New Arizona State women's basketball head coach Molly Miller during a news conference at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix on March 26, 2025. Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ASU WBB Falls Into NCAA Tournament Bubble

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 9:00 AM ET

TEMPE -- Molly Miller has done a phenomenal job in year one as the head coach of the women's basketball program.

Miller, 39, has been long regarded as a winner as a coach - regardless of level. The veteran coach officially made a jump from mid-major power to power four sleeping giant last March with the move to Arizona State.

Expectations were tempered for the Sun Devils in the 2025-26 season despite hope being renewed that the program would be able to reach the heights they did under Charli Turner Thorne - this resulted in the team being predicted to finish 11th in the Big 12 standings heading into the season.

This expectations have been shattered to this point, as they sit at 16-2 and 3-2 in the league two months into the season - although not everyone is convinced that the incredible start to the season will hold up.

Sun Devils Hanging Onto Tournament Spot

ESPN bracket expert Charlie Creme officially moved Arizona State into the "last four in" in his projected bracket as of Friday morning - meaning that the Sun Devils would have to take part in a play-in contest to make the 64-team bracket.

As of Friday, Creme has 11 seed Arizona State playing Clemson for the right to play six-seed Princeton in the round of 64.

This tepid positioning likely has much to do with the team playing 12 of their 18 games against quadrant three and four opponents, although they do have wins over teams in the top two quadrants as well.

Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the Sun Devils are currently considered a bubble team to some, the 46th overall placement in the NCAA NET rankings give hope for a strong finish - going along with the "wide-open" perception of the Big 12.

Sun Devils Have Opportunities for Elite Win

Arizona State has a string of six games between Saturday and February 4 in which the team will have an opportunity to pick up a ranked victory.

The Sun Devils are set to take on the Baylor Bears - currently ranked 18th in the nation - on the road on February 7, before also facing ranked Iowa State and Texas Tech in the closing stages of the campaign. The tightly contested nature of the league will present the team numerous opportunities to earn standout wins, but the three mentioned above are considered the "gold standard" of the conference.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.