Makayla Moore did not play for the Arizona State women’s basketball team in its 68-61 win Wednesday night against arch-rival Arizona. The senior guard wasn’t even healthy for the game.
However, ASU coach Molly Miller specifically called out Moore after the victory for the ways she did impact the team.
“She did a one-sheeter on the history of Arizona, Arizona State rivalry, and left them at the lockers,” Miller said. “No one asked her to do that. She did this on her own. Here’s someone that couldn’t directly impact the game, but she wanted to be a part of it in a way. I just thought that was so cool. She had things on there that I learned that was new.”
Moore’s actions were only one entry on a laundry list of ways participants showed their passion for the rivalry between the two teams.
Miller also pointed to a group chat in which assistant coach and ASU graduate Stephanie Norman participated.
“Today, Steph read them one by one,” Miller said. “It was: ‘Tuning in ESPN.’ ‘I’m in there in spirit.’ ‘Wish I could be there.’ ‘Forks up.’ It’s just so infectious when you have this rivalry game and so many people are tuned in, so many people have stake in the game, that it’s been really fun to hear the hype and the buzz.”
The hype and buzz that Miller referenced is hard to overstate. In an historic showing, 6,121 fans showed up to Desert Financial Arena, the most ever to attend the matchup in Tempe. The difference maker in the game was ASU’s play down the stretch, with the Sun Devils sinking 12 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter and the defense holding Arizona scoreless over the last 2:13 of the game.
THANK YOU, FANS🫶 pic.twitter.com/3alTDz02lE
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) January 29, 2026
When it comes to building an atmosphere and environment that sets a new standard for ASU women’s basketball, Miller credits more than just the people inside the locker room.
“There’s so many people behind the scenes,” Miller said. “I wish I could spout out all their names, but that would be a list of 100-plus. Our girls understand that and they’re very grateful for those that are pouring into the program. Whether it’s tickets or facilities or concessions or band, cheer, dance, everyone’s bought into this.”
For a rivalry as contentious as Arizona State vs. Arizona, the intense nature bleeds along the 100-mile-plus stretch that separates the two schools.
Wildcats coach Becky Burke, like Miller, is in her first season at the helm. While Arizona’s 10-10 record doesn’t match ASU’s 18-4 mark, Burke was just as motivated for the first clash between the first-year head coaches.
“I’m not good with rivalries because I take it way too serious,” Burke said. “I’m too competitive. It’s been all I’ve been thinking about, all I’ve been focused on, and I know (the Sun Devils) were the same way. So this one hurts a little bit more, stings a little bit more.”
Heading into the rivalry, the players knew the feeling would be different from other games on the schedule.
ASU senior guard Gabby Elliott previously played at Clemson, Michigan State and Penn State before arriving in Tempe. Having spent her entire six-year career at big-name programs, she highlighted the intensity of the Arizona State-Arizona rivalry.
“It comes back to the fans and the people,” Elliott said. “I’ve never heard as many people talk about it as much like it was at Michigan State. Of course, Michigan is a rival because I grew up there, but it’s not as big as it is here. You don’t even say their name here, it’s ‘team down south.’ That is something I really haven’t been a part of. It’s a true rivalry here, and it’s bigger than just basketball.”
With enhanced feelings surrounding both programs, fans made sure to show out for the clash from the very beginning. Even before tip off, fans were engaged in a battle of noise.
As lineups were being announced, a large crowd of Arizona fans made sure to make their voices heard, at times overpowering the noise from the Sun Devil faithful.
The trend of crowd noise continued after the game began.
At the beginning of the third quarter, the Wildcats went on an 8-0 run before ASU called a timeout.
As Desert Financial Arena waited for play to resume, noise from the fans was deafening. While Wildcat fans started “U of A” chants, the home crowd countered with even louder “ASU” chants. Arizona fans reacted, raising their voices, and ASU fans followed suit right after. The dueling crowd noise carried through the entire break in play.
Right when crowd noise seemed to hit a peak, the fans impressed again. After a 10-4 run from the Sun Devils, fans vocalized their support.
With the game close after the third quarter, the fans inside the arena delivered a fitting finale in the fourth. After a steal by Elliott with 43 seconds left all but clinched the game, ASU fans reached their peak of excitement, while the UA support was silenced.
As the arena continued to buzz after the conclusion of the game, Miller showed her appreciation the only way she knew how.
She started hyping up the crowd behind the bench. Then, she went over to the student section and circled around the arena, all the way back until she reached the tunnel to return to the locker room.
FIRE US UP COACH 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/CRnJ7OQTmk
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) January 29, 2026
Her energy at a fever pitch, she explained her frenetic actions.
“That’s the only way I can thank them, right?” Miller said. “I wish I could go fist bump and hug every single 6,000-plus of them, but that’s just a moment of, I’m so gracious for their support.”
With the second clash of the season between the teams set for Feb. 14, fans can expect the McKale Center in Tucson to feature less love than usual on Valentine’s Day.
After experiencing the rowdy Tempe fan base, Burke didn’t think it was anything new.
“It was great,” Burke said. “I’m happy for them. We play in that environment every night.”
After being informed of Burke’s comments, Elliott took the opportunity to respond.
“Hopefully they bring a little bit more, because they’re going to need it,” Elliott said.
Sitting right next to her, ASU freshman guard Amaya Williams had the perfect response.
“Oh, shoot!” she said, with a knowing smile.
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