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The ESPN BPI Expects West Virginia to Protect Home Floor vs. Arizona State

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The ESPN BPI Expects West Virginia to Protect Home Floor vs. Arizona State


It’s a rather quick turnaround for the West Virginia Mountaineers, who are coming off yet another massive win, this time over second-ranked Iowa State.

Tonight, Darian DeVries and Co. will welcome the Arizona State Sun Devils to the WVU Coliseum for the first time in what will be the first-ever matchup between the two programs.

West Virginia University basketball

West Virginia University basketball / Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) matchup predictor, West Virginia has a 75.2% chance to improve to 14-4, while Arizona State has a 24.8% chance to pick up their second win in league play.

Given Arizona State’s struggles throughout the first half of the season, this number feels like it’s in the right spot. They have the talent to win some games in the Big 12 and aren’t likely to finish in the bottom three or four, so that’s why it’s hard to justify going much higher than the 75%. Plus, can WVU control its emotions and put the Iowa State win to bed?

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West Virginia Mountaineers fans celebrate on the court. Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Ben Queen-Imagn Images

For the Mountaineers to remain in the Big 12 title picture, they really needed to go 1-1 at worst last week against a pair of top-10 teams, and they did exactly that. They fought as long as they could on the road at Houston but just wore out at the end of the second half. DeVries’ squad was able to bounce back and protect its home floor on Saturday, knocking off No. 2 Iowa State on the day they honored the legendary Jerry West.

Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bob Hurley. Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Sun Devils lost both of their games last week against UCF and Cincinnati by six and seven points, respectively. In their loss to UCF, ASU shot the ball extremely well, going 52% from the floor and 50% (12/24) from three-point range. They accomplished just about everything they wanted to do offensively. The problem is that UCF did as well. The loss to Cincinnati was more of an old-school slugfest where they found themselves trailing by 14 at the half. They outscored the Bearcats in the second half, but it was too little, too late.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

Big 12 Title Race: It’s “Take Care of Business Week” for West Virginia

West Virginia Returns to the AP Top 25

Jahmile Addae is One Game Away from Coaching in the Super Bowl

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Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings + Schedule: Week of 1/20



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Arizona’s dry heat may be deadlier than we thought

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Arizona’s dry heat may be deadlier than we thought


New research suggests Phoenix’s dry heat may be more dangerous than traditional heat models show. Scientists say the body reacts differently in extreme dry conditions, and Arizona’s record-breaking 2023 summer offers a warning. As hotter summers loom, experts say small steps like shade, misters and check-ins could save lives. Zach Prelutsky reports.



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Diamondbacks Fans Can Now Vote for Arizona’s All-Stars

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Diamondbacks Fans Can Now Vote for Arizona’s All-Stars


Believe it or not, the 2026 All-Star Game voting process has already begun, as of Wednesday. Fans who want to see their favorite members of the Arizona Diamondbacks take the field in the midsummer classic this season can begin voting for their stars.

There are certainly some deserving players on this Diamondbacks club, which is currently 32-28 and occupying the third Wild Card sport in the National League.

Here’s how and where you can vote for your hometown heroes:

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How to vote for Diamondbacks players to make All-Star Game

Arizona Diamondbacks batter Ketel Marte (4) rounds the bases after his 2-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field in Phoenix on June 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Fans can utilize the following link to vote for members of their team on dbacks.com. Fans are permitted to fill out and submit as many as five ballots per day, selecting as many or as few players as they choose.

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This period of the fan vote constitutes Phase 1 of All-Star voting, which will run from Wednesday, June 3 through Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time (12:00 p.m. Eastern time).

Following Phase 1, the two overall top vote-getters will receive automatic berths into the All-Star lineups. If those two are not Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge once again, that would be an upset.

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When and where is the 2026 All-Star Game?

Fans at Citizens Bank Park before the gates open on their NLCS game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 16, 2023. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2026 All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies in Philadelphia. All-Star week begins on June 10, with a full slate of activities, before the game is played on Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time (5:00 p.m. Arizona time).

The full schedule of events are as follows:

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  • Friday, July 10: HBCU Swingman Classic
  • Saturday, July 11: 2026 MLB Draft
  • Sunday, July 12: All-Star Sunday, MLB Futures Game, MLBx All-Star 3-on-3
  • Monday, July 13: T-Mobile Home Run Derby (8:00 p.m. ET)
  • Tuesday, July 14: All-Star Red Carpet, All-Star Game

Which Diamondbacks are deserving All-Stars?

Jun 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
| Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

So, who should Diamondbacks fans vote for? Obviously, you may fill out the ballot however you choose. That can include a full roster of Diamondbacks, regardless of their stats or notoriety this season.

Still, here are some of the top performing D-backs who might have a leg up on an All-Star berth:

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OF Corbin Carroll

Corbin Carroll is having another All-Star worthy season. He’s hitting .289/.380/.545 with a .925 OPS and eight home runs, while playing good right field defense. He has the eighth-most bWAR (2.7) among position players, fifth-most in the National League, and third-most among all pure outfielders.

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2B Ketel Marte

If Marte wins the NL second base fan vote, it will be his third straight season starting the All-Star game. Despite such a slow start to the year, that feels possible again. Marte is hitting .259/.315/.456 with 10 homers and is playing the best defense of his career.

3B Nolan Arenado

Nolan Arenado is quietly putting together one of his better seasons of the 2020s, slashing .269/.351/.467 with eight homers and flashing his elite third base glove at nearly as good a pace as ever. His name still carries a lot of weight in third base conversations; he’ll get some votes, no matter what.

1B Ildemaro Vargas

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Vargas’ bat has cooled down quite a bit since his historic start to 2026. He’s still hitting a sturdy .290/.318/.454, but feels more likely to be considered as a reserve selection than a leading vote-getter.

Honorable Mention: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez

Pitchers are not selected by the fan vote. They are selected by player ballots and the All-Star Game managers. The National League’s manager will be Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, again.

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The National League has quite a few talented pitchers, but Eduardo Rodriguez currently holds the fifth-best starting pitcher ERA (2.24) among NL hurlers. It’s going to be difficult to dethrone Christopher Sanchez or Jacob Misiorowski, but Rodriguez could find his way into the pitching pool, especially after his WBC heroics for Team Venezuela.

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Arizona State Adds Alabama Assistant Michael White To Coaching Staff

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Arizona State Adds Alabama Assistant Michael White To Coaching Staff


Arizona State has added Michael White to its coaching staff for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. White will join the program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

“I am incredibly honored to return to my home state and join this elite program,” White said. “I’m proud to say that I am coming home. I can’t thank Coach Herbie enough for the opportunity to join his incredible staff and help these young athletes grow and develop into the best individuals they can be. There are so many friends and mentors who have left their mark on this program, and I’m excited for the opportunity to leave mine and help take this program to new heights. Go Devils!” 

White arrives with the Sun Devils after most recently spending the last three seasons with Alabama as an assistant. The Alabama women finished 11th at the 2026 NCAA Championships while the men were 24th.

Prior to arriving at Alabama, White spent the 2022-2023 season as a volunteer assistant at Wisconsin. He primarily coached the freestyle, breaststroke and distance groups for the Badgers. In addition to coaching the Badgers, he also was an assistant senior coach with the Madison Aquatics Club for the year. He began his coaching career at Juniata College in Pennsylvania as a volunteer assistant from 2019-2021. 

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White spent his collegiate career at St. Bonaventure in New York. There he was a 7x individual Atlantic-10 champion and swam to three school records as a senior with a 1:47.30 200 IM, 3:52.18 400 IM, and a 1:47.70 200 fly. He also was team captain for two season and helped the team capture the 2014 A-10 team title.

The Scottsdale, Arizona native will return to his home state. He was a 2012 AIA Division I state champion in the 100 breast and 200 IM as a senior for Dobson High School.

White joins the coaching staff led by head coach Herbie Behm, who is already known to be an innovative coach. Behm spoke of White’s innovation as well saying, “Mike is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA. His interview blew me away with the innovative ideas he presented. I can’t wait to start implementing those ideas and continue our growth at ASU.”

Arizona State swept the 2026 Big 12 team titles, and the men went on to finish 4th at 2026 NCAAs while the women were 37th. Rising senior Ilya Kharun captured the NCAA title in the 200 fly with a 1:37.66.





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