In this year’s Pacific-10 Conference men’s basketball schedule, the biggest surprise of the season so far has been the play of coach Herb Sendek’s young Arizona State team.
The Sun Devils’ 12-2 overall record includes their opening surge to a 2-0 conference record with home wins over the Ducks and Beavers last week – just the third time in the program’s history they have won their first two conference games.
Their in-state rivals, the Arizona Wildcats, are just the opposite: perennial contenders for the conference title.
The two meet tonight, 7:30 p.m. in Tucson, to battle for state supremacy. Many see this game as a chance for Sendek’s Sun Devils to officially “arrive” as a contender in the conference by besting the state’s higher-profile basketball program. Arizona has dominated the series, and has won the last 12 meetings between the teams, but Sendek shied away from putting any extra emphasis on the game.
“It’s our next game, so that’s the next team we’re going to try and beat,” Sendek said. “There’s a lot of different ways to measure arrival, that’s one word not two, and we’re making progress.”
That they are making progress is indisputable, and the playing field in the state might be evening out for at least the near future, as the Sun Devils’ early success has come from a starting lineup that includes three freshman and a sophomore.
“I think we’ve really relied a great deal on our young players, not only this year but last year as well,” Sendek said. “And I think our older guys have done a really good job of showing the way and providing good leadership.”
Among the freshmen starting and making an impact for the Sun Devils is guard James Harden, who was named Pac-10 Player of the Week for his performances against Oregon and Oregon State last week. He averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the two contests. Three weeks earlier fellow freshman guard Ty Abbott also won the award.
“James (Harden) has played very well for us and just continues to work hard and get better. He’s off to a very good start,” Sendek said. “They’ve (Harden and Abbott) done a really good job of taking care of the basketball, and those guys are unselfish, which bodes well for their teammates.”
And though they have dominated the Sun Devils of late, Wildcats coach Kevin O’Neill didn’t sound as if he was taking the game lightly.
“They’re a really good team. I think they’re solid,” he said. “They’re well coached, they play hard, and defensively they’re very good.”
While Sendek de-emphasized the rivalry aspect of the contest, he was clear about his admiration for the Arizona basketball program. Arizona State has been criticized for their soft non-league schedule this season, and Sendek marveled at the level of competition the Wildcats play against in their non-league schedule.
“They have a number of marquee wins here early in the year. The thing that always impresses you is they play such a rigorous and demanding schedule. You can’t help but be impressed with the way they’ve continued to do things over the years, and they’re off to another excellent start this year,” he said. “Arizona is a great program. They’ve sustained success for a long, long time and we know that we have to be at our very best to be competitive with them.”
Arizona is off to that strong start even without their leading scorer, freshman guard Jerryd Bayless, who has a sprained right knee and has missed the last few games. The timetable for his return is still undetermined, but Sendek said the Wildcats present a tough challenge with or without Bayless: another testament to the strength of the Arizona program.
“He’s a very talented player and he is important to their basketball team,” Sendek said. “But the thing that is really amazing about them is that even without one of their best guys they’re still a terrific basketball team.”
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