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WBB goes back to the Lone Star State to face No. 15 Baylor

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WBB goes back to the Lone Star State to face No. 15 BaylorWBB goes back to the Lone Star State to face No. 15 Baylor
Sun Devil Athletics

Sun Devil WBB (19-5, 6-5 Big 12) at No. 15 Baylor (20-4, 9-2 Big 12)

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The Sun Devil women’s basketball team (19-5, 6-5 Big 12) will make its second of three trips to the Lone Star State this season when it travels to Waco, Texas, to face No. 15 Baylor (20-4, 9-2) on Saturday (5 p.m. CST/4 p.m. MST).

Watch/Listen

Saturday’s game at Baylor can be seen on FS1 (Shelby Coppedge/Sydney Parrish). It can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060 (pregame coverage will start at 3:30 p.m. MST). 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.

Sun Devils top list of nation's most improved teams

As of Feb. 5, ASU led the nation in the largest improvement in wins from 2024-25. Its current victory total of 19 is nine more than it had all of last season when it went 10-22.

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

  • ASU just completed a three-game homestand on Wednesday. The Sun Devils went 2-1, defeating Arizona 68-61 (Jan. 28) and Oklahoma State 74-69 (Feb. 4). In between the two wins, ASU had its comeback come up short in a 74-67 loss to Kansas State.
  • With Wednesday’s win over the Cowgirls ASU (19-5, 6-5 Big 12) moved back into the top half of the Big 12 standings – a three-way tie for seventh place with Iowa State (18-5, 6-5) and Colorado (15-8, 6-5). All three teams are one game behind Oklahoma State (18-6, 7-4) and Utah (16-7, 7-4), who are tied for fifth place. They trail fourth-place/No. 18 Texas Tech (21-3, 8-3) by two games and third-place and No. 18 West Virginia (19-5, 9-3) by 2.5 games. Only three games – co-leaders No. 14 TCU (21-3, 9-2) and No. 15 Baylor (20-4, 9-2) – stand between the first- and seventh place teams.
  • As of Feb. 5, the Big 12 had 12 teams inside the top 65 of the NET rankings. TCU (11), West Virginia 22, Baylor (27), Oklahoma State (28), Texas Tech (29), Iowa State (32), Colorado(45), Utah (47), ASU (48), Kansas (50), BYU (53) and K-State (65).
  • Four of ASU’s last seven regular season games are against teams the Sun Devils either currently trail (at Baylor on Saturday, vs. Utah on Feb. 11 and at Texas Tech in the regular season finale on Mar. 1) or are tied with (vs. Iowa State on Feb. 18). ASU will also play at Arizona (10-11, 1-9) on February 14, vs. Houston (7-14, 1-9) on Feb. 21 and vs. BYU (16-7, 5-6) on Feb. 25.
  • With one more win, Molly Miller’s first ASU squad would become the 21st in program history and the first since the 2019-20 team to win 20 games. With two more wins, Miller would set the program record for most wins by a first-year Sun Devil coach. In his only season as interim head coach, Joseph Anders won 20 games in 2011-12.
  • Gabby Elliott has the seventh-highest number of 20-point games (seven) in the Big 12. McKinna Brackens is tied for third in the Big 12 in double-doubles (seven).
  • First-year Sun Devil Deborah Davenport, who had a career high of nine points in her first 23 games this season, proved to be the difference maker in ASU’s win over Oklahoma State on Wednesday. Coming off the bench, Davenport, who came to ASU after playing two seasons at Northern Florida posted career highs of 18 points, nine rebounds (led team), three blocks (tied for team lead) and a trio of triples (led team/was 3-4 from long range vs. OSU after making one of three attempts coming into the game).
  • ASU is shooting 11.8 percentage points higher from the free throw line in Big 12 play compared to non-conference play (77.8-66.0).
  • The loss to Kansas State was ASU’s first of the season at home after winning its first 12. It was also the first time ASU lost this season when scoring 65 or more points.
  • In their last two wins (vs. Arizona, vs. Oklahoma State), the Sun Devils held a one-point lead near the seven-minute mark. In both contests, the Sun Devils did not allow either team to tie or take the lead the remainder of the game. Against Arizona, ASU scored the game’s last six points while holding Arizona scoreless over the last 2:13 of the game. Oklahoma State got as close as three points twice in the final two minutes but ASU came through when it mattered most.

Series notes vs. Baylor

  • Baylor leads the all-time series 5-0.
  • The 2018 contest was held at the BeeHoldzil Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance, Ariz. Working in conjunction with ASU’s Office of American Indian Initiatives, ‘Showdown on the Rez’ served as a celebration of Native American Heritage Month and also provided a platform to recognize and honor Native Americans who served in the armed forces.

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 at Grand Canyon, is 51-8 over last two seasons and has won 49 of last 55 games going back to last season.
  • Has won her last 36 of her last 37 home games going back to the 2023-24 season at GCU.
  • Won 300th game as an NCAA head coach on Nov. 13, 2025.

Dominant Devil defense  

  • As of Feb. 5, ASU is ranked among the top 60 teams in the nation in turnovers forced per game (37th/20.5/2nd in Big 12), steals per game (52nd/10.5 spg/3rd in Big 12) and scoring defense (54th/58.2 ppg/4th in the Big 12).
  • ASU has held the opposition to 13 or fewer points in a quarter 42 times this season, including single digits 15 times. At West Virginia (Jan. 21), the Mountaineers scored more than 13 points in a quarter only one time.
  • 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... In their 53-43 loss at West Virginia (Jan. 21), the Sun Devils held West Virginia to its second-lowest point total of the season (53), 25.6 points below its scoring average, and 11.1 percentage points below its usual 34.2 percent efficiency from beyond the arc.
  • 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.
  • ASU has forced 20 or more turnovers 13 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 Feb. 5, 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.
  • In their eventual 68-61 win over Arizona on Jan. 28, the Sun Devils did not allow Arizona to go ahead or tie the score after taking a 54-53 lead with seven minutes remaining. In fact, ASU scored the game’s last six points while holding Arizona scoreless over the last 2:13 of the game.

• ASU had a similar defensive stand in its 74-69 win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 4. After leading by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, the Cowgirls came back to get within a point, 57-56 with 6:40 remaining. Just like against Arizona, the Sun Devils guarded their advantage the rest of the way as the Cowgirls were not able to tie the game or take the lead.

The defense objects   

Given its success playing at home this season, and given its defense has been its calling card for much of the season, the math did not add up in ASU’s 74-67 loss to Kansas State (Feb. 1), the only game ASU has lost at home this season. In that game, the Wildcats shot 51 percent for the game while also hitting 12 triples at a 60-percent clip. 

The Sun Devils would emphatically prove the game against KSU was an anomaly in their next contest against Oklahoma State. Coming into the game, the Cowgirls brought one of the nation’s best offenses into Tempe.

In one of its best defensive outings of the season, ASU held OSU to only six 3-pointers (OSU came into the game third in the nation averaging 10.2 makes per game). The Cowgirls shot a paltry 22.2 percent from long range, 13.9 percentage points less than the 36.6 percent it had made coming into the game. In addition, ASU held the No. 9 scoring offense 17 points below its 86.0 scoring average and the nation’s No. 14 team in field goal percentage nearly 16 percent its average of 47.7 percent coming into the game. In the end, the Sun Devils came away with a 74-69 win.

 

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

  • In its 10 road games ASU is +4.5 in turnover margin and +5.2 in points off turnovers (18.7-13.5).
  • Individually, Gabby Elliott (19.2 ppg, 40 pct 3FGs/5.6 rpg) and McKinna Brackens (15.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg) have combined to average 34.9 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 4-1 this season in games decided by five points or less, including 3-1 on the road: 55-53/OT at Oregon State (Dec. 14), 68-66 at Gonzaga (Dec. 16) and 69-68 at Utah (Dec. 31). Its only loss came at Cincinnati, 66-64 on Jan. 24.

Team notes

  • ASU has the top two rebounding games by a Big 12 team this season: vs. Utah Tech (62) and 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 20.1-13.5 in points off turnovers this season.
  • ASU has scored 20 or more points in a quarter 27 times. In its last two games, it has scored 43 points in the second half, tying the second-highest point total in the second half this season.
  • In its win at San Diego (Nov. 13), ASU tied the single-game program record for 3-pointers (14). As of Feb. 3, ASU’s 63.6 percentage 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: Elliott (10x), Brackens (10x), Carrera (4x), Washenitz (1x), Williams (1x), LoVett (1x).
  • Seven Sun Devils have scored in double figures multiple times: Elliott (22x - including last 12 games), Brackens (20x), Washenitz (10x), Carrera (10x), LoVett (3x), Williams (4x) and Poa (2x).
  • Seven Sun Devils have led or tied for the team lead in rebounding: Brackens (11x), Carrera (7x), Elliott (4x), Deborah Davenport (4x), Washenitz (1x), Martina Fantini (1x) and Poa (1x).
  • Elliott, Carrera and Washenitz have started every game this season. Williams (three starts), LoVett and Davenport (two starts) have played in every game this season.

Individual player notes

  • Gabby Elliott scored a season-high 30 points in ASU’s win at Gonzaga (Dec 16). Two games later, McKinna Brackens topped that with a new career standard of 31 points at Utah (Dec. 31).
  • Elliott (8x), Brackens (6x) and Heloisa Carrera (3x) have combined to score 20 or more points 17x this season.
  • Four different players have posted double-doubles this season: Brackens (7), Carrera (2x), Elliott (1) and Poa (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.