The Sun Devil Women’s Basketball team delivered when it mattered most, using late-game defense and clutch free-throw shooting to defeat in-state rival Arizona, 68–61, on Wednesday night at Desert Financial Arena in front of 6,121 fans.
In a tightly contested game filled with momentum swings, Arizona State locked in defensively down the stretch. After McKinna Brackens knocked down two free throws to give ASU a 54–53 lead, the Sun Devils never trailed again. ASU held Arizona scoreless over the final 2:13 and closed the game on a 6–0 run to secure the rivalry win.
Gabby Elliott led all scorers with 22 points, marking her seventh 20-point performance of the season and her 10th consecutive game in double figures. Elliott also added seven rebounds and two steals, including a crucial takeaway in the final minute that helped seal the victory.
Brackens recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds, scoring nearly half of her points and grabbing more than half of her boards in the fourth quarter. Heloisa Carrera posted her third double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Marley Washenitz finished with 11 points and a team-high three steals. Jyah LoVett led the Sun Devil bench with six points.
Arizona State controlled key areas throughout the game, winning the rebounding battle 35–29, outscoring Arizona 14–5 in second-chance points, and holding an 8-point edge in points off turnovers. The Sun Devils forced 20 turnovers and were nearly perfect at the free-throw line, converting 19 of 21 attempts — including a flawless 12-for-12 effort in the fourth quarter.
After taking a 33–26 lead into halftime, ASU weathered an Arizona surge to open the third quarter before responding with a balanced scoring run to reclaim the lead entering the final frame. Elliott scored eight of her 12 second-half points in the fourth quarter, capped by a key steal and two free throws in the closing moments.
Arizona State improves to 18–4 overall and 5–4 in Big 12 play and will continue its homestand Sunday at 2 p.m. MST when it hosts Kansas State at Desert Financial Arena.
