Kayli Murphy’s game is far from flashy.
But boy, is it effective.
During her ASU career, the senior forward has developed into the Sun Devils’ most reliable inside player because of her ability to do just about everything.
“I love just playing hard, playing in the moment,” Murphy said. “If someone else makes the shot, I’m just as excited as if I had made the shot.”
She can rebound with the best in the Pac-10, even though she stands just 6-foot-2. She can step in and take the charge and make the other hustle plays on both ends of the floor. And she has the ability to knock down the open 15-foot jumper or make the perfect cut to the hoop to get an easy score.
“She is kind of a quiet star, in a lot of ways,” ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne said. “She’s somebody that hasn’t necessarily been the go-to player as a scorer, but she’s somebody that’s kind of the glue to your team, just because she’s so consistent and so level-headed.”
Nicknames for Murphy thrown out this year by Turner Thorne include the “silent killer” and a “one-woman help-side.”
She has also emerged as the leader of a young ASU post group in her senior season and has provided a sense of calmness in the Sun Devil huddle.
“She’s hands-down one of the best explainers in the post game about what we need to do,” ASU redshirt freshman forward Janae Fulcher said. “It’s just great knowing that you have somebody that you can go to and ask for help about anything.”
Murphy has had an immediate impact since first stepping foot on campus, as she played in every game of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons and then moved into the starting lineup for good after returning from a broken hand early during her junior season.
Murphy especially came on strong in last year’s NCAA Tournament, where she recorded her first career double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) in the Sun Devils' first-round win over Georgia, and that success has carried over into her senior year. She has had her most productive season statistically, as she is currently tied for third on the team in scoring with 7.7 points per game while also ranking second in rebounding (6.1 per game).
“She’s going to go down in ASU history as one of our top forwards,” Turner Thorne said. “Maybe not statistically, but certainly in terms of her contribution and the team success that she had as part of this program.”
But while Murphy has experienced two Elite Eight runs and steady improvement throughout her basketball career, she said she will take something much more from her time as a Sun Devil.
“I’ve learned so much, probably more through life than through basketball,” she said. “The biggest thing I’ll take is just to appreciate everything you have. Life is not always guaranteed, and I just have a greater appreciation for it and the people you meet and the things you have, and I know I’ll carry that on with me forever.”
Reach the reporter at gina.mizell@asu.edu
