(Photo via Janaé Bradford/WCSN)
Arizona State Women’s Basketball (7-16, 0-14 Pac-12) is still seeking its first win in Pac-12 Conference play with just four games remaining in the regular season. This weekend, the Rocky Mountain schools will travel to the desert, while ASU looks to bring its losing streak to an end. Both No. 21 Colorado and No. 4 Utah make the trip while holding a spot in the top 25.
This will be the first time ASU will play Utah and Colorado this season. They were first scheduled to travel to the Rockies in mid-January. However, ASU forfeited both games due to “medical circumstances.”
Still on a 14-game skid (including the forfeits), ASU has yet to win a game against an opponent in the conference of champions. The Sun Devils lost to the University of California and then-No. 6 Stanford last weekend by a combined 43 points, scoring just three points in the third quarter against Cal.
On the other hand, No. 21 Colorado (20-5, 11-3) has been comfortably sitting in the top 25 for the past two weeks, riding a four-game win streak. The Buffaloes hold wins over No. 18 Arizona, No. 4 Utah, and No. 14 UCLA this season.
The Buffaloes are a solid team all-around. They can shoot, rebound and defend at a high rate with a deep roster. Four of Colorado’s starters average double digits, with senior center Quay Miller averaging a team-high 14.2 points per game.
No. 4 Utah (22-2, 12-2) has steadily climbed the ranks of the top 25 this season. The Utes hold wins over every ranked team in the Pac-12, except for No. 3 Stanford. Utah is an exceptional scoring team, outscoring their opponents by an average of 20.5 points per game, translating to almost 500 points this season. Not only are the Utes capable of putting up lots of points, they do so very efficiently, shooting 49% from the field and 39% from around the arc.
The Utes are led by junior forward Alissa Pili, who is averaging 20.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 60% field goal shooting and 43% from deep. Pili is backed up by sophomore guard Gianna Kneepkens, who is averaging 15 points on a 51-43 split.
Both Rocky Mountain schools are well-oiled machines and that will likely be a challenge for the Sun Devils to deal with. ASU lags behind Colorado and Utah in virtually every shooting, rebounding, and defensive statistic. As has often been the case this season, the one advantage ASU holds is its free throw shooting. If the Sun Devils can get downhill and force contact, they can cause problems for the Buffaloes and the Utes, and they just might earn their first conference win in their final series of the season at Desert Financial Arena.
