After a six-year absence, the Arizona State women’s basketball team returned to the NCAA Tournament after a record-breaking season under first-year head coach Molly Miller.

Miller brought the best start in program history and 24 total wins after taking the reins of a program that had won just 21 games in the previous two seasons combined. After being on the bubble for a large majority of the final stretch of the season, a run to the quarterfinals in the Big 12 Tournament gave the committee reason to put the Sun Devils in the field of 68.

ASU (24-11, 9-9 Big 12) lost to now 10-seeded Virginia (20-11, 11-7 ACC) 57-55 in an electric Iowa City First Four matchup on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Prior to Thursday, it was reported that Miller did not initially travel with the team because the coach was dealing with an illness in the days leading up to the game. Despite the setback, Miller was able to travel at a later date and was present for the game against the Cavaliers.

Virginia secured a near wire-to-wire win as it trailed just once in the game when the score was 2-0. 

While the Sun Devils only lead once, the team kept the contest competitive with the Cavaliers never allowing them to build their lead to double digits during the game.

Senior guard Marley Washenitz led all scorers in the game with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting and five threes made. Washenitz’s five threes served as a new career high for the guard in what was likely her last game ever at the collegiate level. 

The Sun Devils as a team shot 20-55 from the field and 7-17 from behind the arc, while Virginia shot 21-65 from the field and 4-23 from three.

Outside of Washenitz, ASU had three other scorers reach double figures. Fifth-year guard Gabby Elliott scored 11 points on 3-11 shooting while contributing nine rebounds and four assists. Elliott was the Sun Devils’ leading scorer throughout the season, averaging 15.8 points per game.

Sun Devils sophomore forward Heloisa Carrera and junior forward McKinna Brackens each scored 10 points in the loss. Brackens also gathered 10 rebounds to go along with her offensive production.

Junior guard Kymora Johnson led the way for the Cavaliers, scoring 17 points while also adding 10 rebounds and five assists. 

Johnson was one of three double-digit scorers for Virginia, as senior forward Caitlin Weimar and senior guard Romi Levy each reached double figures in the contest.

Weimar totaled 11 points in 32 minutes of game time on 4-5 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds. Levy scored 10 points on 4-12 shooting with two threes made.

The advantage in the box score for the Cavaliers came in the turnover department as Virginia forced 16 ASU turnovers and converted them into 12 of its 57 points. The Cavaliers also maintained a slight advantage in rebounding, 42-39, and outrebounded the Sun Devils on the offensive glass by a plus-six margin.

Virginia will travel to Sacramento to face off against seven seeded Georgia in a round of 64 clash.

ASU heads into the offseason with high hopes going into next season, with it being year two under Miller and the incoming 46th-ranked recruiting class.