Game notes for Women's Basketball's Big 12 Tournament opener on Wednesday

Up next
The Sun Devil Women’s Basketball team will open play at the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday (5:30 p.m. CST/4:30 p.m. MST) when it faces Arizona in the third of four first-round games at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

The 10-seed Sun Devils (22-9, 9-9 Big-12) will be taking on Arizona, the 15-seed (12-17, 3-15 Big 12) for the third time this season. They swept the regular season series over Arizona for the first time since the 2017-18 season after defeating the Wildcats 68-61 in Tempe on January 28 and 75-69 (OT) in Tucson on February 14.

The winner of Wednesday’s game will advance to the second round, where it will face Iowa State (No. 7 seed / 21-8, 10-8 Big 12) on Thursday (5:30 p.m. CST/4:30 p.m. MST).      

Watch/Listen
For rounds one through four, ASU’s games can be seen on ESPN+ (all begin at 5:30 p.m. CST/4:30 p.m. MST). All games can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060. Pregame 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.

Sunday’s championship game will be aired on ESPN (4 p.m. CDT/2 p.m. MST).  

Bubble talk
ASU’s WAB (41) ranking is holding steady … ASU is 11-8 vs. top-100 teams, best among bubble teams by two games (three teams with nine) … ASU is 7-6 in Q1/2 combined wins, which is tied for second-most among ESPN’s 16 Bracketology bubble teams (March 2 version) … ASU has five top-100 road wins (Utah, Gonzaga, Santa Clara, Oregon State, Penn State) … one of ASU’s quad four wins is against McNeese State, who is 26-4 and hasn’t lost since Dec. 15…another quad four win is UNLV, who is 19-10 overall … ASU has not had a chance for a quad 1 win at home, as TCU, WVU, Baylor, Texas Tech and Iowa State all were on the road ... a back-door Quad 1 win could happen, as Oklahoma State is at 29 in the NET... ASU played five OOC road games, four of them against top-100 NET teams … ASU has as many or more combined Q1/Q2 wins (7-5) as Big 12 friends Iowa State (7-7), Colorado (6-8) and Utah (6-10).

Sun Devil Women’s Basketball notable season accomplishments

• Best start in school history (15-0)
• 13-0 record in non-conference games
• Tied school record for consecutive wins (15)
• Went 15-2 at home (tied program’s second-most wins at home)
• Head coach Molly Miller’s 22 wins set the program record for most wins by a first-year head coach
• The program’s 22 wins represent the first time since 2019-20 that ASU reached 20 wins in a season
• Swept regular season series vs. Utah for the first time since 2018-19
• Swept regular season series vs. Arizona for the first time since 2017-18.

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) and Kim Mulkey (85.9 percent.
• Has won 20 or more games 11 times in her 12 seasons as a head coach. In six seasons at NCAA DII Drury, where she started her career as a head coach in 2014, Miller won no fewer than 26 games, including four seasons with 30 or more wins, and lost no more than five games in a season. Before taking the reins at ASU, Miller coached five seasons at Grand Canyon University, where she won more than 20 games four times, including a school record 32 victories that culminated with the program’s first NCAA Tournament in 2025.
• Including her 32-3 record at Grand Canyon last season, Miller is 54-12 over the last two seasons.
• Has won her last 38 of her last 40 home games going back to the 2023-24 season at GCU.
• Won her 300th game as an NCAA head coach on Nov. 13, 2025.

Series notes vs. Arizona

• ASU has won 32 of the last 47 encounters; however, UA has claimed victories in 11 of the last 16 contests. ASU’s 68-61 win on Jan. 28 in Tempe snapped a seven-game winning streak in the series for UA. ASU’s 75-69 overtime win on Feb. 14 in Tucson gave ASU its first sweep in the regular season series since 2018, the same year ASU was last victorious in Tucson.
• This will be the fourth time the two teams have crossed paths in a conference tournament. ASU won each of the prior three contests: 66-58 in 2002 (Pac-10 quarterfinals), 68-53 in 2012 (Pac-12 quarterfinals) and 76-47 in 2018 (Pac-12 first round).
• ASU’s 81-77 win at home vs. No. 6/7 Arizona in the first meeting of 2022 (Feb. 11, 2022) was the second straight upset of a Top 10 Arizona squad. ASU knocked off the No. 9 Wildcats 66-64 (OT) in the 2020-21 rematch in Tempe (Feb. 28, 2021). The win in 2022 was also ASU’s last win over a ranked opponent.
• Arizona’s 58-53 win on Dec. 29, 2019, was its first in Tempe since 2000. ASU swept the season series in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2025 and split with the Wildcats in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
• January’s contest was a back-and-forth tilt in which ASU’s defense came through in the end. After McKinna Brackens swished a pair of free throws to give ASU a 54-53 lead, the Sun Devils did not allow Arizona to go ahead or tie the score over the last seven minutes of the game. ASU scored the game’s last six points while holding Arizona scoreless over the last 2:13 of the game. Gabby Elliott led all players with 22 points, while McKinna Brackens (13 points/10 rebounds) and Heloisa Carrera (12 points/10 rebounds) both posted double-doubles.
• Last month, Brackens scored 24 points with 19 coming in the second half (10 points) and overtime (nine points) to lead ASU to a come-from-behind 75-69 OT win. Brackens’ brilliance was responsible for sending the game into overtime, hitting a jumper from just inside the free-throw line with 3.3 seconds remaining, 40 seconds after Arizona went ahead 61-57. Brackens also had seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Sun Devils vs. ranked teams
The Sun Devils played four ranked teams this season, all four contests coming on the road. After losing their first encounter against a ranked foe, 77-46 at No. 13 TCU (Jan. 11), the Sun Devils nearly came away with upsets at No. 22 West Virginia (Jan. 21), at No. 15 Baylor (Jan. 7) and at No. 20 Texas Tech (Mar. 1). In boxing parlance, it would not be exaggerating to say they landed some powerful blows that had their opponent on the ropes in each game.

At West Virginia: ASU led by as many as eight points late in the third quarter and was tied at 41-41 in the final frame before the Mountaineers went on a 12-2 run in the final 2:45 of the game to claim the win. The 53 points West Virginia scored were at the time 25.6 points below its scoring average and remained its second-lowest point total of the season.

At Baylor: In ASU’s 67-64 loss at No. 15 Baylor, it had the ball in the closing seconds with a chance to send the game to overtime. ASU held Baylor to its third-lowest point total of the season at home, its fewest 3-pointers at home (4) and its lowest 3FG shooting percentage at home (19.0 pct./4-21).

At Texas Tech: The Sun Devils held the Lady Raiders to their fewest points (58) and field goals made (18) of the season. TTU’s 58 points were 14.6 points below its season average of 72.6 points per game and 16.6 points below its season average of 74.6 points per game at home, where it finished 15-2 this season. The 21 turnovers ASU forced were the most by Texas Tech in a home game, and its points (58), field goals made (18), and final rebound total (30) were all season lows at home. ASU was up 27-25 and led by as many as five points in the third quarter in a game where points did not come easily.

Three-dot Devil data

#0 - Gabby Elliott
One of three Sun Devils who has started every game this season ... Has scored in double figures 27x, led or tied for team lead in scoring 13x, led or tied for team leads in rebounds 7x and leads ASU in games scoring 20 or more points (9) ... Has had 3 or more steals 8x ... Averaged 18.8 points and connected on 40.5 percent from long range in ASU’s 14 road games ... Playing without injured McKinna Brackens, Elliott scored a season-high 30 points (21 points in the second half with 17 of them coming in the final 10 minutes) to lead ASU to a 68-66 win at Gonzaga (Dec. 16) ... Earlier this season, scored in double figures in 15 straight games and averaged 18.9 ppg during that span ... Had 16 rebounds in win at Santa Clara, the most by a Sun Devil this season ... Came within one triple of tying single-game program record with six at San Diego (Nov. 13) ... Also had team single-game season high with 8 steals vs. San Francisco (Dec. 6).

#1 - Amaya Williams
One of six Sun Devils who have played in every game ... Earlier this season started three straight games in place of injured Last-Tear Poa ... Dished out season-high 11 assists in win at San Diego (Nov. 13), 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 ... Has scored in double figured four times, including season-high 18 points vs. Little Rock (Nov. 28) ... Was ASU’s top contributor off the bench with six points and four rebounds at Texas Tech (Mar. 1).

#4 - Jyah LoVett
One of six Sun Devils who has played in every game...Started in place of injured Last-Tear Poa at Arizona (Feb. 14) ... Has scored in double figures 6x, including season-high 16 points at Baylor (Feb. 7) ... Tied for team lead in scoring (15 points) in win vs. San Francisco (Dec. 6) ... Has posted multiple steals 14x.

#7 - Martina Fantini
Has played in all but two games this season ... Has had 5 or more rebounds 4x, including season-high 9 boards vs. Utah Tech (Nov. 25) ... Has scored season-high 6 points 3x ... Has logged double-digit totals in minutes 9x.

10 - Acacia Hayes 
Has not played this season due to injury.

 

 

 

#11 - Marley Washenitz
One of three Sun Devils who has started every game this season ... Has scored in double figures 11x, had 3 or more steals 12x, 5 or more rebounds 11x, 3 or more assists 12x and has hit multiple 3-point FGs 8x ... During one four-game stretch in Dec./Jan., averaged 11.3 ppg ... Led ASU with 17 points in season opener vs. Coppin State (Nov. 3) ... Scored season-high 19 points in win at San Diego (Nov. 13) ... In what came to be known as the “Hail Marley,” hit game-winning 3-pointer vs. UNLV (Nov. 22). The shot: With only seconds remaining in the game, the shot clock about to expire, with her back to the basket, Washenitz saved the ball before it rolled out of bounds and – in the same motion – turned around and flung a left-handed 3-pointer off the glass. For Washenitz, who came into the game having scored in double figures in each of ASU’s first four games of the season, the improvisational shot was the first – and only – of her seven field goal attempts of the game that resulted in points ... Has scored 14 points 2x, most recently in win over Houston (Feb. 21) ... Averaged 7.5 rebounds in consecutive games vs. Houston (8) and vs. BYU (7).

12 - Makayla Moore   
Has been limited to 16 games this season due to injury ... Scored season-high 9 points vs. SEMO (Nov. 29).

 

 

#13 - Last-Tear Poa              
Has played in 28 games (27 starts) ... Games missed and only game she did not start were all due to injury ... Has had 5 or more assists 10x, 4 or more rebounds 12x and is one of the team’s most reliable players at the free throw line: 83.7 percent (41-49) ... In the season opener she had a career night distributing the basketball, dishing out 10 assists ... Has an assist-to-TO ratio of 65-25 in the 10 games she has had 5 or more assists ... Knocked down game-winning 3-pointer in ASU’s 55-53 OT win at Oregon State (Dec. 14) ... Posted double-double by matching career high in assists (10) and scoring 12 points in ASU’s win vs. SEMO (Nov. 29) ... Contributed a strong all-around outing at Texas Tech (Mar. 1) with game highs in assists (six) and steals (three) to go with a team-high seven rebounds and seven points

#14 - Heloisa Carrera
One of three Sun Devils who has started every game this season ... Has scored in double figures 17x, including 4 games with 20 or more points ... Has led or tied for team lead in rebounds 9x, and led or tied for the team lead in scoring 5x...Is second on the team in double-doubles (3) ... Scored a game- and career-high 23 points and nearly notched her fourth double-double of the season after tying for the team lead with a game-high eight rebounds in ASU’s win over Houston (Feb. 21) ... Scored 10 points – was a perfect 5-for-5 in shooting – to go with six rebounds at Texas Tech (Mar. 1).

#21 - McKinna Brackens
Has scored in double figures 25x and led or tied for team lead in scoring 13x and rebounding 12x ... Averaged 18.4 points per game while shooting 50.4 pct (32-55) in five games prior to regular season finale ... Is tied for fourth-highest number of double-doubles in the Big 12 this season (seven) ... Earlier this season, scored in double figures in 14 straight games and averaged 16.1 ppg and shot 50.3 FG pct., including 50 pct of her 3FGs (11-22) during that span ... Established new career standard of 31 points at Utah (Dec. 31), including 22 points in the second half and 14 points in the fourth quarter ... In OT win at Arizona (Feb. 14), scored 19 of her team-high 24 points in the 2nd half (10 points) and overtime (nine points), including the game-tying bucket with 3.3 seconds remaining to send the game to OT.

#22 - Timya Grice
Did not play this season due to injury ... Has played in 8 games and has had multiple rebounds in three of those games.

 

#23 - Jordan Jones
Has not played this season due to injury.

#24 - Deborah Davenport
One of six Sun Devils who have played in every game and started consecutive games at Gonzaga (Dec. 16) and vs. Colorado (Dec. 21) ... Has been one of top contributors off the bench ... Has pulled down 5 or more rebounds 10x (season-high 9 rebounds vs. Oklahoma State on Feb. 4) and multiple offensive rebounds 10x ... Has also posted multiple steals 6x and multiple block 6x ... Career highs of 18 points, nine rebounds (led team), three blocks (tied for team lead) and a trio of triples (led team) proved to be significant in ASU’s win over Oklahoma State (Feb. 4).