ASU Best Teams: No. 5 1962-63 MBB vs. No. 12 2018-19 WBB

This summer here at House of Sparky we will be having a 48-team bracket of the best Arizona State teams in history. We made the bracket with help of your suggestions and now we need your help on picking a winner.

Each article we will ask you to vote on Twitter for the matchup.

The Matchup: The first matchup is one of Charli Turner Thorne’s teams who made the Sweet Sixteen against one of the three teams for the Men’s basketball program to reach the Elite Eight.

No. 5 1962-63 MBB

Record: 26-3, Reached Elite Eight

Head coach: Ned Wulk

Notable players: Jumpin Joe Caldwell, Art Becker

The rundown: Led by Joe Caldwell, the 1964 NBA Draft second overall pick, ASU reached its second Elite Eight in a three year span. The Sun Devils only lost three times that season and had two winning streaks over ten. In the NCAA tournament, Ned Wulk’s team beat Utah State in double overtime and then John Wooden’s UCLA to meet Oregon State in the Elite Eight. ASU fell to the Beavers, but the 26 wins are still the most in program history.

No. 12 2018-19 WBB

Record: 22-11, Reached Sweet Sixteen

Head coach: Charli Turner Thorne

Notable players: Kianna Ibis, Courtney Ekmark

The rundown: A team defined as ‘very good, but not great.’ In the 20th edition of Charli Turner Thorne’s ASU team, she was able to guide them to another successful season. Although, the Sun Devils could never quite beat the top teams. Of their 11 loses, six were to teams seeded as a one or two in the NCAA Tournament. The senior class that had been knocked out three straight seasons in the second round finally got over the hump with two late free throws from Robbi Ryan to oust Miami and move on to the Sweet Sixteen. They’d fall to Mississippi State in Portland after that.