TEMPE – Big 12 play starts for No. 8 Sun Devil Volleyball this weekend on the road, starting at No. 18 Kansas on Friday on ESPNU before facing Kansas State on Sunday on ESPN+.
How to follow
Friday’s Big 12 opener at Kansas will be at 5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. CDT live on ESPNU. On Sunday, the matchup at Kansas State will start at 12 p.m. MST/2 p.m. CDT and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Both matches will have live stats available as well. Updates will be provided on social media on X (@SunDevilVB) and Instagram (@sundevilvolleyball).
Sun Devil outlook
Arizona State (9-2, 0-0 Big 12)
- Arizona State closed out the Sun Devil Classic with three-straight sweeps to wrap up non-conference play. The Sun Devils are undefeated against unranked opponents in non-conference play during head coach JJ Van Niel’s three seasons.
- Heading into the conference slate this week, ASU has won 16-straight Big 12 matches, the fifth-longest conference win streak in the nation. The Sun Devils are the reigning Big 12 Champions, their first conference title in program history. The lone Big 12 loss for ASU came at TCU last season.
- Arizona State held Milwaukee to a -.069 hitting percentage last weekend, the lowest opponent clip of the season. This was the third match in a row holding opponents to a sub-.200 hitting percentage, eighth this season. The last time ASU held an opponent to a negative hitting percentage was in 2023 against Northern Arizona (-.011).
- The block has been strong for Arizona State this season, earning double-digit blocks in five matches. Middle blockers Ella Lomigora and Colby Neal are both ranked nationally in blocks per set at No. 39 and 40, respectively. They each have 1.38 in that category, with Lomigora leading the team in total blocks with 51.
- Three Sun Devils have played in every set this season: senior outside hitter Bailey Miller, sophomore libero Faith Frame and Lomigora. Miller leads the team in kills with 125 while Frame leads in digs with 129.
Opponent outlook
Kansas (9-5, 0-0 Big 12)
- Kansas played a tough non-conference schedule, with all five of its losses coming against ranked opponents. The Jayhawks have one ranked win this year, over then-No. 23 Georgia Tech.
- Last weekend, Kansas went 2-1 at the Omaha Tournament, losing to No. 18 Creighton.
- ASU leads 2-1 in the all-time series against Kansas. Last season, the Sun Devils upset the Jayhawks in Tempe.
Kansas State (7-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- The Wildcats closed out non-conference play at the UNC Tournament where they went 2-0, including a win over No. 25 North Carolina.
- This will be the third meeting between ASU and Kansas State, a series which is tied 1-1. The Sun Devils won last year’s meeting in Tempe in four sets.