Through four quarters Saturday, the Wildcats and Sun Devils traded punches in front of nearly 9,000 fans at McKale Center at Alkeme Arena in a game that saw Noelani Cornfield score a career-high 24 points and the Wildcats on the verge of stunning their in-state rivals.
But rivalries aren’t scripted.
ASU scored a late bucket to tie the score at 61, pushing the game into overtime.
Five hard-battled minutes later, the Wildcats' near-victory slipped through their fingers as ASU won 75-69.
The Wildcats started off with strong momentum, sharing the ball and avoiding turnovers that have plagued them this season. Guard Kamryn Kitchen had a nice fast break leading to easy buckets from Cornfield at the rim, setting the tone for scoring opportunities, leaving ASU trailing 17-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Arizona guard Noelani Cornfield earns two points for the Wildcats against ASU at McKale Center, Feb. 14, 2026.
Sumayah Sugapong poured in seven first-quarter points before a sea of red, with the exception of a group of bright-gold clad ASU fans who tried to outchant the thundering chorus of “U of A.”
“Tucson did their thing, per usual,” UA head coach Becky Burke said at the post-game briefing.
Cornfield and Nora Francois, who were out for UA’s road game against Cincinnati on Wednesday, came off the bench five minutes into the first quarter and helped move the ball around for the Wildcats.
Sugapong found her rhythm beyond the arc and finished the half with 10 points while Arizona dominated the boards early, out-rebounding ASU 19-10 heading into halftime. Despite 15 first-half turnovers, the Wildcats tied the score at 30 going into the half.
“I mean, we only had five turnovers in the entire second half,” Burke said. “We had 15 turnovers at halftime, but we cleaned it up. We made the adjustment, and we put ourselves in a position to win the basketball game.”
The third quarter tightened defensively for ASU. Marley Washenitz pressured Sugapong heavily on the perimeter, and the Sun Devils’ size in the paint forced Arizona to work for every finish.
Arizona guard Sumayah Sugapong (3) battles against ASU’s Marley Washenitz (11) during the first half at McKale Center, Feb. 14, 2026.
Tanyuel Welch battled inside to reach double figures, while ASU’s Jyah LoVett hit deep 3s to keep the Sun Devils’ offense alive.
With tension rising and both teams getting worked up over a reviewed foul call on Washenitz, ASU took a 52-49 lead going into the fourth, with turnovers remaining nearly even at 17 for the Wildcats, 15 for ASU.
The fourth quarter was pure rivalry back and forth. Cornfield opened with a fast break bucket to kick things off early for the Arizona offense, and the rest of the quarter became a call-and-answer battle. Welch and Francois fought for key rebounds while Cornfield continued to attack the paint relentlessly, scoring through contact and multiple defenders on the way to her career milestone.
“I never question anything from a basketball standpoint with Lani and her effort and how hard she’s going to play and how much she’s going to want to win when the ball is tipped off,” Burke said. “And she was her fantastic self as a basketball player today.”
Late in regulation, both sides faced foul trouble. ASU’s LoVett fouled out with 2:31 left, and her teammate Washenitz picked up her fifth with 1:11 remaining.
Sugapong tied the game at 57 with just over two minutes left, then hit two free throws to give Arizona a 59-57 lead. Cornfield extended it to 61-57, giving the Wildcats control late.
But as Burke later pointed out, the margin for error was extremely thin.
Arizona coach Becky Burke yells at her team from the sideline during the game against Arizona State at McKale Center, Feb. 14, 2026.
“We foul a three-point shooter. Like, silly,” Burke said. “Players make plays in big moments and they did that. We were in a position to win it, and then we did a couple silly things where we gave them some hope.”
ASU's McKinna Brackens hit a late bucket to tie the game and force overtime.
In the extra period, Arizona maintained pressure at the rim, and Cornfield added to her season-high performance with another jumper in the paint. But ASU capitalized at the free-throw line and from deep.
Gabby Elliott knocked down a crucial 3 to extend the Sun Devils’ lead, and Arizona’s late fouls gave ASU additional opportunities at the line. Despite forcing a late turnover when ASU stepped out of bounds, the Wildcats couldn’t recover.
Burke emphasized how difficult it is for a young team to regroup after a late shot forces overtime.
“It’s hard for a team that’s young … to see a shot like that go in to send it to overtime when you think you’re about to win, then regroup and be mature and tough enough to play a solid five minutes,” she said. “But I’m proud of them.”
Arizona forward Nora Francois (13) attempts a shot for the Wildcats against ASU forward Heloisa Carrera (14) in the second half at McKale Center, Feb. 14, 2026.
ASU head coach Molly Miller echoed the significance of the moment.
“I know we won on the scoreboard, but women’s basketball won today,” Miller said. “When you can draw eyes to your sport through rivalry, that’s a win-win.”
And while the scoreboard favored the Sun Devils, Arizona once again proved it can compete in games many wouldn’t expect.
“We’ve been in so many basketball games this year that if you pull up both rosters, you’d never think that we would be in,” Burke said. “That’s a credit to our players, how hard they play and how much they believe we can win on any given night.”
Arizona will stay in Tucson to play Colorado on Tuesday in the first of its four remaining regular-season games.
