Preview: Arizona Wildcats at No. -- Arizona State Sun Devils

TEMPE, Ariz. (Interstat) — A struggling Arizona Wildcats squad faces a steep challenge Wednesday night against their in-state rival, the No. -- Arizona State Sun Devils, in a Big 12 women’s basketball matchup at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Sun Devils (17-4, 4-4 Big 12) look to rebound from a narrow road loss and protect their formidable home court, while the Wildcats (10-9, 1-7) aim to snap a five-game conference skid. Arizona State has been strong at home this season, a stark contrast to Arizona’s recent woes.

Arizona’s hopes will lean heavily on guard Lani Cornfield, who has been a bright spot during the losing streak. She is coming off a 19-point performance in a 90-65 loss at Iowa State and has recorded two double-doubles in points and assists in January. Her playmaking will be critical against Arizona State’s defense.

The Sun Devils counter with guard McKinna Brackens, who leads the team in scoring. Brackens poured in 31 points in a road win at Utah last month and is averaging 15.4 points over her last five games. She scored 18 in the team’s most recent outing, a 66-64 defeat at Cincinnati.

Arizona State won the first meeting this season decisively, 79-63, in Tucson on Jan. 8. The Wildcats have not won since, and their defense has allowed an average of 79.2 points during their five-game Big 12 losing streak.

For Arizona to pull the upset, it must improve its offensive efficiency after scoring 65 or fewer points in four of its last five games. Arizona State, despite its strong record, has also hit a rough patch in conference play, losing three of its last four.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. MST Wednesday in Tempe.