Devils in Detail
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ASU Basketball: Second 2018 Women’s Bracketology Update

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 a Territorial Cup sweep of Arizona last weekend, ASU women’s basketball hope to improve resume this weekend against Oregon and Oregon State.

Arizona State swept in-state rival Arizona last weekend as the Sun Devils avoided a bad loss getting on their resume.

With the Sun Devils having more conference wins this season than last, Arizona State enters the final weekend with a real chance of improving their tournament seeding hosting top-20 teams in Oregon and Oregon State before heading to Seattle next week for the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament.

The Sun Devils nearly pulled off the win in Corvallis the first time around back in January losing 57-54 on a big fourth quarter from Oregon State.

Against Oregon in Eugene, the Sun Devils had arguably their worst quarter of the season as the Ducks blitzed them outscoring ASU 21-5 in the third quarter to lose 74-64 after trailing by as many as 26.

With that said, here are where women’s basketball Bracketologists have the Sun Devils.

ESPN: No. 7 seed (Kansas City Regional)

Charlie Creme moved the Sun Devils up to the seven-seed line after their weekend sweep of Arizona.

In the first round, he pairs Arizona State against No. 10 Virginia in Waco, Texas, with a potential meeting against No. 2 Baylor.

The Cavaliers were a popular sleeper team in the ACC after a 19-12 season when they reached the second round of the Women’s NIT.

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After a slow start to the season, which included losses at Mississippi State and home versus Georgia, the Cavaliers are 16-11 and 9-5 in ACC play.

Virginia went on an 11-1 run during the middle part of the season, but recently have lost four of five games.

Similar to Arizona State, Virginia has played a difficult schedule but don’t have a signature win to show for it.

The Sun Devils should be favored in that game which would lead to a matchup versus No. 2 Baylor, who are 25-1 overall and coming off a win at No. 6 Texas Monday to clinch their ninth straight Big 12 regular season title.

Baylor is led by a dynamic forward tandem in Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox. Brown is averaging 20.2 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game (both good for second in the Big 12) leading the conference shooting 66.5 percent from the field.

Cox is averaging 14.8 points per game and (10th in Big 12) and 9.0 rebounds per game (fourth in Big 12). In Baylor’s only loss this season at UCLA, Cox didn’t play and head coach Kim Mulkey didn’t coach due to personal reasons.

The Lady Bears would be a formidable opponent as the Sun Devils would have to figure out a way to contend with the size of Brown and Cox inside.

The Summit: No. 7 seed (Spokane Regional)

Like Creme, Russell Steinberg has the Sun Devils heading to Waco, Texas, to face No. 10 Ball State in the first round with a potential matchup with No. 2 Baylor in the second round.

Ball State is 21-4 and sitting in second in the MAC West Division. The Cardinals have non-conference wins over Vanderbilt, Butler and Purdue and have won seven of eight games.

Four players average in double-figures with forward Moriah Monaco leading the team averaging 17.4 points per game.

The Cardinals average 81.1 points per game and allow 65.5 points per game.

Zayn Dornstauder, the sister of former Sun Devil Quinn Dornstauder, is on the roster as a transfer from San Francisco. She’s sitting out the season.

The Sun Devils would likely have no problems getting past Ball State where they would face Baylor in the second round.

Next: ASU Basketball: Sun Devils complete sweep of Arizona in Tucson

With games against the Oregon schools plus the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Sun Devils will have ample opportunities to improving their seeding before Selection Monday.