PHOENIX- Just before the Arizona State Sun Devils face the BYU Cougars at home as they play another crucial game on Wednesday, head coach Molly Miller attended the NCAA Women's Final Four tip-off press conference in downtown Phoenix on Tuesday.
She is confident in leading the Sun Devils to their first appearance in the NCAA Women's Tournament since 2019, especially after leading the team to its best start in program history with 15 consecutive wins.
Going from having a 10-22 (3-15 Big 12) record last season to being one of the bubble teams, Arizona State had a significant turnaround in Miller's first year as head coach.
"They're considering us a bubble team," Miller said Tuesday. "We're March-ready. We're playing our best basketball right now. We have a winning record in the Big 12 conference. We're going to finish strong and do what we need to do."
As the Sun Devils have two games to play in the regular season and to prepare for the Big 12 Women's Tournament in Kansas City, Miller stated that the players' roles haven't changed much.
More importantly, as Arizona State has a 9-7 record in the Big 12 Conference play, they look to continue to build its momentum leading up to March.
"It's huge. We're ready. The team is locked in. They're focused. We have to play our best basketball," Miller said Tuesday. "We're playing our best basketball right now. This time of year, your roles aren't going to change much in February. We defined job descriptions for each individual. They've really leaned into that.
"For example, (sophomore forward Heloisa Carrera)'s job description last game was to show up and be a post presence in the paint, and she scored a season high 23 points. That can tell you how the different individuals are locked into doing their job, doing their job well, and doing whatever they need for this team to be successful."
The Sun Devils will welcome the visiting BYU Cougars, who handed the team its first loss of the season in January, to Tempe for their final home game of the season on Wednesday.