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ASU Women’s Basketball: Where do Sun Devils rank in Pac-12?

By Sam Ficarro

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 08: A Pac-12 basketball logo is displayed on the court before a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament between the Stanford Cardinal and the Arizona State Sun Devils at T-Mobile Arena on March 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 08: A Pac-12 basketball logo is displayed on the court before a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament between the Stanford Cardinal and the Arizona State Sun Devils at T-Mobile Arena on March 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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After losing to the eventual national champions in the NCAA Tournament, ASU women’s basketball turn to a young group of players looking to make their mark.

After the graduation of the most successful group senior group in program history, ASU women’s basketball turn to a talented group of freshmen and sophomores to take the torch and run with it.

The Sun Devils are coming off an up-and-down season compounded by injuries, but despite all the challenges the team faced, Arizona State reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament leading the eventual national champions, South Carolina, by double-digits on their home court before falling short 71-68.

With that said, where does Arizona State fit in the picture of the Pac-12 which featured seven teams in the NCAA Tournament?

Heading into next season, the UCLA Bruins appear to be the favorite in the conference.

The Bruins bring back an experienced senior group looking to break through and win the Pac-12 for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

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UCLA is led by arguably the best guard in the nation in Jordin Canada, who averaged 17.8 points per game and 7.1 assists per game last season.

Inside the paint, forward Monique Billings is also back after finishing second on the team with 16.8 PPG and 10.5 rebounds last season.

Those two will look to carry the team with other talented players returning such as guards Kennedy Burke and Kelli Hayes as well as the sixth-best recruiting class according to ESPN.

Just behind UCLA would probably have to be the Oregon Ducks who are coming off one of the most successful seasons ever reaching the Elite 8 as a No. 10 seed.

The Ducks are headlined by an extremely talented sophomore class led by guard Sabrina Ionescu and forward Ruthy Hebard.

Both were named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman and All-Pac-12-Team with Ionescu averaging 14.6 PPG and 5.5 APG while Hebard averaged 14.9 PPG and 8.5 RPG.

Complemented by senior guard Maite Cazorla and junior forwards Mallory McGwire and Sierra Campisano, Oregon looks built to challenge UCLA for the Pac-12 championship.

The usual suspects, Stanford and Oregon State, head into next season with their best player recently graduated in Erica McCall and Sydney Wiese.

Looking to lead the Cardinal’s frontcourt is forwards Alanna Smith, who scored a game-high 18 points in the Pac-12 Tournament Championship Game, and Nadia Fingall.

Stanford’s backcourt is also going through a transition with guard Karlie Samuelsson graduated.

Look for guards Brittney McPhee and Marta Sniezek to lead a young group of guards as Stanford also welcomes in the fifth-best recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN.

The Beavers exceeded expectations last season winning the Pac-12 regular season title and will look to three-peat as Pac-12 champions with a young group.

In the backcourt, it will be All-Freshman guard Mikayla Pivec and Kat Tudor anchoring the Beavers with All-Pac-12 forward Marie Gulich inside the paint leading Oregon State.

The rest of conference is ought to be just as competitive as last season with Cal, Washington State, Colorado, Utah, Washington, USC and Arizona all reloaded.

Next: ASU Women’s Basketball: Non-Conference Schedule Released

Arizona State, even with the departure of their starting frontcourt, have a great chance to finish near the top of the conference and should be challengers to UCLA and Oregon in the Pac-12 next season.