Molly Miller Speaks About Arizona State's Offensive Shortcomings in Loss

The Sun Devils are now looking to rebound from their fifth loss in Big 12 play.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Molly Miller talks to her team on the sidelines as they play the Kansas State Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Feb. 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Molly Miller's Arizona State Sun Devils fell to 18-5 on the season and 5-5 in Big 12 play following a 74-67 loss to the Kansas State Wildcats in Tempe on Sunday.

The team went down by as many as 24 points, with a late-game surge proving to fall short against a Kansas State squad that went into the game with a record of 11-11.

Miller spoke about the Sun Devils' offensive performance against a Wildcat defense that utilized zone sets for virtually the entire 40 minutes of action - with the resounding theme centering around uncertainty that the unit will be able to take off over the last month of the regular season.

ASU Sun Devils guard Marley Washenitz (11) looks to pass the ball against the Kansas State Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Feb. 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Miller Honest About What ASU Offense Needs to do

"Shoot it with confidence. I mean, I still thought we got some pretty good looks, both at Arizona and tonight, again, we made three more field goals than them, but we've got to be able to shoot it with confidence. Someone's got to put the ball in the hole."

Arizona State still sports the 18-5 record despite averaging the third-fewest points in the Big 12 (66.8), as well as 13th in three-point shooting percentage (27.8) - the fact that Miller is still searching for answers on the offensive end of the ball isn't ideal moving forward.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Molly Miller talks to her team during a timeout in their game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Feb. 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"To me, I don't know if we're gonna up that percentage dramatically in the next month or so. So we've got to rely on our defense... 67 should have been enough to win this game... So the defense is stuff that we can improve on. I don't know if I can magically, you know, have a player shoot 5% better right now, but the defense, the defense, the defense, is where we have to create our offense. And like I said, 67 should have been enough to win this game."

The Sun Devils have found a pair of go-to scorers in key moments of the game in guard Gabby Elliott (16.7 PPG), as well as forward McKinna Brackens (14.7), while Heloisa Carrera has burst onto the scene in recent weeks as well.

While the trio of scorers add needed cushioning in close games, the relatively low volume of three-point attempts and a low assist rate relative to the remainder of the league are arguably still looming large for the team over the final eight games of action.

The Sun Devils are set to return to play on Wednesday, when they close out the three-game home stretch against Oklahoma State

ASU Sun Devils forward Heloisa Carrera (14) tries to spin past Kansas State Wildcats defender Gina Garcia (6) at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Feb. 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

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