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WBB goes on the road for contests at Utah, BYU

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WBB goes on the road for contests at Utah, BYUWBB goes on the road for contests at Utah, BYU
Sun Devil Athletics

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Coming off its longest break of the regular season between games (10 days), the Sun Devil women’s basketball team (14-0, 1-0 Big 12) goes on the road for the first time in Big 12 play this season when it plays at Utah (10-3, 1-0) Wednesday (2 p.m. MST) and at BYU (12-1, 1-0) on Saturday.

As of games played through Dec. 29, ASU was one of the 11 unbeaten teams in the nation and one of four in the Big 12. Unlike conference mates No. 8/7 TCU (13-0), No. 10/10 Iowa State (13-0) and No. 21/23 Texas Tech (14-0), ASU has yet to be recognized as one of the Top 25 teams in the nation by either of the major polls. 

ASU was able to keep its perfect record intact after a 79-63 win over Colorado in the Big 12 opener. ASU shot 59.1 percent, its highest percentage since it made 61.1 percent of its shots in a win over Vanderbilt in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament (Mar. 22, 2014).

After missing ASU’s win at Gonzaga (Dec. 16) due to injury, McKinna Brackens, who is ASU’s leader in rebounds and its second-leading scorer, scored a game-high 18 points. Gabby Elliott (4-4 FTs, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, tied ASU for the team lead with 11 points in the first half) and Heloisa Carrera (5-7 FGs, 4-4 FTs and led ASU with 12 points in the second half) scored 14 points each. Elliott, who scored a season-high 30 points in ASU’s 68-66 win at Gonzaga, was named to the Big 12’s weekly Starting Five on Dec. 23 after averaging 22.0 points and 3.5 steals in the two wins.

Watch/Listen

Both of ASU’s games this week can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on KDUS AM 1060 (radio coverage will start 30 minutes before each game). The state of Arizona’s 2010 and 2019 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn, who on Dec. 4, 2025 was named a recipient of the Arizona Media Association Lifetime Service Award, is in his 22nd season as the voice of ASU WBB.

 2025-26 Sun Devils make history

On Dec. 6, 2025, this year’s Sun Devil squad broke a 33-year-old record after it defeated San Francisco 67-44. By starting the season 10-0 (now 14-0), ASU established a new program standard for consecutive wins to start a season. The current cast of Sun Devils eclipsed the record held by the 1992-93 team (9-0). With the win over Colorado, ASU tied the 2014-15 team for the second-longest winning streak in school history and is one win away from tying the school record for consecutive wins (15), set initially by the 2008-09 team and tied by the 2015-16 team.

Series notes vs. Utah

  • Utah has won the last eight meetings, including a contest ASU had to forfeit at Utah in 2022-23 due to not having enough healthy players. Last season, Utah swept the season series, winning 102-82 in Salt Lake City – the first ever Big 12 conference contest for both teams – and 98-62 in Tempe. In the first meeting, Jyah LoVett scored 16 points, the first of three times LoVett notched a season high in scoring last season.
  • During a three-season stretch between 2018-20, the two teams played four consecutive games that were each decided by two points and a fifth in which the margin of victory was four.
  • In 2019, ASU pulled off the biggest comeback in school history when it scored the last 20 points of the game to erase an 18-point deficit.

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. At the outset of the 2025-26 campaign, Miller (84.4 pct/297-55 career record) trailed only legendary coaches Geno Auriemma (88.3 percent/1,250-165 career record) and Kim Mulkey (85.9 percent/754-124 career record).
  • Has won her last 44 non-NCAA Tournament games going back to last season when she was coaching at Grand Canyon University.
  • Has won her last 32 home games going back to the 2023-24 season when she was the head coach at GCU.
  • Won her 300th game as an NCAA head coach on Nov. 13, 2025.

Home away from home

Even when ASU is not playing in front of its fans at Desert Financial Arena, it has still performed at a high level as it has won all five of its road games this season.

  • Among the more impressive stats when playing on road: +11.0 in points per game (71.6-60.6), 43.8 pct 3FGs (32-73), +5.2 in turnover margin and +6.6 in points off turnovers (20.4-13.8).
  • Individually, Gabby Elliott (21.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.6 spg, 46.2 pct 3FGs), McKinna Brackens (15.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 48.8 FG pct. - missed game at Gonzaga), Marley Washenitz (10.2 ppg, 40.0 pct 3FG pct) have led ASU.
  • Elliott has ASU’s three highest single-game scoring totals this season – and they have all come on the road: 30 points at Gonzaga (Dec. 16), 27 points at Penn State (Dec. 9), 24 points at San Diego (Nov. 13). In the contest at San Diego, Elliott knocked down six 3-pointers, one short of tying the single-game program record.

Dominant Devil defense  

  • As of Dec. 30, ASU is ranked among the top 50 teams in the nation in turnovers forced per game (36th/21.6), scoring defense (37th/55.1 ppg), steals (41st/11.4 spg) and field goal percentage defense (43rd/35.9).
  • Only four of ASU’s 12 opponents – Santa Clara (77 points), Colorado (63), Penn State (60) and Gonzaga (60) – have scored more than 58 points.
  • Only three opponents – Santa Clara (37 points), Colorado (31) and Gonzaga (29) – have scored more than 25 points in the first half.
  • ASU has held the opposition to 13 or fewer points in a quarter (52.0 ppg average) 27 times this season, including single digits 12 times.
  • In its 67-44 win vs. San Francisco (Dec. 6), ASU held the Dons more than 30 points below their scoring average... ASU’s 56-53 win over UNLV (Nov. 22) represented the first time the Lady Rebels were held to 53 or fewer points in 148 games.
  • On Dec. 14, Oregon State (15 points) became the first ASU opponent in six games to reach a double-digit point total in the second quarter. ASU’s previous five opponents scored a combined 28 points in the second quarter (5.6 ppg): Little Rock - 5, SEMO - 5, McNeese - 7 San Francisco - 7, Penn State - 4.
  • The opposition has had 20 or more turnovers eight times this season, including a trio of 30-plus turnover games: 33 vs. Coppin State (Nov. 3), 31 vs. San Francisco (Dec. 6) and a season-high 36 at Penn State (Dec. 9).
  • As of Dec. 30, Gabby Elliott has the two of the highest single-game totals for steals in the Big 12: 8 vs. San Francisco, 7 vs. Coppin St.
  • In its win over Colorado (Dec. 21), ASU’s defense once again stepped up when it mattered most. After Colorado made its first three shots of the fourth quarter to pull within two points, 58-56, the Sun Devils forced the Buffaloes into missing seven of their last nine shots and outscored Colorado 21-7 over the last 7:57 of the game.
  • ASU has ended with a double-digit total in steals nine times in 14 games this season.

It’s no coincidence...  

When she assumed the reins of Sun Devil Women’s Basketball, Molly Miller emphasized defense as one of the pillars of success of her past teams. Miller’s last two Grand Canyon teams were among the best in the nation in scoring defense: 19th in 23-24 (56.4 ppg) and 31st in 24-25 (57.2 ppg). It should come as no surprise those teams won 83.6 percent of their games (56-11). FUN FACT: Going back to her first season at Grand Canyon (2020-21), Molly Miller’s teams are 70-0 when holding the opposition to 55 or fewer points.

Team notes

  • ASU has the top two rebounding games by a Big 12 team this season: vs. Utah Tech (62) & vs. Santa Clara (59). Its rebounding effort vs. Utah Tech represented the third time in the last 25 years it had at least 60 rebounds in a game.
  • ASU has outscored the opposition by an average of 21.4-13.6 in points off turnovers this season... It has had more second chance points than its opponent in all but four games this season. Avg: ASU 10.4-7.2... Its bench has outscored the opposition’s reserves 11 x in 14 games this season.
  • ASU has scored 20 or more points in a quarter 18x this season.
  • In their win at San Diego (Nov. 13), the Sun Devils tied the single-game program record for most 3-pointers in a game (14). • As of Dec. 30, ASU’s 63.6 shooting performance from beyond the arc in that game is the second-highest 3-point shooting percentage by a Big 12 team this season.
  • The opposition is averaging 52.1 ppg when ASU has played at home (nine games). In those games, the opposition has made only 35 pct. of its FGs and 30.0 pct. of its 3FGs.
  • Six different players have led/tied for the team lead in scoring: McKinna Brackens (6x), Gabby Elliott (5x), Marley Washenitz (1x), Amaya Williams (1x), Heloisa Carrera (2x) and Jyah LoVett (1x).
  • Seven Sun Devils have scored in double figures multiple times: Elliott (12x), Brackens (11x), Washenitz (6x), Carrera (5x), LoVett (3x), Amaya Williams (4x) and Last-Tear Poa (2x).
  • Six different players have led or tied for the team lead in rebounding: Brackens (8x), Elliott (3x), Deborah Davenport (2x), Washenitz (1x), Carrera (1x) and Martina Fantini (1x). Elliott’s 16-rebound performance at Santa Clara, is tied for the most by a player in the Big 12 this season.

Individual player notes

  • Brackens (double figures in scoring in her last 11 games) scored a career-high 23 points in consecutive games: at Santa Clara (Nov. 16) and vs. UNLV (Nov. 22). During the 11-game streak she has scored in double figures, Brackens is averaging 15.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg and is shooting 52.5 pct., including 50.0 pct. 3FGs/9-18.
  • Four different players have posted double-doubles this season: Brackens (5/24th in NCAA), Elliott (1), Poa (1) and Carrera (1).
  • Poa (10 assists vs. SEMO and vs. Coppin State) and Williams (11 assists at San Diego) have combined for three double-digit assist games this season. Williams’ 11 assists were the most for a Sun Devil in a single game since current graduate assistant Reili Richardson had 11 at Colorado State on Dec. 9, 2018. Poa hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining in overtime in ASU’s 55-53 win at Oregon State (Dec. 14).
  • In ASU’s last four games, Elliott leads the team in points per game (19.5), field goals (26), and steals per game (3.8).