Women’s Hoops Hopes to Stay Hot against Santa Clara

The California road trip continues for Arizona State women’s basketball.

After beating San Diego handily on Thursday, shooting an incredible 63% from three-point range, the Sun Devils now head north to Santa Clara, where they hope to shut down the Broncos’ shot-happy offense.

Over the course of its first four games of the season, Santa Clara has attempted around 71 shots per game, which ranks 23rd in the nation. The Sun Devils, on the other hand, only allow 50 shots per game.

The clashing coaching mentalities of ASU and Santa Clara will be on full display for the matchup in the Bay. Both head coaches are in their first year leading their teams, one of the few similarities between the two.

Both ASU head coach Molly Miller and Santa Clara head coach Loree Payne come to their respective teams after spending time coaching at mid-major programs in the state of Arizona; Miller from Grand Canyon and Payne from Northern Arizona.

The Sun Devils and Broncos have only met once on the court – a 65-55 Santa Clara win in Tempe – but their coaches share a more extensive history. While at their previous schools, Miller and Payne met three times, with Miller leading the series 2-1.

Once Sunday rolls around, there’s only so much the coaches can do. The players will have to do the talking, and the Sun Devils, coming off their best performance of the season, should be talking plenty loudly.

In their last performance, the Sun Devils put up a season-high 79 points, coupled with their best team three-point percentage since January 2024.

Against San Diego, fifth-year guard Gabby Elliott notched 24 points and 7 rebounds, both leading the team. In addition, Elliott shot 6-for-8 from behind the arc, a key reason why the Sun Devils won in such dominant fashion.

On the other side of the court, the Broncos are coming off a 76-45 win over Wyoming. They put up 76 shot attempts and shot 42% from the field.

Leading the charge for Santa Clara was graduate forward Sophie Glancey. The NAU transfer put up 13 points and 9 rebounds. Though the win was more of a collective effort.

The Sun Devils’ offense relies heavily on the scoring capabilities of Elliott and senior guard Marley Washenitz. Together, they combine for just under half of the team’s scoring offense.

The Broncos, by contrast, have a more balanced attack. Against Wyoming, four Santa Clara players finished in double figures.

The Broncos’ lack of a single go-to scorer actually works in the Sun Devils’ favor. When recruiting transfer players to come to ASU, Molly Miller prioritized two main things in her search: experience and defense. She made sure every player who touched the court for her team could hold their own defensively.

One of the core defenders Miller brought in this transfer cycle was fifth-year guard and LSU transfer Last-Tear Poa. But after Poa suffered a hand injury in the Sun Devils’ season opener, freshman guard Amaya Williams has been thrust into the starting lineup.

Against San Diego, Williams played the most minutes out of any Sun Devil. Coach Miller has talked about her trust in the freshman, who was originally committed to GCU, but flipped her commitment to follow Miller to ASU. Williams comes from California high school powerhouse Mater Dei. According to Miller, Mater Dei runs their practices similarly to college basketball teams, which she says has prepared Williams for the collegiate level better than most true freshmen.

If the Sun Devils want a performance against Santa Clara anywhere close to what they delivered against San Diego, they’ll need contributions across the board – from veteran leaders like Elliott and Washenitz to emerging talent such as Williams.

Arizona State tips off at the Leavey Center against Santa Clara at 2:00 p.m. AZT. The game streams on ESPN+.