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WBB hosts Eastern Washington in annual Salute to Service and First Responders game

Game Notes vs. Eastern Washington Opens in a new window 2025-26 Promotions Schedule Opens in a new window
WBB hosts Eastern Washington in annual Salute to Service and First Responders gameWBB hosts Eastern Washington in annual Salute to Service and First Responders game
  • The game:  Sun Devil WBB (1-0) vs. Eastern Washington (1-0)
  • When: Saturday at 2 p.m. MST
  • Where: Desert Financial Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
  • Watch: ESPN+
  • Radio: KDUS AM 1060
  • Live stats: Click here
  • Ticket information: Click here

Up next
The Sun Devil Women’s Basketball team (1-0) will play the second of two home games to start the season when it hosts Eastern Washington (1-0) on Saturday (2 p.m. MST) at Desert Financial Arena. The contest will be the program’s annual Salute to Service and First Responders Game.

Promotions

  • All first responders and military members receive a complimentary ticket with a valid ID at the box office on game day.
  • Before the game, fans can stop by the east entrance to write a letter or note to active military members. The letters will be sent to them on behalf of Sun Devil Women’s Basketball.
  • The entire team will be available for autographs after the game.

Watch and listen

  • Saturday’s game vs. Eastern Washington can be seen on ESPN+/Jesse Ough (play-by-play), and former Sun Devil head women’s basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne (color analyst) will call the action.
  • The game can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060. Pregame coverage will start at 1:30 p.m. The state of Arizona’s 2010 & 2019 Broadcaster of the Year, Jeff Munn, is in his 22nd season as the voice of ASU WBB. Former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh will join him.

Molly Miller era off to a winning start

  • The Sun Devil Women’s Basketball team made 67 percent of its shots in the fourth quarter and outscored Coppin State 27-10 in the final frame to turn a three-point deficit into a 67-53 win in Molly Miller’s debut as head coach of Sun Devil Women’s Basketball.
  • Four Sun Devils scored in double figures, led by Marley Washenitz, who scored 17 points. Washenitz helped the Sun Devils start the game strong (team-high seven points in the first quarter) and finish strong (seven points in the fourth quarter). Washenitz was responsible for both of ASU’s 3-pointers and added four steals.
  • In the second half, Gabby Elliott scored 14 of her 16 points, shot 62.5% from the floor, made all four of her FTs and led ASU’s rally with a team-high eight points in the final quarter. As great as Elliott performed on the offensive end, she was every bit as impressive defensively, leading ASU with a game- and career-high seven steals.
  • McKinna Brackens poured in 14 points and led ASU with game highs in both total rebounds (eight) and offensive rebounds (four).
  • Last-Tear Poa had a career night distributing the basketball, dishing out 10 assists, the most in a single game since current graduate assistant Reili Richardson had 11 at Colorado State on Dec. 9, 2018.
  • Heloisa Carrera scored nine of her career-high 13 points in the second half.

Team notes from Monday's win

  • ASU closed the game on a 16-2 run after Coppin State tied the game at 51-51 with 5:43 remaining.
  • ASU went from shooting 31% in the first three quarters to 66.7%in the fourth. On the flip side, Coppin State made 47 percent of its shots during the first 30 minutes and 38 percent in the final 10.
  • ASU’s defense forced 33 turnovers and converted those miscues into 37 points of its own.
  • The 19 steals ASU collected as a team represented the most by a Sun Devil squad since it had 20 in a win over Cal Poly on Dec. 3, 2010.

Did you know, as a head coach, Molly Miller ... ?
Entered the 2025-26 campaign third in winning percentage among active coaches who have served at least five years as a Division I head coach. Miller (84.4%/297-55 career record in 11 seasons coming into 2025-26 season) trailed only legendary coaches Geno Auriemma (88.3%/1,250-165 career record in 40 seasons entering 2025-26) Kim Mulkey, (85.9%/754-124 in 25 seasons entering 2025-26).

  • Needs two wins to reach 300 career wins.
  • Has won her last 31 non-NCAA Tournament games going back to last season.
  • Has won her last 24 home games going back to the 2023-24 season.

Series notes vs. Eastern Washington

  • ASU will be going for its third win in as many meetings vs. Eastern Washington. It’ll be the first contest between the two teams since 2011.

New faces bring lots of experience

  • Of the 10 new players on this year’s roster, six players have played 50 or more games at the Division I level, including one student-athlete (Last-Tear Poa), who has played in 103 games.
  • Four of this year’s newcomers – Marley Washenitz (79), Acacia Hayes (75), Gabby Elliott (74), Jordan Jones (72) – have started more than 70 games at the D1 level.
  • Both of ASU’s returners from last season – Makayla Moore (71 games/33 starts), Jyah LoVett (49 games/38 starts) – also have a significant amount of experience. LoVett started 21/31 games as a 2024-25, while Moore had five starts in the 21 games she played.

What to look for

  • Following Saturday’s game, the Sun Devils will be on the road for consecutive games at San Diego (Nov. 13) and at Santa Clara (Nov. 16). The Sun Devils will be back at Desert Financial Arena on Sat., Nov. 22 vs. UNLV, the first of six consecutive games ASU will play at home.
  • Gabby Elliott needs three points to reach 1,000 for her career. Last season at Penn State, Elliott had single-season career highs in 3-pointers (41), 3-point FG percentage (42.3) and free throw percentage (73.7), while tying her single-season career-high in points per game (13.6 ppg).
  • Acacia Hayes’ next 3-pointer will be the 100th of her career.
  • Four Sun Devils came into this season averaging double-figure career scoring averages: Jordan Jones (15.1 ppg), Elliott (12.1 ppg), Hayes (12.0 ppg) and returning guard Jyah LoVett (10.8 ppg). Jones’ 19.9 ppg as a junior at Denver last season, represents the highest single-season scoring average on ASU’s roster.
  • Other proven scorers at the NCAA DI level include returning guard Makayla Moore (averaged 11.6 as a sophomore at Seattle University) and McKinna Brackens (9.8 ppg last season at UNLV), and Marley Washenitz (9.3 ppg), who are all coming off their best seasons in points per game.
  • Timya Grice (6-5), Martina Fantini (6-3), and Deborah Davenport (6-2) will not only be making their NCAA DI debuts this season, but they will also be bringing size to this year’s team. Other new players who figure to do the same are Ole Miss transfer Heloisa Carrera (6-2), UNLV transfer McKinna Brackens (6-1) and Denver transfer Jordan Jones (6-0).

2025-26 Non-Conference schedule notes

  • Eight home games, including a pair of multi-team events, highlight the Sun Devil Women’s Basketball team’s 2025 non-conference schedule.
  • The eight home contests the Sun Devils play will take place within their first 10 games of the season. After the season opener vs. Coppin State, ASU will host Eastern Washington on Sat. Nov. 8. The Sun Devils will next play consecutive road games at San Diego (Thurs., Nov. 13) and at Santa Clara (Sun., Nov. 16). ASU’s contest vs. UNLV on Sat., Nov. 22, will be the first of six consecutive games played on its home turf. On Wed., Dec. 10, the Sun Devils will be in University Park, Pa., to face Penn State, the first of three straight road games they will play to close out the non-conference schedule.
  • ASU’s six-game homestand that starts vs. UNLV on Nov. 22 will include consecutive weekends in which the Sun Devils will host a pair of events in which they will play two games in as many days.
  • Over Thanksgiving weekend, ASU will face Little Rock (Nov 28) and SEMO (Nov. 29). The weekend will also include a pair of non-ASU games: San Diego vs. Little Rock (Nov. 28) and San Diego vs. SEMO (Nov. 30).
  • The following weekend, ASU will host the annual Briann January Classic (Dec. 5-6), an event in which McNeese State, Nevada and San Francisco will also be participating.
  • ASU will play in the second game of both of the weekend’s doubleheaders, which will be taking place at Mullett Arena, Sun Devil Athletics' newest on-campus Multi-Purpose Arena. On Fri., Dec. 5, the Sun Devils will host McNeese State (preceded by Nevada vs. San Francisco) and the following day they will face San Francisco (preceded by McNeese State vs. Nevada).

Big 12 schedule notes

  • When ASU hosts Colorado in its first Big 12 contest on Sun., Dec. 21, it will be the squad’s first home game since Sat., Dec. 6. Prior to the contest vs. Colorado will be road games at Penn State (Wed., Dec. 10), at Oregon State (Sun., Dec. 14), and at Gonzaga (Tues., Dec. 16).
  • After the conference opener against Colorado, ASU will have its longest gap of the season between games (10 days). The Sun Devils will resume Big 12 play with consecutive road games in the state of Utah (at Utah on Wed., Dec. 31 and at BYU on Sat., Jan. 3). Following a home contest vs. UCF (Wed., Jan. 7), ASU will play at TCU (Sun., Jan. 11), the third time in four games it will be on the road following the holiday break.
  • When ASU hosts Arizona on Wed., Jan. 28, it will be the first of three straight home games and four of five overall. Matchups vs. Kansas State (Sun., Feb. 1) and Oklahoma State (Wed., Dec. 4) at Desert Financial Arena will precede ASU’s only road game in the stretch, at Baylor on Sat. Feb. 7). The span will conclude with a rematch vs. Utah in Tempe (Wed., Feb. 11).
  • ASU’s game at West Virginia (Wed., Jan. 21) will be the second time the Sun Devils will be playing more than 2,000 miles away from home in 2025-26. The first instance will take place on Tues., Dec. 9 at Penn State, the first of three consecutive road games ASU will play on the road to conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule. After playing at West Virginia, ASU will play a second consecutive road game at Cincinnati (Sat, Jan. 24).

Sun Devil Athletics counts down to NCAA Women's Final Four
In October 2020, the NCAA officially named ASU, the city of Phoenix, and the Footprint Center as hosts for the Women’s Final Four Tournament, to be held April 3, 5, 2026.

Earlier this year, Sun Devil Basketball’s head coach Molly Miller joined several key community members at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to unveil the official Countdown Clock to the event.

Unveiled alongside Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallaego, 2026 Women’s Final Four Committee Jay Parry, and NCAA Vice President for Women’s Basketball Lynn Holzman, the clock is located at the busiest terminal in the airport, Terminal 4, on the west end of the baggage claim. The placement means it will see significant foot traffic to build maximum excitement.

Arizona State University had a significant presence at the event. ASU Athletic Director Graham Rossini, Sparky, and Senior Associate Athletics Director Christina Wombacher were on hand to help underscore the University’s role as a proud stakeholder in bringing the Women’s Final Four to the Valley for the first time.