Arizona opens Big XII Tournament against Arizona State on Wednesday

Arizona and Arizona State will play for the third time this season when the Wildcats and Sun Devils play on Wednesday in the Big XII Tournament first round in Kansas City at 4:30 PM Mountain Standard Time on ESPN+. The Sun Devils won 68-61 in Tempe on January 28 and 75-69 in Tucson on February 14.

Arizona finished the regular season 12-17 overall and 3-15 in the Big XII. Arizona State is 22-9 overall and was 9-9 in the Big XII entering the conference tournament. The Sun Devils are the 10th seed in the Big XII Tournament and the Wildcats are the 15 seed.

Arizona trailed 33-26 at halftime, before rallying in the third quarter to take a 43-35 lead. The Sun Devils closed the third quarter with a 15-6 run to take a 50-49 lead at the entering the fourth. Leading 60-59, Arizona State closed the game on an 8-2 run to win 68-61.

In the game in Tucson, Arizona State scored the final four points in regulation and closed the game with another 8-2 run to earn the 75-69 overtime win over the Wildcats. The two wins by Arizona State over Arizona this season ended a seven-game streak for the Wildcats over the Sun Devils.

Very different inaugural seasons for head coaches

Arizona, under Becky Burke and Arizona State, with Molly Miller, had very different inaugural seasons with their new head coaches. The Sun Devils are listed as the first four teams out by Charlie Creme of ESPN in the Women's NCAA Tournament Bracketology.

Arizona can make its season by avoiding a three-game sweep of the season series over Arizona State. A loss by the Sun Devils to the Wildcats on Wednesday will likely eliminate them from NCAA Tournament consideration.

The winner between Arizona and Arizona State will play seventh-seeded Iowa State on Thursday at 4:30 PM on ESPN+. Second-seeded West Virginia awaits the winner of the Wildcats, Sun Devils and Cyclones on Friday, also at 4:30 PM MST. TCU won the regular season Big XII title and is the number one seed in the tournament.