Preview: Struggling Houston Faces Arizona State in Big 12 Women’s Basketball TEMPE, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Arizona State Sun Devils look to rebound from a rare blowout loss when they host the struggling Houston Cougars in a Big 12 women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. Arizona State (21-7), which entered the week as a potential ranked team, is coming off a 90-64 road defeat to Iowa State on Wednesday. The Sun Devils had won three of their previous four, including a key 75-69 overtime victory at rival Arizona on Feb. 14. Houston (7-19) seeks to halt a five-game losing streak, most recently a 72-50 home loss to TCU on Wednesday. The Cougars’ last win was a 72-70 victory over Cincinnati on Feb. 1. The game features a contrast in standout guards. Arizona State is led by McKinna Brackens, who averages 18.5 points per game. She scored 21 in the loss to Iowa State and had 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win at Arizona. Houston’s offensive catalyst is Kyndall Hunter, who erupted for 20 points against TCU. She also scored 23 in the win over Cincinnati. Her production will be critical for a Cougars team that has been held under 70 points in 10 consecutive games. Arizona State’s defense, which allows an average of 65.2 points, will aim to contain Hunter and force Houston into a half-court game. The Sun Devils have been strong at home this season, boasting a 12-2 record in Tempe. Houston, in its first season of Big 12 play, has found conference competition difficult, going 2-13 against league opponents. The Cougars rank near the bottom of the conference in both scoring offense and defense. The Sun Devils won the first meeting this season, 77-46, in Houston on Jan. 4. Brackens scored 15 points in that contest. Saturday’s game tips off at 2 p.m. local time. Arizona State visits Texas Tech on March 1, while Houston travels to face Arizona on Tuesday.