IS LIVE CHATTING EAGLES-BEARS
MIAMI - The Arizona State basketball team lost 15 straight games 2 years ago. That was before James Harden, the Pacific-10 Player of the Year, arrived to help turn the Sun Devils' program around.
It's not surprising, then, that the electric sophomore guard is getting most of the attention as ASU prepares to play its first-round NCAA Tournament game against Temple this afternoon.
What the team has accomplished, though, might just mean more to forward Jeff Pendergraph than to anyone.
The only senior on the roster, Pendergraph has also played a huge role in the turnaround that led to a 24-9 record this season. He has started 118 straight games, a school record, and leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.665).
So, yes, he's thrilled to be here.
"Getting here and being in a place I've never been before, that was great," he said before the Sun Devils loosened up at the American Airlines Arena yesterday. "All the buzz of the tournament and seeing banners everywhere and finally knowing that we made it, it's a really good feeling to have."
Pendergraph thought about transferring when the coach who recruited him, Rob Evans, was replaced by Herb Sendek after his freshman year. He decided to stay because, as Evans recently told the East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune: "He wanted to be a cornerstone of ASU basketball."
Fran Dunphy knows that he can't focus on Harden.
"I wish he was the only guy we had to worry about, but they have a number of players who are very good," the Temple coach said, singling out Pendergraph and guard Derek Glasser.
Temple participated in March Madness last year. Although the Owls lost their opener, they see it as a valuable experience. These Sun Devils are going through it for the first time.
"I don't know if it gives them an advantage, but coach Sendek has been to plenty of tournaments," Glasser said. "He knows how it is to win. I think his record is 5-1 in first-round games. So he knows what it takes and how to prepare us mentally.
"I think a big thing for us was playing in the Pac-10 championship game. It brought us a little championship experience and showed us how much you have to elevate your game in certain situations." *
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