Arizona

Arizona State Secures Win Over Utah to Boost Tournament Case

Published

1 month ago

February 12, 2026

Arizona State Secures Win Over Utah to Boost Tournament Case

TEMPE — The Arizona State Sun Devils (20-6, 7-6 Big 12) took down the Utah Utes (16-9, 7-6) to complete the season sweep by a score of 71-61 on Wednesday night at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

The Sun Devils are coming off of a narrow 67-64 loss to Baylor on Saturday, while Utah lost to Iowa State in a tightly contested game as well.

Arizona State went into the night in need of a victory to stay on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble, as they are largely considered a “last four in team” – defeating Utah for a second time would serve as an impeccable profile-booster as far as a tournament case goes.

Follow key aspects of the game below with Arizona State on SI.

ASU Sun Devils forward McKinna Brackens 921) fights for a loose ball with Kansas State Wildcats guard Taryn Sides (11) at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Feb. 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

First Half

Arizona State took a 15-11 lead into the second quarter behind impressive efforts from forwards Heloisa Carrera and McKinna Brackens.

Arizona state was outscored in the second quarter 19-18, but still took a 33-30 advantage into halftime behind a balanced scoring effort from the starting unit.

Utah’s Lani White was a standout in the first half of action – scoring 12 points in the first 20 minutes, serving as a catalyst for a Utah offense that took time to get into a groove.

Second Half

The Sun Devils started out the third quarter with a 16-13 advantage when guard Marley Washenitz knocked down a three-point look to gift the team a 52-43 lead which resulted in a Utah timeout with 1:23 remaining in the half.

The 52-43 lead stuck around for the remaining minute of the quarter, although Utah managed to cut into the deficit in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter.

In the end, Arizona State’s defense, a late scoring surge by guard Gabby Elliot, and a strong team-wide effort from behind the three point line ensured a win.

Key Performances

Gabby Elliott – 19 PTS, 5 REB, 4 STL

McKinna Brackens – 14 PTS, 6 AST, 3 BLK

Heloisa Carrera – 12 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST

What’s Next

Arizona State is set to hit the road for two games – this begins with a trip to face the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, and concludes with taking on Iowa State on February 18. The Sun Devils likely need to win three or more games to ensure that they are in the tournament field come mid-March – it seems as if they are ready to take on that challenge.

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

Please follow us on X when you click right here, as well as @khicks_21 for nonstop Arizona State coverage!

Source link

Arizona

Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers live updates. Arizona DH back in the lineup

Published

5 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers live updates. Arizona DH back in the lineup

LOS ANGELES — After tests on his sore elbow revealed no structural damage, Pavin Smith took batting practice and was declared ready to return to the Diamondbacks’ lineup.

Smith, who was a late scratch on Opening Day, was a late addition on Day 2. He will bat fifth and serve as the designated hitter, sending Tim Tawa to the bench.

Smith is a relatively important member of the Diamondbacks lineup as a potential impact hitter against right-handed pitching. Last year, he hit .265/.361/.456 with eight homers against righties in 226 at-bats.

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34

Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.39)* vs. Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 2.82)*.

At Dodger Stadium: Nelson opened last season in the bullpen but moved into the rotation full time after RHP Corbin Burnes went down with elbow surgery. He was impressive from that point on, putting up a 3.38 ERA across 20 starts from June 1 onward. … Nelson faced the Dodgers three times (two starts) last season, giving up four runs in 13 innings with one walk and 12 strikeouts. … Nelson has solid career numbers against most Dodgers hitters, including 3B Max Muncy, who is 0 for 8 with three walks and five strikeouts. … Sheehan, 26, a sixth-round pick out of Boston College in 2021, returned from Tommy John surgery last year and performed well, logging a 2.82 ERA in 73 1/3 innings. He also logged important innings for the Dodgers out of the bullpen in the postseason. … Sheehan has never faced the Diamondbacks. … Last season, he averaged 95.6 mph with his four-seam fastball. He also threw a slider and change-up with the occasional curveball.

Coming up

Saturday, March 28: At Los Angeles, 6:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-9, 5.02)* vs. Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.19)*.

Sunday, March 29: Off.

Monday, March 30: At Chase Field, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (3-8, 4.52)* vs. Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (4-11, 3.85)*.

Tuesday, March 31: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (13-9, 5.25)* vs. Tigers RHP Casey Mize (14-6, 3.87)*.

* — stats from 2025.

(This story will be updated. Check back soon.)

Source link

Arizona

Make-A-Wish Arizona creates sea turtle adventure for San Tan Valley boy

Published

17 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Make-A-Wish Arizona creates sea turtle adventure for San Tan Valley boy

Boats, beaches, and buckets of fun! Just the way you’d expect a boy to spend his Florida vacation!

But there was something else 11-year-old Miles Boyd got to do last year when he and his family traveled to Florida. It was a sea turtle adventure that truly became the trip of a lifetime.

“I had never been to the ocean before,” explained Miles. “So see that just wowed me. It was amazing!”

Miles and his family also got to see baby sea turtles on the beach at night.

“The ocean is so mysterious,” says Miles. “It’s such a big place, and the fact that these turtles can move but are so tiny and when they go in the ocean, they get to hundreds of pounds.”

In so many ways, the trip to Palm Beach County, Florida, was a dream vacation for Miles and his family, but it only came after what was a living nightmare.

“I couldn’t imagine losing him,” says Miles’ mom, Natasha.

It was the harsh reality that Natasha had to face after learning her son Miles had a cancerous brain tumor.

“The world just stopped,” Natasha says about the moment she found out the devastating news. “I just sat on the floor and cried.”

Even Miles admits he was scared.

“I’m just a kid, you know what I mean?” he says. “It’s a lot to handle all at once.”

After three brain surgeries, countless hours of therapy and rehab, and having to take a chemo medication twice daily, Miles proved to the world he is a true survivor!

And his trip to Florida, through Make-A-Wish Arizona, proved to be the medication he never knew he needed.

Miles explains that the trip motivated him to keep going.

“It showed me that I made it to this car, and I can keep going,” he says. “I started at the lowest of lows, and now, I’m on a beach – it just gave me confidence and motivated me that I could keep going.”

Last year alone, Make-A-Wish Arizona granted 476 wishes; they’ve also fulfilled more than 8,500 since being founded in 1980.

Across the Globe, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes since 1980

Miles and Nick Ciletti will co-host Make-A-Wish Arizona’s Wish Ball on Saturday! To learn more about Make-A-Wish Arizona, click here.

Source link

Arizona

11 illegal Indian national truck drivers arrested at Arizona border last month

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

11 illegal Indian national truck drivers arrested at Arizona border last month

Eleven illegal Indian national truck drivers were arrested at the Arizona border in the month of February.

The Yuma Sector Border Patrol arrested 11 total Indian national truck drivers in Yuma, Arizona in February 2026.

According to a Facebook post by the Yuma Sector Border Patrol, all 11 truck drivers held commercial drivers licenses from the states of Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and California. All were “found to be present in the United States illegally.”

“Border Patrol remains committed to upholding immigration laws and protecting our communities,” the post continued.

Source link