The University of Arizona women’s basketball team (14-10, 5-6 in Big 12) is set to host in-state rival ASU (8-15, 2-9 in Big 12) on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. in McKale Center.
The Wildcats seek to end their two-game losing streak after recently falling to the University of Colorado Boulder on the road, 56-47, on Feb. 5. On the other hand, the Sun Devils have not won in nearly a month, currently sitting on an eight-game losing streak. Their most recent defeat came at home against BYU, where the Sun Devils fell in a 77-67 loss on Feb. 1.
History vs. ASU
The two programs have a long history, first meeting in 1973, when the Wildcats came out victorious 50-39. Since then, ASU leads the series record 63-41 but have notably collapsed in the last five meetings. The most recent game took place in February 2024, when Arizona came out on top 63-52.
ASU players to watch
The Sun Devils are led by junior guard Jalyn Brown, who leads the team in points, averaging 17.4 points per game on nearly 42% shooting while bringing down 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. In her last five games, Brown averaged 21.7 points per game, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
In a 81-69 loss on Jan. 19 to No. 11 Kansas State University, Brown finished with a season-high 32 points, five rebounds and two steals as she shot 11-for-14 from the floor.
Brown’s backcourt partner, Tyi Skinner, is another player to keep an eye on. The senior guard averages 15.8 points per game, along with almost three assists and one steal per game. On Jan. 29, in a 83-71 loss to No. 24 Oklahoma State University, Skinner secured 23 points and dished out six assists while shooting 62.5% from beyond the arc.
ASU leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, shooting 77% from the charity stripe. However, the Sun Devils also allow the most points in the conference, giving up 75 points per game. Notably, ASU plays at a very fast pace, averaging 75 possessions a game, which is the highest in the conference.
Wildcats players to watch
A vital player for the Wildcats is senior forward Isis Beh. Beh averages 6.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game while shooting an efficient 52.8% from the field. In Arizona’s 74-59 victory over the University of Kansas on Jan. 19, Beh finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 60% on the night.
Sophomore Jada Williams leads the backcourt for Arizona, spearheading the team in points and steals, averaging 12.8 points and 1.8 takeaways per game. In a loss on the road against the University of Utah, Williams finished the night recording a career-high 25 points, seven rebounds and a game-leading five steals.
The Wildcats average nearly 11 steals per game, ranking second in the Big 12. With the Sun Devils averaging 16 turnovers a game, expect Arizona to capitalize on transition opportunities and create many scoring chances.
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