WHAT: No. 17 Sun Devil WBB (7-2) vs. Kansas State (7-2)
WHEN: Sunday at 4 p.m. CT/3 p.m. MT 
WHERE: Mitchell Hall • La Crosse, Wisc. (Hosted by UW-La Crosse) 
LIVE STREAM ($4 fee): https://boxcast.tv/view/arizona-state-vs-kansas-state-980558
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060/TuneIn
LIVE STATS: https://uwlathletics.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary

UP NEXT
Winners of its last five games, the No. 17 Arizona State women's basketball team (7-2) will play its penultimate non-conference game on Sunday (4 p.m. CT/3 p.m. MT) when it travels to La Crosse, Wisc., to face Kansas State (7-2) in Battle by the Bluff. Sunday's game will be a homecoming for five Sun Devils who hail from the Midwest: Kianna Ibis (Omaha, Neb.), Jamie Ruden (Rochester, Minn.), Kiara Russell (Minneapolis, Minn.), Eva Rubin (Flossmoor, Ill.) and Jayde Van Hyfte (Annawan, Ill.). 

Since splitting their first four games – two losses came to No. 3 Baylor (65-59) and No. 4 Louisville (58-56) by a combined eight points – the Sun Devils have won their last five games in convincing fashion with the average margin of victory being more than 30 points.

ASU is currently in the midst of a stretch in which it is playing five of six games on the road. After Sunday's game the Sun Devils return home for their final non-conference game against Fresno State on Dec. 20. Ten days later (Dec. 30), ASU will open Pac-12 play at Arizona and will follow that with games at Utah (Jan. 4) and at Colorado (Jan. 6).
 
LAST GAME
 Courtney Ekmark came within one 3-pointer of tying the single-game school record she already shares and went on to score a game-high 21 points to help lead the No. 17 Arizona State women's basketball team to a 70-39 win at Colorado State last Sunday... Ekmark, who knocked down seven 3-pointers against Arkansas last season to tie the school record, hit six against Colorado State. Jamie Ruden (14) and Kianna Ibis (10) also posted double-digit scoring totals for the Sun Devils...ASU piled up a season-high 26 assists on 28 made field goals and shot 48 percent for the game while committing just 10 turnovers. Reili Richardson's precision passing enabled the junior point guard to achieve a career-high-tying 11 assists with only a single turnover... The Sun Devils shot 56 percent in the first quarter and doubled up the Rams, 24-12, after 10 minutes. A 3-pointer by Robbi Ryan and a layup by Ibis was soon followed by a trio of triples by Ekmark that put the Devils up 14-5 a little more than four minutes into the game...ASU more than doubled CSU's point production in the second and third quarters, outscoring the Rams a combined 34-15 to take a 58-27 lead into the final period.
 
COVERAGE
For a $4 fee, Sunday's game can be seen via livestream on BoxCast. The game can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and TuneIn. Pregame coverage will begin at 2:45 p.m. MT. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 15th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. 
 
RANKINGS
After moving up one week earlier the Sun Devils maintained their spots in both the AP (No. 17) and USA Today Coaches (No. 19) polls. ASU was ranked 23rd in the preseason AP poll, one of five Pac-12 teams – No. 3 Oregon, No. 7 Stanford, No. 8 Oregon State, No. 24 Cal – that were ranked, marking the third-straight year the conference has had five teams in the preseason poll. 
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• During its current five-game winning streak ASU is... Outscoring the opposition by an average of 30.2 points (74.2-44.0)... Shooting 48.1 percent, including 41.3 percent from long range... Averaging 19.6 assists and only 12.4 turnovers... Allowing its opponents to shoot only 33.3 percent... Is +17.0 on the boards.
• ASU's current five-game winning streak represents the 24th time since 2004 that it has had a winning streak of five or more games. Last season the Sun Devils won a season-high six straight games. ASU's last double-digit winning streak  came in 2015-16 when it tied the school record with 15 straight wins.
• ASU is currently ranked among the nation's top 25 in... assist-to-turnover ratio (seventh/1.43), scoring defense (12th/52.3 ppg), fewest turnovers per game (16/12.9), rebounding margin (19th/+11.0) and assists per game (22nd/18.4).  
• ASU has held the opposition to 12 or fewer points in a quarter 16x this season (single digits 11x) and has outrebounded the opposition in all but one game.
• Guards Reili Richardson (29 assists/five assists) and Kiara Russell (14 assists/two turnovers) have combined for 43 assists and only seven turnovers in the last five games. The duo has also combined to shoot 62 percent during the same stretch. Richardson is No. 4 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio and No. 39 in assists per game (5.6). 
• In the last two games, Courtney Ekmark has averaged 20.0 ppg and knocked down 53 percent (12-22) of her attempts from downtown. Ekmark make a season-high six triples at Colorado State (Dec. 9), one short of tying the single-game school record she already shares.
• Kianna Ibis has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
• ASU has knocked down nine or more 3-pointers five times this season, something it accomplished twice all last season.
• On average, ASU's bench has more than doubled the production of the opposition, 32.7-13.6.
 
SO CLOSE
ASU nearly upset top five teams on two different occasions during the first month of the season. The Sun Devils had fourth-ranked Baylor on the ropes on Nov. 11, but in the end the Bears were able to outlast the Sun Devils, 65-59. ASU led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, by 11 at the half and entered the final period with a four-point lead. It was then that Baylor would punctuate its second-half comeback as the Bears reeled off 12 straight points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to turn a four-point deficit into an eight-point lead.

On Nov. 23 ASU once again found itself in position to knock off a top five team, this time it was No. 5 Louisville. ASU led by as many as six in the fourth quarter. After shooting 45 percent (13-29) in the second and third quarters, the Sun Devils shot only 14 percent over the final 10 minutes. Louisville scored the winning basket with less than two seconds left to escape with the victory. 
 
SERIES NOTES VERSUS KANSAS STATE
• ASU has won two of the prior three meetings. This will be the first time the teams have met since then-No. 9 Kansas State defeated ASU 59-50 at the 2003 Junkanoo Jam played in The Bahamas.
 
DOMINANT DEVIL DEFENSE
• ASU concluded the 2017-18 regular season first in the Pac-12 in scoring defense. It limited the opposition to 12 or fewer points in a quarter 51x last season, including a season low of two points scored by Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals (Mar. 1). On Feb. 23, 2018, ASU held eventual Elite Eight participant Oregon to 57 points – nearly 27 points below its scoring average at the time and its lowest point total of the season. In its 57-51 win over Oregon State (Mar. 2) in the quarterfinals  of the 2018 Pac-12 Tournament the Sun Devils limited the Beavers to seven points in the first quarter and five in the final quarter, including a single point in the last five minutes. During that stretch ASU outscored the Beavers 13-1 to overcome a six-point deficit
• ASU has allowed an average of only 56.3 points per game since the start of the 2014-15 season (145 games). ASU has held the opposition to 50 or fewer points 49 times during that stretch. They are 48-1 in those contests. The only loss came at home to Cal (50-49) on Feb. 8, 2015. Over that same stretch, ASU has allowed the opposition to make only 28.7 percent of its attempts from long range.
• Against No. 5 Louisville on Nov. 23, ASU held the Cardinals 25 points below their scoring average and put the clamps on Louisville's leading scorer Asia Durr, who had 14 points on 5-18 shooting (27.7 percent). Durr came into the contest averaging 25.7 points and had made half of her shots (26-52).
 
BALANCED OFFENSE
ASU has eight returning players who led or tied for the team lead in scoring last season. Kianna Ibis led the way 12x, followed by Robbi Ryan (9x), Courtney Ekmark (7x), Jamie Ruden (2x), Charnea Johnson-Chapman (2x), Sophia Elenga (2x), Reili Richardson (1x) and Kiara Russell (1x). ASU has already had five players lead or tie for the team lead in scoring this season: Ibis (4x), Ekmark (3x), Elenga (1x), Ruden (1x), and Richardson (1x).
 
BENCH PRODUCTION
In 2017-18 ASU's reserves outscored the opposition's bench 22.5-12.1. If the early returns in 2018-19 are any indication – on average ASU's reserves have outscored the opposition's 32.7-13.6 in the first nine games – the Sun Devils' depth will once again be one of the strengths of the team. Jamie Ruden, who paced ASU with 15 points in the season opener vs. Incarnate Word, finished fourth on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg) last season. Freshman Jamie Loera, who missed the first game recovering from illness, connected on her first five 3-pointers. In ASU's contest at Arkansas, freshman guard Iris Mbulito (13 points) and senior post Sophia Elenga (11 points) combined for 24 points. Elenga also added a career-high 12 rebounds in accounting for her first career double-double. Elenga was named to the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout All-Tournament Team after averaging 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds. Elenga (6.9 ppg) and Ruden (6.8 ppg) are both combing to average nearly 14 points per game.
 
IBIS LEADS THE WAY
2018 All-Pac-12 standout Kianna Ibis returns as ASU's top threat on the offensive end. Last season Ibis scored in double figures 23 times, including six games with 20 or more points. In ASU's 83-81 win at Utah on Dec. 31, 2017, Ibis had one of the best offensive days turned in by a Sun Devil in recent memory as she scored a career-high 30 points, eclipsing her previous career high of 20 by 10 points. Ibis became the first Sun Devil to score 30 or more points since Kylan Loney accomplished the feat vs. Arizona on January 31, 2004. She followed that extraordinary performance with a game-high 26 points in ASU's win over No. 23 Cal (Jan. 5). She added her third game of scoring 20 or more points in Pac-12 play (fourth of the season) after scoring 22 at Oregon (Jan. 14). Ibis poured in 24 points in ASU's win over Colorado (Jan. 21). ASU's active career leader in points (822), rebounds (401), steals (77) and blocks (39), Ibis scored 27 points in ASU's NCAA second round game vs. Texas last March, the third-highest single-game point total by a Sun Devil in an NCAA Tournament game. Ibis also grabbed five or more rebs 19 times last season, including career-high 14 vs. Oregon State (Mar. 2). Ibis, who was recently named MVP of the ASU Classic for the second straight year, currently leads the Sun Devils in scoring (12.1 ppg), is third in rebounds (5.2 rpg) and has connected on 48 percent of her shots. Ibis' 20 points at Arkansas are the second-most by a Sun Devil this season.
 
SUN DEVIL WBB'S REILI RICHARDSON GUIDES NEAR FLAWLESS ATTACK
One of the biggest reasons ASU was able to shatter the school record for fewest turnovers per game (11.3) in a season in 2017-18 was the play of point guard Reili Richardson, who concluded the season ranked No. 4 in the nation and 1st in the Pac-12 in assist-to-TO ratio (3.46). Richardson led ASU in assists last season (4.7 apg/9th in the Pac-12), was 3rd in steals (1.0 spg) and 4th in 3-point FGs (19). Her 166 assists for the season represented the fifth-highest, single-season total in program history. She had an earlier 10-game stretch in which she had 59 assists and only eight turnovers. Richardson scored in double figures 7 times last season, including a career-high 18 points (included a career-high 4 triples) at Florida State (Dec. 17). She helped the USA Women's U19 World Cup Team claim silver at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup in Udine, Italy. In 2017, Richardson set ASU's single-season freshman record for assists (126). Richardson, who was recently named to the ASU Classic All-Tournament Team for the second straight year, is currently No. 4 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio and No. 39 in assists per game (5.6). Against No. 4 Baylor (Nov. 11), Richardson led an ASU attack that had only five turnovers in the entire game. 
 
RYAN'S STEADY PLAY IMPORTANT PART OF ASU'S SUCCESS
One of three Sun Devils who averaged double figures in scoring in Pac-12 play (10.9) last season, Robbi Ryan (2018 All Pac-12 honorable mention and All-Defensive honorable mention) was a key contributor to ASU's success on both ends of the floor in 2017-18. Ryan, who had 10 double-digit scoring efforts in conference games, had two of her best outings in close losses at Oregon State (57-54) and vs. Utah (58-56). In both games the Sun Devils struggled to find their offensive rhythm, shooting below 35 percent. Helping them stay within striking distance in both games was Ryan as the she tied her (then) career high with 19 points at Oregon State (Jan. 12) and then added 16 against Utah (Jan. 19). In both games Ryan, who scored in double figures 19 times last season, connected on 52 percent of her shots (14-27). In ASU's two regular season wins over Arizona, Ryan averaged 16.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg. She had a career-high 24 points in the first meeting and then came up one point short of her first career double-double (nine points, career-high 10 rebounds) in the second meeting. Ryan (14.7 ppg) was the only Sun Devil to average double figures in scoring in ASU's three contests vs. Oregon State last season. Ryan scored 8 of her 13 points in the final five minutes of ASU's win at Arkansas (Nov. 18). She is currently second on team in both 3-point FG pct. (42.9/6-14) and FT pct (85.0/17-20 ) and is 3rd in scoring (7.4 ppg).
 
EK-MARKS THE SPOT
Courtney Ekmark's excellent marksmanship from long range provided the Sun Devils with a dangerous weapon on the offensive end last season. Ekmark, who is a second-year law student in ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, started every game in 2017-18 and led ASU in 3-point FGs (58) and FT pct. (76.8), tied for the team lead in steals (1.1 spg), was second in 3-point FG pct. (37.4), third in scoring (9.7 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg), fourth in assists (2.1 apg) and fifth in O-rebs (1.2 rpg). In ASU's two regular-season wins over Arizona, Ekmark hit 67 percent of her 3-pointers (6-9) on her way to averaging 14.0 ppg to go with 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apg and 3.5 spg. Last December she connected on seven 3-pointers to tie ASU's single-game school record for 3-pointers in ASU's 80-43 win over Arkansas (Dec. 21). Ekmark, who scored a career-high 23 points against the Razorbacks, tied the mark previously accomplished by current ASU assistant coach Briann January (at UC Davis, Dec. 3, 2008), Crystal Cobb (vs. Oregon, Feb. 2, 1991) and Ryneldi Becenti (vs. Washington State, Feb. 13, 1993). Ekmark's 58 3-pointers last season tied for fifth on ASU's all-time single-season list with Kylan Loney (58 in 2005). Ekmark, who scored a 2018-19 ASU high 21 points at Colorado State (Dec. 9), currently leads ASU in 3-pointers (23). She has knocked down three or more triples five times this season and has averaged 20 points in ASU's last two games.
 
JOHNSON-CHAPMAN STEPS UP IN THE POST
One of the biggest factors in ASU's success throughout the 2017-18 season was the play of center Charnea Johnson-Chapman, who started every game last season and led the team in FG pct. (54.9), rebounds (6.5 rpg/16th in Pac-12), O-Rebs (2.2 rpg/t-13th in Pac-12) and blocks (20). Johnson-Chapman Scored in double figures 10x and grabbed seven or more rebounds 18x, including 10 in wins over Sacramento State (Nov. 18), vs. Cal (Jan. 5) and vs. Nebraska (Mar. 17), 12 in wins over Idaho (Dec. 18) and Colorado (Jan. 21) and a career-high 14 boards vs. Oregon (Feb. 23). She scored a  career-high 16 points twice last season: at Fresno State (Nov. 15, 2017) and in ASU's win over Stanford (Jan. 7). Johnson-Chapman has started every game and is currently 2nd on the team in rebounding (6.6 rpg) and 3rd on the team in FG pct. (54.1).
 
RUDEN PROVIDES SUN DEVILS WITH INSTANT OFFENSE
Heading into the Pac-12 portion of the schedule in 2016-17, Charli Turner Thorne was very excited about what Jamie Ruden (then a freshman) would be bringing to the team after the flashes of brilliance she displayed during the preseason. Unfortunately Ruden would end up missing all 18 Pac-12 regular season games after a foot injury occurred the week of the conference opener. She would end up returning to in time for the Pac-12 Tournament and, despite having almost no practice in nine weeks, made an immediate impact as she scored 12 points in ASU's Pac-12 quarterfinal contest vs. UCLA. Fast forward to 2017-18 and Ruden was coming through with clutch shooting performances for ASU as she scored in double figures 14 times and finished second on the team in 3-point FGs (27). She scored a career-high 19 points in ASU's win vs. Idaho (Dec. 18, 2017) and was responsible for the game-winning basket in ASU's 83-81 win at Utah on Dec. 31, 2017. Ruden did not show any rust from the offseason as she came out and led ASU with 15 points (6-7 FGs) in its season opening win over Incarnate Word (Nov. 6). She is currently 2nd on the team with nine 3-pointers and 3rd in 3-point FG pct. (40.9).
 
INTERNATIONAL IMPACT
Over the summer three Sun Devils – junior Kiara Russell and freshmen Taya Hanson and Iris Mbulito – not only played in international competition but were also part of teams that won a medal.

Mbulito earned MVP honors as she helped Spain claim the gold medal at the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship in Sopron, Hungary. Mbulito posted a double-double (21 points, 12 rebounds) in the championship game in leading Spain to a convincing 69-50 win over Serbia. Mbulito, who had the game-winning basket with five seconds remaining in Spain's 51-50 quarterfinal win over France, averaged 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds (team high), 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in the tournament (seven games). She also recorded a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) in the win over France.

Russell was a member of the U.S. team that won the gold at the FISU America Games. Russell was part of a squad that defeated its four opponents – Mexico, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil – by an average of 43.8 points. The USA claimed the gold with a 59-42 win in the championship game. The FISU America Games are a multi-sport event sanctioned by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). 

Hanson averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals in helping lead Canada to a silver medal at the FIBA U18 Women's Americas Championship. Hanson came one rebound short of a double-double (14 points, nine rebounds) in Canada's opening game of the tournament against Colombia. She would surpass that performance with a 16-point, 11-rebound outing in Canada's quarterfinal victory over Chile. Canada won its first five contests by an average of 23.2 points before falling to the USA in the gold medal game. 
 
HOME SWEET HOME
ASU has made Wells Fargo Arena one of the toughest places to play in recent years as they have won 84.7 percent of their home games (72-13) going back to the 2013-14 season, including a 13-3 mark last season. On average ASU outscored the opposition 72.4-53.2 at home in 2017-18. 
 
2017-18 REVIEW
The Sun Devils finished 22-13 and 10-8 in the Pac-12 (6th place) last season. They made their 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament (13th under the direction of head coach Charli Turner Thorne) and tied the school record for consecutive NCAA appearances (5) and 20-win seasons (5). A win over No. 10 Oregon State enabled ASU to make its eighth appearance in the semifinal round of the Pac-12 Tournament.

ASU finished among the Top 30 in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (12th/11.7), assist-to-turnover ratio (16th/1.35), fewest fouls per game (22nd/14.1) and assists (29th/552). They were also among the top third in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (1st/57.8 ppg), rebounding defense (1st/30.1), assist-to-turnover ratio (2nd/1.4), rebounding margin (3rd/+6.5), 3-point FG percentage defense (3rd/30.0), turnover margin (tied for 3rd/+3.10), field goal percentage (4th/44.1), assists (4th/15.8 apg) and scoring margin (4th/+10.0). It was the second time in four years that ASU led the league in scoring defense (also in 2014-15).

Kianna Ibis (All-Pac-12) and Robbi Ryan (All-Pac-12 honorable mention and Pac-12 All-Defensive honorable mention) both earned Pac-12 honors. ASU's leading scorer last season, Ibis scored in double figures 23x, including a career-high 30 points in ASU's win at Utah (Dec. 31), the most points by a Sun Devil since 2004.

Guards Reili Richardson (fourth) and Kiara Russell (16th) both finished among the top 20 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio, helping ASU shatter the school record for fewest turnovers per game (11.7/previous record was 14.3 set by the 2014-15 team). Courtney Ekmark led ASU with 57 triples and tied single-game school record with seven 3-pointers vs. Arkansas.
 
CHARLI TURNER THORNE HAS SUN DEVIL WBB AMONG NATION'S ELITE 
The all-time winningest coach in program history and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in career wins (429), Charli Turner Thorne has turned Sun Devil women's basketball into one of the nation's premiere programs since taking over in 1996-97. Included in ASU's earlier run of 13 consecutive postseason appearances (2000-12) were a school record five-consecutive NCAA Tournament bids from 2005-09. During that time ASU qualified for the Elite Eight on a pair of occasions, making it one of only 15 programs in the country to have qualified for the Elite Eight at least two times between 2007-12. Last season ASU matched the school record for consecutive years making the NCAA Tournament (five) and consecutive seasons (five) with 20 or more win (13th NCAA appearance under Turner Thorne). 

In 2016 Turner Thorne was named the  Pac-12 Coach of the Year (coaches and media), the second time she has been recognized with the honor (2001), after leading the Sun Devils to their second regular season Pac-12 championship. ASU would go on to earn its highest NCAA Tournament seed (No. 2) in program history. In 2016 ASU has also tied the program records for most conference wins (16) and consecutive wins (15) and set the program record for most road wins (11). Turner Thorne would go on to also be named the WBCA Region 5 Co-Coach of the Year.  In 2014-15 Turner Thorne was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year for a season in which she led the Sun Devils to their best start in school history (18-1), their best conference start in school history (7-0), a second-place finish in the Pac-12 and 29 wins, the second-highest number of wins in school history. In 2013-14 Turner Thorne raised the curtain on the team's current era of success as she helped the Sun Devils post one of the best turnarounds in the country as they went from a 13-18 record and a ninth-place Pac-12 finish (5-13) in 2012-13 to a 23-10 record and fourth-place Pac-12 finish (11-7). Included among ASU's 23 wins in 2013-14 were three triumphs over Top 25 teams. The outstanding success Sun Devil women's basketball has enjoyed under Turner Thorne is a 180-degree difference from the program that had an aggregate record of 20-60 in the three years prior to her arrival and only two NCAA Tournament wins in its history.
 
SUN DEVIL WBB CONTINUES TO BE THE PAC-12'S BEST IN THE CLASSROOM
A league-high and school-record-tying eight Arizona State University women's basketball players were named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Academic teams in 2018.
Headlining the list for ASU were forward Jamie Ruden, who earned first-team honors, and guard Robbi Ryan, who earned second-team recognition.

The eight awards tied the school record for most student-athletes on the Pac-12's All-Academic Team. The 2006-07 team also had eight (two on first team, one on second team and five honorable mention).

In 2017 ASU finished among the nation's best in combined team GPA. With a final team GPA of 3.672 for the 2016-17 academic year the Sun Devils finished fifth in the nation (the highest ranking in program history) among Division I institutions in the WBCA's annual Academic Top 25.  The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III; NAIA and junior/community college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2016-17 season is the 22nd in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

ASU's No. 5 finish represented the second time in three seasons the Sun Devils were among the top 10 programs in the country after placing seventh (3.558) for the 2014-15 academic year. In 2016-17 ASU was one of only eight teams around the country to be included in the WBCA's Top 25 and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Of those eight, ASU and DePaul were the only two schools to advance past the first round.