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WBB travels east for games at No. 22 West Virginia, Cincinnati

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WBB travels east for games at No. 22 West Virginia, CincinnatiWBB travels east for games at No. 22 West Virginia, Cincinnati
Sun Devil Athletics

Sun Devil WBB (17-2, 4-2 Big 12) at No. 22/22 West Virginia (15-4, 5-2 Big 12)

Up next

The Sun Devil women’s basketball team (17-2, 4-2 Big 12) goes back on the road for contests at No. 22/22 West Virginia (15-4, 5-2) on Wednesday (7 p.m. EST/5 p.m. MST) and at Cincinnati (7-12, 2-5) on Saturday (2 p.m. EST/12 p.m. MST). After they play this weekend’s games, the Sun Devils will have completed a stretch in which they will played eight of 11 games on the road.

Watch/Listen

Both of this week’s games can be seen on ESPN+. They can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage will start at 4:30 p.m. MST on Wednesday and 11:30 a.m. MST on Saturday). 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.

How good was that 15-0 start?

ASU started 15-0 this year after going 10-22 last year. How impressive is that? Since 1999-2000 only Nebraska has bounced back from a losing record to post more season opening wins, as Nebraska won its first 30 in 2009-10 after going 15-16 in 2008-09.

On Dec. 6, head coach Molly Miller’s first ASU squad surpassed the 1991-92 team (9-0) for the best start in school history. With its win over Utah on New Year’s Eve, ASU tied the 2008-09 and 2015-16 teams for the longest winning streak in school history. It was not until Jan. 3 (71-62 at BYU) that ASU lost for the first time in 2025-26.

Best season-opening win streaks after losing record previous season (1999-00 to present)

  • 30 by Nebraska in 2009-10 (15-16 in 2008-09)
  • 15 by Arizona State in 2025-26 (10-22 in 2024-25)
  • 14 by Georgia in 2025-26 (13-19 in 2024-25)
  • 14 by TCU in 2023-24 (8-23 in 2022-23)
  • 14 by Indiana in 2013-14 (11-19 in 2012-13)

State of play

  • Prior to results of games played on Jan. 20, ASU was tied with three other teams in the loss column – No. 22 West Virginia (15-4, 5-2), Oklahoma State (16-4, 5-2), Utah (14-5, 5-2) – for fourth place in the Big 12 standings. The quartet trails No. 9 TCU (18-2, 6-1), No. 14 Baylor (17-3, 6-1) and No. 19 Texas Tech (19-1, 6-1), who are currently tied for first place.
  • After this weekend’s games, ASU will play three consecutive games at home: vs. Arizona (Jan. 28), vs. Kansas State (Feb. 1) and vs. Oklahoma State (Feb. 4).
  • In its most recent outing, ASU rebounded from a 77-46 loss at TCU (Jan. 11) with a 67-41 win over Kansas on Saturday. Heloisa Carrera, who was named to this week’s Big 12 Starting Five, set new career highs for points (22) and FTs made (10) and attempted (12). Carrera made 86 pct of her field goals (6-7) and 83 pct (10-12) of her FTs and led the team with a game-high seven rebounds. Five of Carrera’s double-figure scoring games have come in her last eight games. Gabby Elliott scored 20 points, the 17th time in 19 games she’s scored in double figures and her sixth 20-point game of the season.
  • After shooting only 27 percent (3-11 FGs) in the first quarter, the Sun Devils successfully deposited 77 percent (10-13 FGs) of their attempts in the second quarter. Elliott (3-4 FGs), Carrera (3-3 FGs) and Deborah Davenport (3-3 FGs) combined to shoot 90 percent (9-10) in the second quarter. Williams’ buzzer-beater sent the Sun Devils to the locker room with a 40-29 lead.
  • Kansas got as close as nine points twice in the third quarter. The Jayhawks never got back within single digits after Carrera hit two FTs to give ASU a 44-33 lead with 7:58 remaining in the third quarter.
  • With Saturday’s result, ASU has now held the opposition under 55 points 10 times this season.
  • In conference play, ASU has averaged nearly six more free throw attempts per game than it did in during non-conference play (22.3-16.5). Even more important is it shooting 9.7 percentage points higher from the line in Big-12 games (76.1-66.4).

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).
  • Including last season’s 32-3 record when she was coaching for Grand Canyon, is 49-5 over the last two seasons and has won 47 of her last 49 non-NCAA Tournament games going back to last season.
  • Has won her last 34 home games going back to the 2023-24 season when she was the head coach at GCU.
  • Won 300th game as an NCAA head coach on Nov. 13, 2025.

Series notes vs. West Virginia

This will be just the third meeting between ASU and West Virginia. Prior to West Virginia’s 89-59 win last season in Tempe, the only other time the two programs met was Dec. 3, 1988, a contest in which West Virginia came out victorious, 89-75 in Tempe.

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 six of its eight road games. The last time the Sun Devils had a winning record on the road was in 2018-19 when it went 7-4.

  • Among ASU’s more impressive stats when playing on road: +5.9 in 3-point field goal percentage (38.1-38.2), +4.9 in turnover margin and +5.5 in points off turnovers (18.9-13.4).
  • Individually, Gabby Elliott (19.8 ppg, 45.0 pct 3FGs/18-40, 5.6 rpg) and McKinna Brackens (15.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg) have combined to average 35.2 ppg.
  • ASU’s four highest single-game individual scoring totals this season have all come on the road. Brackens: 31 points at Utah and Elliott 30 points at Gonzaga (Dec. 16), 27 points at Penn State (Dec. 9) and 24 points at San Diego (Nov. 13). In the contest at San Diego, Elliott knocked down six 3-pointers, one short of tying the program record.
  • ASU is 4-0 this season in games decided by five points or less, including 3-0 on the road: 55-53/OT at Oregon State (Dec. 14), 68-66 at Gonzaga (Dec. 16) and 69-68 at Utah (Dec. 31).

Home sweet home

ASU’s 68-45 win over UCF on Jan. 7 represented its 10th win in as many home games this season.

The 2025-26 squad became the 28th in program history to win at least 10 games at home going back to 1975-76. The 2014-15 team holds the single-season record for most wins at home. The 2005-06 team is the only one in program history to go unbeaten at home (15-0). When playing at home ASU has... 

  • Outscored the opposition by an average of 69.0-51.4 (+17.6).
  • Is shooting 11.2 percentage points higher (46.1-34.9).
  • Only one visiting team (Colorado - 63) has scored more than 60 points.

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 and it would be no different at ASU. 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).

One of the biggest benefits of playing excellent defense is limiting the number of times a team finds itself in the unenviable position of having to chase the game. That has been a significant factor in ASU’s success this season. Other than its two losses, ASU has not faced a deficit larger than seven points (Coppin St., UNLV, Utah). In addition, ASU has led for at least half the game (20+ minutes) in all but two of its contests (at BYU, at TCU), including 11 games it has led for 30+ minutes.

FUN FACT: Going back to her first season at Grand Canyon (2020-21), Molly Miller’s teams are 72-0 when holding the opposition to 55 or fewer points.

Dominant Devil defense  

  • As of Jan. 20, ASU is ranked among the top 60 teams in the nation in turnovers forced per game (32nd/21.2), scoring defense (34th/57.1 ppg), FG pct. defense (56th/37.2), .
  • ASU has held the opposition to 13 or fewer points in a quarter 35 times this season, including single digits 14 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+ more turnovers 10 times, including a trio of 30+ TO games: 33 vs. Coppin St. (Nov. 3), 31 vs. San Francisco (Dec. 6) and a season-high 36 at Penn St. (Dec. 9).
  • As of Jan. 20, Gabby Elliott has two of the highest single-game steal totals in the Big 12: 8 vs. San Francisco, 7 vs. Coppin St.
  • In its win over Colorado (Dec. 21), ASU’s defense stepped up when it mattered most. After CU made its first three shots of the fourth quarter to pull within two points, 58-56, ASU forced CU into missing seven of its last nine shots and outscored CU 21-7 over the last 7:57 of the game.
  • ASU has had a double-digit total in steals 11 times in this season.

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 20.1-13.4 in points off turnovers this season... It has scored more second chance points than its opponent in all but five games.
  • ASU has scored 20 or more points in a quarter 23 times.
  • 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 Jan. 16, 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.
  • Six Sun Devils have led/tied for the team lead in scoring: McKinna Brackens (7x), Gabby Elliott (7x), Heloisa Carrera (4x), Marley Washenitz (1x), Amaya Williams (1x), Jyah LoVett (1x).
  • Seven Sun Devils have scored in double figures multiple times: Elliott (17x), Brackens (15x), Washenitz (9x), Carrera (8x), LoVett (3x), Amaya Williams (4x) and Last-Tear Poa (2x).
  • Seven Sun Devils have led or tied for the team lead in rebounding: Brackens (8x), Carrera (5x), Elliott (4x), Deborah Davenport (2x), Washenitz (1x), Martina Fantini (1x) and Poa (1x). Elliott’s 16-rebound performance at Santa Clara, is tied for the second most by a player in the Big 12 this season.

Individual player notes

  • Brackens scored a then-career high 23 points in consecutive games: at Santa Clara (Nov. 16) and vs. UNLV (Nov. 22) and set a new career standard in scoring with 31 points at Utah (Dec. 31).
  • Four different players have posted double-doubles this season: Brackens (6/49th in NCAA/fourth in Big 12), 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).
  • Brackens’ second half (22 points) and fourth quarter (14 points) at Utah (Dec. 31) were reminiscent of what Elliott did at Gonzaga on Dec. 16. In that contest, Elliott scored 21 points in the second half with 17 of them coming in the final 10 minutes to lead ASU to a 68-66 win.