
TEMPE -- It's no secret that Molly Miller has injected new life into the Arizona State women's basketball program in less than one full year as head coach - the 19-6 record in the 2025-26 campaign accounts for over 33% of the wins that the program had earned (53) in the five prior seasons this decade.
Work must be done to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time this decade regardless of the marked improvements that have been made - Arizona State on SI makes a game-by game prediction below.
Arizona State took down Utah by a score of 69-68 on December 31 behind a season-high of 31 points from forward McKinna Brackens, who has continued to emerge into stardom as a junior in succession of transferring from UNLV to ASU.
Expect Brackens to be a major player in Wednesday night's home game, and for the Sun Devils to pull through in Tempe.
The Sun Devils escaped an upset bid from Arizona in late January - winning the game in Tempe by a score of 68-61 on January 28.
Expect this to be another competitive battle as a dual between rivals on Saturday in Tucson, but also expect the Sun Devils to pull away with a win.
Iowa State has started to get in a flow after a rough start to conference play, as they have won five games in a row as of Monday.
The Cyclones are headlined by star scorer Audi Crooks, who will be a major challenge for a scrappy Arizona State defense.
Expect the Sun Devils to be competitive in this game, but the Cyclones being at home gifts them a major advantage.
Houston is sitting at just 1-11 in Big 12 play - this contest should be one that Arizona State wins without much issue.
Arizona State's first loss of the season came to Brigham Young - as they lost to the Cougars by a score of 71-62 on January 3.
The Sun Devils will ultimately exact their revenge on February 25.
This is yet another opportunity for Arizona State to pick up a marquee win, although the Sun Devils fall short in a road battle to close out the regular season.
Arizona State ultimately ends the regular season approaching half of the wins that they earned in the prior five seasons - with an obvious chance to make a run in the Big 12 tournament and into the NCAA bracket.
Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..
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