Molly Miller, Arizona State Shine in Victory Over Kansas

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (17-2, 4-2 Big 12) secured a massive 67-51 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks (11-8, 1-6) on Saturday afternoon in Tempe.

The Sun Devils are continuing to thrive in year one of the Molly Miller era after years of stagnation followed a once-proud program, with Saturday's win being the latest in a string of successes.

Arizona State on SI takes key notes from the win and looks ahead to upcoming games below.

Key Notes From Victory

The Arizona State offense ran through two players on Saturday. Center Heloisa Carrera put together a near-perfect day, where the former Ole Miss prodigy scored 22 points on 6-7 from the field and posted a 10-12 mark at the free throw line. This was the most aggressive that Carrera has been all season, and it certainly showed against what is a rock solid Kansas front-line.

Guard Gabby Elliott scored 20 points, knocking in seven of eight free throws and six shots in the process as well. Elliott continues to lead the team in scoring and serve as the catalyst of a team that has surged over the first two months of the season. Forward Deborah Davenport also contributed eight points, which resulted in 50 of the 67 points being scored by three players.

The Arizona State defense returned to form in this contest after struggling for a small handful of games. The team - Miller, McKinna Brackens, and others - acknowledged that the record Kansas held going into the game was misleading. The Sun Devils did their best to contain a Kansas offense that features a pair of high-scoring players.

Kansas guard S'Mya Nichols was held to just eight points, while freshman forward Jaliya Davis - who came into the game averaging over 21 points per contest - was held to just 11 points, while also committing three turnovers.

Perhaps the most obvious sign of the high-pressure Arizona State defense returning in full-force was the fact that the team forced 24 Kansas turnovers. The Jayhawks also managed to shoot just 4-20 from three-point range, reinforcing that the Sun Devil defense is much more than simply creating turnovers - they also force opponents into less-than-ideal looks.

What's Next For ASU?

The Sun Devils are set to go on a two-game road trek in the week ahead - coincedentally against the same opponents that the men's program are set to face in West Virginia and Cincinnati, before returning home for a rivalry date against the Arizona Wildcats.

wegeeg — ASU Sun Devils head coach Molly Miller yells out to her team as they play the Coppin State Bald Eagles at Desert Financial Arena on Nov. 3, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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