TEMPE- With seconds running down, Arizona State head coach Molly Miller, who can go by Moy Mier, is standing on the sidelines, feeling fired and pumped up.
The Sun Devils won over their rivals, the Arizona Wildcats, with a score of 68-61 for the first time in nearly four years.
The 'Molly Miller Effect' led to the Sun Devils setting an attendance record against the Wildcats on Wednesday night, drawing 6,151 fans, the most in program history.
"It's about the people around this program that believe in it," Miller said postgame. "There are so many people behind the scenes. ... And our girls understand that, and they're very grateful for those who are pouring into the program. So whether it's tickets, facilities, concessions, or band tier dance, everyone's bought into this. And to me, that's a humbling moment and a very proud moment and a very exciting moment that we can build on that."
Arizona outscored Arizona State, 23-17, in the third quarter, and at one point, the Wildcats led by eight points before the Sun Devils stormed back to take the lead and victory.
Graduate guard Gabby Elliott led the team in scoring with 22 points while recording seven rebounds and two steals. One of those steals was crucial in the fourth quarter, which sealed the deal for the Sun Devils.
"It's really special means a lot, ... but it's exciting to be a part of something like this, because this has been part of the groundwork, long before I've been here," Elliott said. "We've got people like Stephanie Norman [Arizona State WBB associate head coach and alum], as we know, way older than I am, and she's even been a part of some of these games, so stuff like that. It means a lot, and it means even more to have that many fans and get the win for them tonight."
What Miller is more impressed by Arizona State is how they held Arizona's offense scoreless in the last 2:13 of the game while going on a 6-0 run.
It was also the first time since February 11, 2022, the Sun Devils won over the Wildcats, snapping a seven-game losing streak in Miller's first year as head coach.
"It was fun, it was 1,148 days ago until ASU won that rivalry game," Miller said in a statement. "It was just a gutsy game. You throw records out the window, you throw everything home and away out the window, there was going to be a game of momentum when they hit theirs. I'm glad we responded. We could have easily crumbled, but in that timeout, they regrouped. You could see some confidence in their eye, and we came and swung back. Proud of the resilience, proud of the back-and-forth fight, this was a good bounce back game for us.
Arizona State will travel to McKale Center to face Arizona for the second time, which will take place in Tucson on February 14.
When asked by a reporter about what type of atmosphere the Sun Devils will expect from the fanbase in Tucson, Elliott said, "Hopefully they bring a little bit more as they [will] need it."
"Oh shoot!" Added freshman guard Amaya Williams, who had a positive efficiency of 17 while playing 22 minutes of action against the Wildcats.
The Sun Devils continue their three-game homestand, as they will face the Kansas State Wildcats on Sunday, February 1.