NCAA Gymnastics News: Arizona Sun Devils Set to Defend 7-Year Winning Streak Against Rivals

No. 20 Sun Devil Gymnastics of Arizona State University is gearing up for this Thursday to face their arch-rivals in the Territorial Cup Series showdown. They are heading south to Tucson for a crucial matchup against the Arizona Wildcats. Both teams are equally enthralled vying for victory, which will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network. It is a highly contested affair, given the historical rivalry between the two teams.

ASU is aiming to extend its seven-year winning streak against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center. The squad, ranked No. 17, will contribute one point to the winning team in the Territorial Cup Series.

Rivalry meet against the Cats

The official Instagram handle, @sundevilgymnastics, took to update about the next match, which is a historic battle between ASU and the Wildcats. Posting pictures of the top Sun Devils gymnasts – all-around Hannah Scharf, Anaya Smith, and Jada Mangahas – the post is captioned, “Rivalry meet loading… 👀 We are heading down south this Thursday to take on the Cats 😈,” with the hashtag ForksUp.

For the past seven years consecutively from 2017 to 2023, the Sun Devils have been winning the point in Territory Series Cup. In none of the dual meets, ASU head coach Jay Santos has lost against Arizona.

The forthcoming rivalry matchup is the first ranked in the Territorial Cup Series since 2014. Last season, ASU triumphed over Arizona, when the Sun Devils hosted them. They had a strong floor performance, securing 196.800 calling a close victory to 196.475. And, with the aim to continue with their winning legacy, the face-off becomes an important milestone.

Sun Devil sets sights on Tucson after Stanford’s victory

The 2024 Sun Devil Gymnastics schedule kicked off with the Maroon and Gold Intrasquad on December 18, which was followed by the opener against Central Michigan on January 8. Now, in February, the ASU returned home to Arizona for the tri-meet with Cal and Oklahoma. This is followed by the road trips to Stanford (which was held on Feb 9) and Tucson for the Territorial Cup Series matchup against Arizona this February 15. Finally, ASU will host Washington on February 23 to close the month.

Read More: Watch: Arizona State’s Gymnastics Star Jackson Harrison’s NCAA Floor Routine Goes Viral

The regular season wraps up with home meets against UCLA and Southern Connecticut in March. This will be followed by the Pac-12 Championships on March 23 finally. ASU boasts standouts like Anaya Smith and Sarah Clark, who aim to continue with their momentum after winning the road trip to Stanford. Arizona, on the other hand, after gaining a season-high score of 197.000, is seeking to bounce back after it faced losses to UCLA and Cal.

The meet will go live soon on Feb 15, on the Pac-12 Network at 6 p.m. MST.

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