One year ago, the women's basketball program was entering a season with a new coach and a program that had averaged 10.6 overall wins the previous five seasons, and was 17-65 in conference play over that time.
What a difference a year makes.
With classes starting, it is time to take a look at some numbers for the 2026-27 Sun Devill women's basketball team that won 24 games last year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.
15
We step out of order numeriball to remind folks ASU signed a top-15 player from a few years ago.
Ruby Whitehorn welcomes second chance with #ASU women’s basketball - https://t.co/bpfLjAw9Xj via @sports360az
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) July 22, 2026
.829
The NCAA updated its record book and Molly Miller is third among active D1 coaches in career winning percentage. The NCAA makes the baseline -- in this case a minimum of five years as a Division I head coach and career record from four-year colleges only -- and CMM's .829 mark through a dozen seasons ranks only behind two pretty legendary coaches.
Active D1 Coaches top winning percentage entering 2026-27
Geno Auriemma, UCONN (41 years): 1,288-166 (.886)
Kim Mulkey, LSU (26 years): 783-130 (.858)
Molly Miller, Arizona State (12 years): 321-66 (.829)
2
That is how many big-time MAC honors Madi Moson earned, as she was Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2026 and Freshman of the year in 2025. She led Central Michigan in scoring (20.1 ppg.), three-pointers (49) and free throws made (135) and had 16 20-point games last year. She dumped in 31 against Georia Southern.
3
ASU will face Arizona at home and on the road, but neither site mattered last year, and you can throw in a neutral site as well. Sparky won all three in 2025-26. ASU also faces Utah and Colorado twice. The Sun Devils swept Utah and beat Colorado at home in the only meeting.
4 (as in only three better)
ASU has the fourth-best transer class in the nation according to USA Today, while its high school signees are No. 25 and was ranked No. 23 in ESPN's "Way too early top-15" notebook back in late April.
4.9/1.7 before, 26.6 and 10.4 at ASU
Heloisa Carrera was one of the most improved players in the nation last year. After averaging 4.9 minutes, 1.7 points, making 10 shots and two free throws last year at Ole Miss in 22 games, the sophomore from Brazil averaged 26.6 minutes and shot 153-of-386 (.538) from the field and 57-of-73 (.781) from the free throw line while averaging 10.4 ppg.
6 (as in Big 12 NCAA Tournament teams on schedule)
In addition to Arizona, Utah and Colorado, ASU will host Iowa State, Texas Tech, Big 12 champion TCU, Baylor, Cincinnati and Big 12 Tournament champion West Virginia at home. ASU’s nine home games include six teams that made the 2026 NCAA Tournament: Colorado, Iowa State, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and West Virginia.
7 wins (against this year's Big 12 road teams last year)
In addition to Arizona (which it beat on the road in 2026), Utah and Colorado, ASU will travel to BYU, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Houston and UCF. ASU went 7-2 against this group in Tempe last year.
Really high ranking
Newcomer Ruby Whitehorn was ranked 15th overall and second-best guard in the nation in the espnW top-100 in 2022.
10 (home OOC games)
The Sun Devils will have 10 non-conference home games this year, including to at Mullett Arena as it will play WCC Santa Clara (Nov. 20) and Gonzaga (Dec. 6) there. Below is the rest of the out-of-conference schedule.
Mon., Nov. 2 - Jackson State
Thurs., Nov. 5 - Northern Arizona
Sun., Nov. 15 - Penn State
Tues., Nov. 17 - San Diego
Fri., Nov. 20 - Santa Clara (Mullett Arena)
Tues. Nov. 24 - San Jose State
Sat., Nov. 28 - Bakersfield
Sun., Nov. 29 - Wake Forest
Sun., Dec. 6 - Gonzaga (Mullett Arena)
Tues., Dec. 8 - UTRGV
11 (assists)
Sophomore Amaya Williams was one of six Sun Devils who played in all 35 games, and she had 11 assists in the win at San Diego (Nov. 13), the most since graduate assistant Reili Richardson had 11 at Colorado State on Dec. 9, 2018. She scored a season-high 18 points (8-of-10 FGs) vs. Little Rock (Nov. 28) and had a strong outing that included 12 points and a season-high four steals in ASU’s win at Penn State.
13 (wins)
Last year, the Sun Devils went 13-0 in nonconference action, which led to the best start in school history (15-0). The nonconference slate had top-100 road wins over Gonzaga, Santa Clara, Oregon State and Penn State, another win over McNeese State, which posted 26 regular-season wins, along with always good UNLV.
🗣️ Mark your calendars, Sun Devil Nation. 🌴😈🏀
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) June 17, 2026
🔗: https://t.co/I95AOFUslX pic.twitter.com/c8ceHg5bZM
McKinna Brackens plays against Virginia in the NCAA First Four on March 19, 2026, in the Sun Devils’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.
14.4/6.4 (after 6.8 and 4.5)
McKinna Brackens entered last year averaging 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 58 career games. She jumped to 14.4 ppg./6.4 rpg last year as ASU went from 10 wins to 24 wins. That included career-highs in:
- points (31 at Utah on Dec. 31),
- rebounds (15 vs. McNeese State on Dec. 5),
- assists (6 vs. Utah on Dec. 31), and
- steals (5 vs. Kansas State on Feb. 1 and at Penn State on Dec. 9).
15 (as in 15-0)
The Sun Devils started 15-0 in 2025-26 after going 10-22 in 2024-25. How impressive was that? Since 1999-2000, only Nebraska has bounced back from a losing record to post more season-opening wins, as it won its first 30 in 2009-10 after going 15-16 in 2008-09. So in the category of bad to great start, ASU last year is second-best this century.
19 (as in 15-0)
Michigan State transfer Rashunda Jones posted double digits in 19 games last year and averaged 11.7 points on the year.
27/21
Ayanna-Sarai Darrington at Central Michigan had 27 points and 21 rebounds vs. Ohio on Dec. 31 last season.