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ASU Women’s Basketball: Picked sixth in 2017 Pac-12 Preseason Poll

By Sam Ficarro

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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After finishing fifth in the Pac-12 last season, the ASU women’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the 2017 Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll.

The college basketball season is rapidly approaching as the ASU women’s basketball tip off their season in 32 days.

On Wednesday, head coach Charli Turner Thorne, guard Sabrina Haines and forward Courtney Ekmark traveled to San Francisco to take part in Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Media Day.

As part of media day, the Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll was released with the Sun Devils pegged to finish sixth in the best conference in women’s basketball.

Arizona State are entering a new era with seniors Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder and Kelsey Moos all graduated as the young backcourt headlined by Haines, Reili Richardson, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan looking to lead the charge.

Ahead of the Sun Devils are the UCLA Bruins, who was picked as the favorite, ahead of Oregon, Stanford and Oregon State, who round out the top four.

Despite the departures of some of the Pac-12’s biggest starts like Kelsey Plum, Chantel Osahor, Sydney Wiese and Erica McCall, the Pac-12 is still shaping up to be the best conference in the nation.

To some, it might be a little surprising to see Arizona State at six, but it shows the incredible depth this conference has.

California, who is ranked fifth, are going to be a real dark horse to win the Pac-12 as they led by one of the best players in the country in forward Kristine Anigwe to go with returning players guards Asha Thomas and Monica Cowling and forward Penina Davidson.

Washington State, sitting at No. 7, are another team that has their eyes on a Pac-12 championship as the Cougars are finally healthy after having their three best players, Borislava Hristova, Chanelle Molina and Louise Brown, injured for large parts of last season.

It goes to show the depth this conference has and how many teams can win the Pac-12 title and make the NCAA Tournament.

Don’t be surprised if Arizona State is contending for a Pac-12 title as the guards are seek to take the mantle from the graduated frontcourt with forwards Jamie Ruden, Ekmark, Kianna Ibis and Charnea Johnson-Chapman looking to step in to those voided roles.

UCLA and Oregon are the favorites as the Bruins No. 1 freshmen class from four years ago are now seniors and will look to go out on top in the Pac-12 while Oregon returns every starter from last season’s Elite 8 team.

Next: ASU Women’s Basketball: Reili Richardson earns silver with Team USA

It’s once again shaping up to be an exciting and competitive Pac-12 season with numerous teams have the capability on winning the conference title.