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ASU Women’s Basketball: Baylor, Louisville highlight non-conference slate

By Sam Ficarro

COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 30: Head coach Jeff Walz of the Louisville Cardinals speaks to his team against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs during the first half in the semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Women's Final Four at Nationwide Arena on March 30, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 30: Head coach Jeff Walz of the Louisville Cardinals speaks to his team against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs during the first half in the semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Women's Final Four at Nationwide Arena on March 30, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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ASU women’s basketball announced their non-conference schedule with Baylor and Louisville the toughest tests for what will be an experience-laden team.

After falling to Texas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Arizona State returns their entire roster from last year’s team as they look to be a first and second round hosts next season.

The college basketball season starts earlier next season with Arizona State opening the season on Nov. 6 against Incarnate Word before traveling to Fort Defiance, Arizona for a neutral side game against Baylor on Nov. 11.

Baylor will be a likely top-10 team next season after reaching the Sweet 16 last season losing to Oregon State.

The Lady Bears return their two best players in forwards Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox who combined to score 40.5 percent of their team’s points and 40.3 percent of their team’s rebounds last season.

On top of that, the Lady Bears welcome in the nation’s best recruiting class as five 5-star prospects will be supplementing Brown and Cox. Wing player Aquira DeCosta is the highest-ranked player of the class at No. 3 according to espnW HoopGurlz rankings with wing Caitlin Buckles the lowest at 29th-overall.

This will be a tough test for Arizona State with Charnea Johnson-Chapman the tallest player on Arizona State at 6-3. Brown is 6-7 while Cox is 6-4.

The second hardest game for the Sun Devils comes during Thanksgiving week as for the second time in three years, ASU will partake in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas.

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ASU’s first opponent is Final Four-participant Louisville on Nov. 23, who return ACC Player of the Year Asia Durr.

The Cardinals won’t be the same as last year’s team that lost to Mississippi State in the national semifinals as forward Myisha Hines-Allen is now in the WNBA. Hines-Allen was the team’s second leading scorer and best rebounder.

Louisville and Arizona State should be a competitive game as both teams feature strong backcourts. If the Sun Devils can contain Durr, they will have a chance to pull off the upset win.

While those two games highlight the non-conference schedule, Arizona State could play up to seven postseason teams from last year.

ASU will face WNIT participants in Louisiana Tech, Colorado State, Southern and Kansas State with potential of facing Alabama in the ASU Classic.

Arizona State will play five home games, four neutral site games and two road games.

Following the Baylor game, Arizona State will travel to face Arkansas on Nov. 18. The Sun Devils defeated the Razorbacks in Tempe 89-43 last year as Courtney Ekmark tied a school-record with seven 3-pointers.

After facing Louisville in the first game of the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout, the Sun Devils will face Southern Illinois in Las Vegas on Nov. 24 before returning home to host the ASU Classic Dec. 1-2.

They’ll open the two-day tournament against Louisiana Tech and will face either Alabama or Tulsa the next day.

Arizona State will host Southern on Dec. 7 before a two-game road trip at Colorado State on Dec. 9 and a game versus Kansas State in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Dec. 16.

The Sun Devils close out the non-conference schedule at home against Fresno State on Dec. 20, a rematch from last year’s meeting in which ASU won 81-49.

Next: ASU Basketball: Sun Devils fall in Round of 32 to Texas

Overall, there’s a good mix of premier games with teams that are very competitive. Arizona State should go at least 9-2 with the potential of 10-1. With the players returning and the incoming freshmen class, the Sun Devils will be ready for this schedule.