ASU Women's Basketball Opens 2-0 Against UNLV Test
Arizona State's women's basketball team has won its first two games of the 2026-27 season and travels to face UNLV.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Basketball
Arizona State women's basketball is 2-0 to start the 2026-27 season after beating Jackson State and Northern Arizona. The Sun Devils next travel to Las Vegas to face UNLV, which was picked to top the Mountain West in the preseason poll.
Why it matters
The road matchup against a preseason Mountain West favorite offers an early test of Arizona State's depth after a 9-9 Big 12 finish last season. Its early results will show whether a transfer-portal focus on guard depth is paying off.
Ruby Whitehorn leads the team at 16.5 points per game, while Rashunda Jones averages 10.5 and Heloisa Carrera and McKinna Brackens each average 11, based on the first two games of the season. Last season the team went 15-0 in non-conference play but finished 9-9 in the Big 12, and how it performs on the road against UNLV remains unknown.
The players
Arizona State Sun Devils
The women's basketball program of Arizona State University, a Big 12 Conference member based in Tempe, Arizona.
UNLV Rebels
The women's basketball program of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a Mountain West Conference member.
Lindy La Rocque
The head coach of Arizona State women's basketball, who has led the program to three NCAA Tournament appearances since 2021.
The details
Arizona State beat Jackson State and Northern Arizona, with Whitehorn scoring 25 points against Northern Arizona in Tempe on Thursday. The team went to the transfer portal this offseason to add guard depth and has relied on dominance in the paint from its forwards.
Timeline
Last season: Arizona State went 15-0 in non-conference play and 9-9 in the Big 12.
This offseason: Arizona State entered the transfer portal to improve guard depth.
Thursday: Arizona State beat Northern Arizona in Tempe.
Tuesday night: Arizona State plays UNLV in Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. MST.
Season Trajectory
Arizona State's transfer-portal additions to its backcourt are being tested against conference play after a 9-9 Big 12 finish last season. Early results against UNLV will help determine whether the team can move up the standings in a league where it has not yet been consistently competitive.
Fantasy managers tracking Whitehorn's 16.5 points per game should note her 25-point outing against Northern Arizona. The Tuesday game at UNLV is the first road test that will show whether the team's early scoring balance holds up away from home.
The takeaway
Early-season results can signal depth changes, but a single road game against a preseason favorite will reveal more about Arizona State's realistic conference ceiling than its perfect start.
What happens next
Arizona State is scheduled to play UNLV on Tuesday night in Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. MST.
Further reading
For more on the program's recent results, see Tempe Basketball coverage.
