyon (Npv. 14)... Had strong Sun Devil debut scoring 8 points, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds and blocking 4 shots vs. Jacksonville State (Nov. 4)... Accounted for 14 points and tied for the team lead in rebounds (6) vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8)... Had her first double-double as a Sun Devil (10 points, career-high 13 rebounds) and had 3 blocks vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14)... Had 3rd double-digit rebounding performance (10) and a career-high 6 blocks vs. OSU (Nov. 17).
#4 /// Jyah LoVett /// G /// 5-8 /// So. /// San Gabriel, Calif.
• LoVett is coming to ASU from San Jose State where she earned Mountain West All-Freshman Team honors for a season in which she played and started in 17 games as the team's primary point guard.
•Earned Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors three times.
• Averaged 18 ppg in her six Mountain West appearances.
• Scored a career-high 26 points twice: against Fresno State in the Mountain West opener (Jan. 3) and again at UNLV (Jan. 10).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in every game (one start) and is 2nd on the team in steals (1.4 spg) and free throw percentage (90.9/10-11), 4th in scoring (9.3 ppg) and tied for 4th in assists (2.3 apg)... Averaged 12.5 ppg in ASU's contests vs. Grand Canyon (10 points, season-high 4 steals) and vs. SMU (season-high 15 points)... Notched her second double-figure scoring game (14 points) vs. South Dakota (Nov. 27).
#7 /// Jazion Jackson /// G /// 5-9 /// Grad. /// Dallas, Texas
• Jackson will be bringing an abundance of experience to Tempe.
• Transferred to ASU from Texas Tech. Unfortunately, Jackson didn't play after a season-ending injury prior to the season.
• Played her first three seasons for North Texas where she started 72 of 81 games. Raised her scoring average each season while playing for North Texas: 5.9 ppg, 8.6 ppg, 9.2 ppg.
• Had the best season of her career playing for UTEP in 2022-23. Earned First-Team All-Conference USA honors after she started all 32 of UTEP's games and led the team in steals (2.06 per game/fourth in the conference) and was second on the squad in scoring (11.6 ppg), rebounds per game (5.8) and assists per game (2.3).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Currently leads the team in steals (2.3 spg/5th in the Big 12) and rebs (7.3 rpg/11th in the Big 12) and is tied for 4th in assists (2.3 apg)... Made her Sun Devil debut in the season's 3rd game vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14)... Went over the 1,000-point mark in career points (had 999 coming in) vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14) after scoring 4 points to go with 5 rebounds and 2 steals... Had career-high 13 rebs vs. SMU (Nov. 16) and followed with a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) vs. Oregon State (Nov. 17).
#10 /// Kennedy Fauntleroy /// G /// 5-7 /// Jr. /// Upper Marlboro, Md.
• Had outstanding freshman campaign at Georgetown where she was unanimously named the 2023 Big East Freshman of the Year and was named to the league's all-freshman team.
• Started 29 of the 30 games she played in 2022-23 and was named the Big East Freshman of the Week six times. In Big East play, averaged 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.9 assists per outing.
• Transferred to ASU from Oklahoma State where she played in five games last season. Opened season scoring 14 points in helping OSU defeat SIUE (Nov. 6). Also added four steals in the victory.
• Produced a solid all-around debut in her Sun Devil debut, scoring 7 points, grabbing 6 rebounds to go with 3 assists and 4 steals in win over Jacksonville State (Nov. 4)... Scored 13 points and dished out 7 assists vs. Arkansas State Nov. (9).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in every game with 2 starts... Is currently 5th on the team in scoring (7.8 ppg), 3rd in assists (2.5 apg) and 4th in steals (1.0 spg)... Scored 13 points and had a season-high 7 assists and 6 rebounds vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8)... Scored season high-14 points and tied season high in assists (7) vs. South Dakota (Nov. 27).
#12 /// Makayla Moore /// G /// 6-0 /// Jr. /// San Jose, Calif.
• Transferred to ASU from Seattle U where she played 49 games (28 starts) in two seasons.
• Started all 28 games she played last season and averaged a career-best 11.3 points while playing 29.2 minutes per game.
• Posted a career-high 23 points on a career-best 11 made field goals against UTRGV (Jan. 11, 2024).
• Pulled down career-high 10 rebs against UT Arlington (Jan. 13, 2024).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in 3 games and is averaging 7.7 minutes per game.
#15 /// Heavenly Greer /// F /// 6-3 /// Sr. /// Phoenix, Ariz.
• Like fellow first-year Sun Devil Kennedy Basham, Greer will be returning to her hometown of Phoenix.
• Greer will be familiar with many of ASU's conference opponents as played all three of her seasons in the Big 12: one season at Oklahoma (played 10 games) and two seasons at Kansas State (played 46 contests).
• Played in a career-high 30 contests in her first season playing for Kansas State (2022-23).
• Kansas State made it to the postseason in each of Greer's two seasons playing for the Wildcats (WNIT in 2023 and NCAA Tournament in 2024).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
Has played in 5 games and has connected on 63 percent of her shots (5-8)... Pulled down a season-high 6 rebounds in season opener vs. Jacksonville State (Nov. 4).
#22 /// Timya Grice /// C /// 6-5 /// Fr. /// Katy, Texas
• The lone freshman on ASU's 2024-25 roster, Grice led her Taylor high school squad to the No. 3 (28-7; 12-4 in district) spot in 2024, its first playoff berth since the 2018-19 season.
• In 2023-24, was named one of the Top 26 girls' basketball players in the state of Texas by SB Live and was selected to the TGCA All-State team.
• Prior to 2023-24 season, was No. 8 in Vype's Top 30 players in Houston.
• Scored 34 points and a pulled down a school-record 24 rebounds in a victory over district counterpart Seven Lakes.
Joined Taylor's squad in January of 2023, after moving from Mauldin, S.C.
• Averaged 8.7 points/6.1 rebs in 3 seasons playing for Mauldin (S.C.).
#32 /// Nevaeh Parkinson /// C /// 6-3 /// Grad. /// Dallas, Texas
• Parkinson is another player who will be toting plenty of experience to Tempe. After playing 20 games in two seasons at New Mexico, had a pair of breakout seasons at UC Irvine in helping the squad earn postseason berths in both 2023 and 2024.
• In 2022-23, was named the Big West's Best Sixth Player and also received All-Big West honorable mention recognition.
• After helping lead UC Irvine to the WNIT in her first season, helped her squad ascend even higher in earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament last season.
• Scored a career-high 18 points (8-10 FGs) and grabbed 10 rebounds in UC Irvine's NCAA Tournament first round game at Gonzaga (Mar. 23).
AT ASU IN 2024-25
• Currently leads the team in FG pct. (54.4) and is 3rd in scoring (10.9 ppg) and rebs (5.9 rpg ... Scored 8 points in ASU debut vs. Jacksonville St. (Nov. 4)... Tied then-career high with 18 points (8-10 FGs, 2-2 FTs) to go with 6 rebounds vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 9)... Pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds vs. SMU (Nov. 16)... Was named to the Music City Classic All-Tournament Team (vs. No. 14 Kentucky and South Dakota, Nov. 26-27)... Against Kentucky, came one rebound short of a double-double, scoring 9 of her 12 points & grabbing 7 of her nine 9 rebs in the 2nd half... Against South Dakota, she once again came off the bench and scored a team- and career-high 26 points... single-game FG pct. of 92.3 on 12 of 13 shooting was the best individual performance by a Sun Devil attempting 10 or more shots in a game since Betsy Boardman made all 10 of her shots (1.000) vs. UCLA on February 17, 2001... Was also ASU's top rebounder in the two contests (6.5 rebounds per game)... Came one point short of a double-double (9 points/10 rebounds) at Coppin State (Dec. 5).
BACK FOR MORE
Eight players are back from 2023-24, each with the ability to help the Sun Devils climb even higher in the first season of the Big 12.
#1 /// Kadidia Toure /// F /// 6-3 /// Jr. /// Silver Spring, Md.
• Transferred to ASU in 2023 after playing freshman season at James Madison.
• Has played in 56 career games with 7 starts (all 7 with ASU).
• In her first season at ASU, played in every game (7 starts) and led the team in FG pct. (43.5/among players who averaged 5.0 or more FG att per game), was 2nd in O-rebs (1.5 rpg), and 4th in scoring (5.7 ppg/among players who played in at least half the games).
2024-25
• Has played in 4 contests.
#3 /// Tyi Skinner /// G /// 5-5 /// Grad. /// Washington, D.C.
• Transferred to ASU after the 2021-22 season and made immediate impact averaging 19.3 ppg in 2022-23, most by a Sun Devil since 1988-89.
• Missed entire 2023-24 season due to injury.
• Has started 68 of 97 games, including all 36 she has played at ASU.
2024-25
• Has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
• Currently leads the team in scoring (18.8 ppg/44th in the nation and 7th in the Big 12), 3-pointers (2.6 per game/48th in the nation and 6th in the Big 12), assists per game (4.1/14th in the Big 12), FTs made (27) and attempted (30), FT pct. (90.0/27th in the nation and 1st in the Big 12) and 3FG pct (42.9/6th in the Big 12).
• In her first game since the end of the 2022-23 season (missed entire 2023-24 season due to injury), Skinner scored a career-high 30 points – the 17th time she scored 20 or more points in a Sun Devil uniform – in ASU's 74-66 win over Jacksonville State on Nov. 4.
• Had consecutive 20-point games (26 vs. SMU and 21 vs. Oregon State) in ASU's two wins in the annual Briann January Classic... In those two wins, averaged 23.5 points and was 59 percent from the floor (16-27) and 50 percent from beyond the arc (6-12).
#13 /// Maggie Besselink /// G/F /// 6-3 /// Grad. /// Kingston, Ontario
• Versatile scorer and outstanding rebounder.
• Has been limited to 48 games (33 starts) because of injuries.
• Played in 12 games (11 starts) before suffering season-ending injury at Washington State (Jan. 19). At time of injury, was 2nd on the team in rebs per game (4.6) and 4th in O-rebs (1.3 rpg).
2024-25
• Made her 2024-25 debut vs. Grand Canyon (Nov. 14).
• Has played in last 6 games with one start (vs. South Dakota on Nov. 27) and has made 87.5 pct of her free throws.
• Is 5th on the team in rebounds.
• Pulled down season-high 7 boards vs. No. 14 Kentucky (Nov. 26).
#21 /// Hanna Miller /// F • 6-2 /// Jr. /// Aberdeen, S.D.
• Transferred to ASU from Dodge City CC (Dodge City, Kan.) where Miller played one season.
• Older sister of current Sun Devil Mallory Miller.
• Played in 3 games as a freshman and accounted for first points of career (4/1-1 3FG/1-2 FTs) in win vs. Idaho State (Nov. 19).
2024-25
• Has played in 4 games and is averaging 5.4 minutes per game.
#23 /// Jalyn Brown /// G /// 6-1 /// Jr. /// Baltimore, Md.
• Transferred to ASU in 2023 after playing freshman season at Louisville.
• As the 2023-24 season progressed, evolved into one of the top performers in the Pac-12. In league games, finished 3rd in scoring (19.6 ppg), 9th in FT percent (80.6) and tied for 14th in 3-pointers per game (1.56).
• Is the owner of the two highest-scoring games by a Sun Devil since 2000: 35 vs. Colorado (Jan. 7, 2024) and 34 points at Washington (Jan. 21, 2024).
2024-25
• Has started every game and is currently 2nd on the team in scoring (16.3 ppg/12th in the Big 12), FG pct. (44.5), FTs made (22) and attempted (27) assists per game (2.8), is 3rd steals (1.3 spg) and 4th in rebounds (3.4 rpg).
• Has scored in double figures 5x, including a season-high 25 points vs. SMU (Nov. 16). Also dished out a career-high 5 assists vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 8) and vs. SMU (Nov. 16).
• Led ASU in scoring (17 points) & pulled down 6 rebs at Coppin St. (Dec. 5).
#24 /// Mallory Miller /// F /// 6-4 /// So. /// Aberdeen, S.D.
• Had solid freshman campaign, making important contributions as the season progressed.
• Younger sister Hanna plays for the Sun Devils.
• Played in 27 contests (four starts - all coming in last four games of the season).
• All 3 of her double-figure scoring games came in Pac-12 play.
• In ASU's 5 games prior to final weekend of regular season, averaged 8.4 ppg (3rd on team), 5.6 rpg and 1.2 bpg (led team in both).
#25 /// Adison Novosel /// G /// 5-11 /// Sr. /// Richfield, Ohio
• Transferred to ASU in 2023 after playing first two seasons at Saint Francis University (played in 35 contests with 25 starts).
• After appearing in seven games off the bench as a freshman, started 25 of 28 games in 2022-23.
• Played in 21 games (9.0 mins per game) in her first season as a Sun Devil. Six of her seven 3-pointers came in Pac-12 play.
• Played 30 mins and hit season-high 3 FGs vs. No. 15 Utah (Jan. 5).
#30 • Morasha Wiggins /// G /// 6-0 /// Sr. /// Kalamazoo, Mich.
• Transferred to ASU after playing her freshman season (2021-22) at North Carolina.
• Ranked 18th in the ESPNW Class of 2021 rankings, Wiggins was expected to be an impact player for ASU before suffering a preseason injury that forced her to miss the entire 2022-23 campaign.
NOTES ON ASU'S FIRST SEASON IN THE BIG 12
Big 12 Transfers: Three Sun Devil newcomers were on a Big 12 campus in the past year. Heavenly Greer played the past two years at Kansas State, Dallas native Jazion Jackson was at Texas Tech last year and Kennedy Fauntleroy was at Oklahoma State last year after earning 2022-23 Big East Freshman of the Year at Georgetown.
The Big 12 format: Teams will play three opponents home and away while facing six teams only at home and six opponents only on the road for a total of 18 Conference games. Opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitiveness.
ASU's Big 12 opponent breakdown: Home: Baylor (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Cincinnati (2024 WNIT Team), Iowa State (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), TCU (2024 WBIT Team), Texas Tech, West Virginia (2024 NCAA Tournament Team). Away: Central Florida, Colorado (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Houston, Kansas (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Kansas State (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), Oklahoma State. Home and Away: Arizona (2024 NCAA Tournament Team), BYU (2024 WBIT Team), Utah (2024 NCAA Tournament Team)
When it starts/ends: League play begins Saturday, Dec. 21 with six games and concludes Sunday, March 2. The regular season will be followed by the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship, which will take place in Kansas City's T-Mobile Center for the second consecutive season.