Molly Miller gets a quick reunion in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, and it comes against a familiar face. Arizona State is set to meet UNLV on Nov. 10, with former Sun Devil Marley Washenitz on the other side of the floor.
Washenitz spent last season at ASU, and she left a strong enough impression that Miller and others around the program sometimes called the two “twins” because of their similar look. The connection was brief - just one year - but clearly meaningful on both sides.
“I’m so thankful that we had a year together,” Miller said in an interview shared on Instagram. “Thank goodness because she’s really kind of the billboard of what the program needs to look like.
It was a two-way street and so I’m so proud of her of embracing ASU. I mean, she came all the way across the country.
She embraced the people. She embraced the community and they embraced her right back.
And I’m just proud of her to take a blind leap of faith with me, and I couldn’t imagine this team without Marley.”
Washenitz returned the feeling after hearing Miller’s message. She said she was grateful for her year with Miller, called her a major inspiration and said maybe someday she could end up on Miller’s staff.
The guard’s path to Tempe included three seasons at Pittsburgh before she transferred to Arizona State. Last season, she averaged 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists while starting all 35 games for the Sun Devils. She also delivered one of the most memorable moments of the matchup with UNLV last season, burying the game-winning shot on an improbable buzzer-beater.
Arizona State enters the game at 2-0. UNLV is 1-1.
In Other News...
Scott Frost Just Framed Arizona States UCF Trip As A Real Test
Arizona States first trip to Central Florida carries a little extra edge because it comes with a fresh set of eyes from the other sideline. UCF coach Scott Frost used a recent press conference to size up the Sun Devils, pointing to the quality of their quarterback play and the strength of their defense as he framed the matchup as more than just another nonconference date on the schedule.
For Arizona State, the visit to Orlando is a chance to measure itself in a place it has never played before, against a coach who clearly expects a real challenge. The Sun Devils and Knights meet Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1:30 p.m. MST on ESPN2, and the intrigue now is whether Arizona State can back up that respect with a road performance that travels well. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Faces Its First Real Test With Early Questions Still Lingering
Arizona State opened the season with two wins over East Tennessee State and Northern Colorado, a solid start that has given Randy Bennetts group a little breathing room before the schedule tightens. The early returns have included encouraging play from Paulius Murauskas and Bryce Ford, and the Sun Devils have already shown enough to suggest there is some scoring punch and versatility in the mix.
Hofstra brings a different kind of test, though, with size and a deliberate style that can expose any team still sorting out its rotation. Arizona State is still dealing with injuries and the natural early-season adjustments that come with figuring out who fits where, so this matchup should say a lot more about where the Sun Devils really are than the first two games did. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Has An Early Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Arizona State is back in Tempe for another game in its season-opening homestand, and the early returns have been encouraging enough to keep the building engaged. The Sun Devils are 2-0 after a recent win over Northern Colorado, while Hofstra arrives at 1-1 after a loss to Princeton, setting up a nonconference matchup that should offer another early measuring stick for a team still trying to establish its identity.
Randy Bennett has already seen enough to know the Sun Devils have some positives to build on, but this is also the kind of game that can expose how quickly a promising start can be tested. Hofstra comes in with Speedy Claxton also having plenty to sort through after the Princeton game, and with both teams carrying early-season momentum and questions, Arizona States first real stretch at home is starting to feel like more than just a tune-up. [Read more 🡒]