(Photo credit: Sam Farsky/WCSN)
As Arizona State women’s basketball continues its first two-game road trip of 2025, the Sun Devils stop in Manhattan, Kansas for the first time in program history.
After dropping their third straight conference game in the 75-52 loss to Kansas on Thursday night, the Sun Devils (8-10, 2-4 Big 12) face their toughest test yet Sunday against a No. 11-ranked Kansas State Wildcats (18-1, 6-0) squad that is undefeated at its home arena, Bramlage Coliseum.
Kansas State enters Sunday’s contest as the most potent offense in the Big 12 Conference, averaging 83.3 points per game. Graduate center Ayoka Lee helms the Wildcats’ attack from the interior, averaging 16.5 points per game at a blistering 65.2% shooting from the field. The 6-foot-6 Lee is a decorated force on the inside, holding the NCAA’s single-game scoring record of 61 points, set on January 23, 2022.
With opposing defenses focused on stopping Lee, Kansas State has also been lethal from deep, shooting 38.2% from three as a team. One of the primary beneficiaries of this, senior forward Temira Poindexter, emerged as an effective option within the Wildcats’ offense. Poindexter, who transferred from Tulsa ahead of the 2024-25 season, averages 12.6 points on 48.1% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range.
The Sun Devils defense is allowing 73.4 points per game to opposing offenses this season, dead last in the Big 12. While Arizona State has been slightly better defending against three-pointers this season, both its perimeter and interior defense will be challenged Sunday.
Furthermore, the Devils will be put to the test on the glass, where they rank 15th out of 16 Big 12 teams in combined opponent rebounds, allowing 40.2 per game. Arizona State does average 38.9 combined rebounds per game, fifth in the conference, however, Kansas State ranks second with 42.4 rebounds per game.
In Thursday’s loss, Arizona State turned the ball over 20 times, surrendering 20 points to the Jayhawks in those instances. The Devils now average 16.1 turnovers per game, and will face Kansas State’s defense that averages 19.4 points off of turnovers per game. Additionally, the Wildcats boast the nation’s best scoring defense, limiting opponents to just 51.1 points per game.
Part of Kansas State’s defensive success has come by applying pressure to opposing offenses through blocked shots and steals. The Wildcats’ defense ranks second in the Big 12 and fifth in the nation in blocks per game (6.5) thanks to its stellar coverage. To further frustrate opposing offenses, Kansas State excels at creating turnovers through steals, swiping 167 thus far.
To counteract Kansas State’s top-tier defense, the Sun Devils have four players averaging double figures in points per game and the potential to stretch the floor.
Graduate guard Tyi Skinner and junior guard Jalyn Brown have been Arizona State’s most consistent scorers this season, each averaging over 16 points per game. While Skinner threatens from three-point range, Brown has worked well driving downhill to the basket, helping keep defenses honest.
Additionally, sophomore guard Jyah LoVett has emerged as a dynamic scorer over the last month. LoVett has scored double-digit points in seven of her last eight games dating back to Arizona State’s contest against San Francisco on December 17. The speedy 5-foot-8 guard has been potent at all three levels, especially beyond the arc, where she is shooting at a 37.5% clip.
On the interior, graduate center Nevaeh Parkinson has been the Sun Devil’s most efficient scorer. Averaging 10.1 points on 52.7% shooting, Parkinson has been effective despite seeing fewer looks than her teammates. In addition to her scoring, Parkinson leads Arizona State in rebounds, hauling in 7.1 boards per game.
Sunday’s contest marks just the seventh of the Sun Devils’ 18 conference contests for the 2024-25 season. Though they currently sit tied for eighth place in the Big 12, along with Kansas and Arizona, there is still time for Arizona State to improve its record and make a push toward their playoff goals. But first, Kansas State awaits at 12 p.m. MST on Sunday.
