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Men's hoops opens Pac-10 play at Oregon schools


December 29, 2010

ASU notes and stats for Oregon road trip in PDF Format Get Acrobat  Reader

 

 

75-38 (.664) PAST FOUR SEASONS
The Arizona State's men's hoops team (7-4), the only Pac-10 team to post 20 wins in each of the past three seasons, opens Pac-10 play at Oregon State on Thursday, Dec. 30 in a 7:30 p.m. PT tilt (FOX Sports Arizona/KTAR 620 AM) and then play at Oregon on Saturday, Jan. 1, at 7 p.m. PT. The Sun Devils are in their fifth season under 2009-10 Pac-10 Coach of the Year Herb Sendek and return three senior starters and five total lettermen from last year's second-place Pac-10 team which finished 22-11, marking the first time ASU has posted three straight 20-win seasons since JFK was President. ASU finished second in the Pac-10 (12-6) for the first time since 1980-81 after being picked for seventh in the preseason media poll and tenth by Sporting News. After posting just three 20-win seasons in the previous 25 seasons, ASU has posted three 20-win seasons under Herb Sendek in his four years. ASU was 8-22 in Coach Sendek's first year (2006-2007), but is 75-38 (.664) in past four years and giving up just 60.8 ppg. in his 143 games as the Sun Devil coach. Although ASU does open on the road to begin the loop, it is 14-13 (.519) in Pac-10 roadies the past three seasons, second-best in the league. ASU is 2-2 in Pac-10 openers under Herb Sendek, after going 3-15 in the previous 18 seasons.

5 FULL DAYS BEFORE GAMEDAY
The Sun Devils, who last played on Dec. 23, are 14-3 (.824) in the past four years when Coach Sendek and his staff have at least five full days in between games (click here for the breakdown), with seven of the wins coming against teams that would make the NCAA Tournament in that same season. Included in the wins in 2009-10 were wins over MWC Tournament champion San Diego State (on a five-game win streak at the time last December), a home win over Pac-10 Tournament champion and then No. 24 Washington and a road win at Arizona. In 2008-09 the five-day layoff wins included ASU's first NCAA Tournament win since 2003 (over Temple), a win over Arizona who entered the game on a seven-game win streak and a neutral site win over a 10-0 BYU team. In 2007-08, the wins included ASU's first win in Tucson in 13 seasons, an overtime win at California in which ASU was playing as a ranked team for the first time in 13 seasons and a 22-point win over #17 Xavier in December of 2007 that is the school's largest victory margin over a ranked opponent in ASU history.

WINNERS WHEN CLOSE
If the game is close, ASU's seniors have had a tendency to get the win. ASU is 20-11 (.645) in games games decided by six points or less/OT in the past four seasons, including a 4-1 mark this year. ASU is 3-0 this year in games of three points or less.

AWAY FROM HOME
The first six games of the year for the Sun Devils had them playing at home just once, a 69-66 win over UAB on Nov. 20. Among major conference teams, only ASU and Virginia Tech played just one home game in their first six contests. ASU also was the last major college team to play just one home game, as its second home game wasn't until Dec. 5, a 67-61 loss to Richmond. To date ASU has played three road games, three neutral games and five home games. Among Pac-10 teams, only Stanford and ASU have played just five home games.

THE ROAD
Some say it is the great preparation. Maybe it had something to do with having two NBA draft picks two years ago. Some of it had to do with Derek Glasser being the school's best free throw shooter. Whatever it is, Coach Herb Sendek has turned ASU into a solid road team. ASU is the only league team to post a winning road record in league tilts in each of the past two seasons, as it has gone 5-4 in each season. Over the past three seasons, ASU (14-13) and UCLA (17-10) are the only two schools with a winning road record in league tilts.

CLUTCH FREE THROWS ON ROAD
ASU has won 16 road games in the past four seasons, and a big reason why is the clutch free throw shooting of seniors Rihards Kuksiks and Ty Abbott. Kuksiks is now 28-of-34 (.824) from the charity stripe in road games, while Abbott is 43-of-52 (.827).

RIK SHOOTING IT WELL
Senior Rihards Kuksiks is now 27-of-57 (.474) from the three-point stripe in the past eight games. Kuksiks posted his eighth 20-point game of his career with 20 points at Nevada on Dec. 17, and ASU is 6-2 in those games. He now has 242 career three-pointers in his career, fourth on the ASU career chart. Eddie House is third with 250. He became the 34th member of ASU's 1,000-point club against Long Beach State, as he now has 1,020. Kuksiks added eight free throw attempts vs. Nevada, tied for the most in his career. The senior is 25-of-51 (.490) from the three-point stripe in his past eight games against ranked opponents. He has been clutch in close games the past two years, as ASU has played six games of two points or less (and is 4-2), and he is 22-of-46 (.478) from three. He matched career-highs in points (27) and rebounds (nine) in the Jan. 8 win over No. 24 Washington last season. He had six 20-point games in 2009-10 with 27 vs. USF and #24 Washington, 25 at Oregon, 24 vs. USC and UCSB and 21 vs. Jacksonville, with ASU going 5-1 in those games.

TOP SCORING GAMES FOR YOU CAN CALL HIM "RIK"
27 vs. #24 Washington (Jan. 8, 2010)
27 vs. San Francisco (Nov. 20, 2009)
25 at Oregon (Jan. 14, 2010)
24 vs. USC (Mar. 4, 2010)
24 vs. UCSB (Dec. 21, 2009)
21 vs. Jacksonville (Mar. 16, 2010/NIT)
20 at Nevada (Dec. 17, 2010)
20 vs. Syracuse (Mar. 22, 2009 @Miami/NCAA)

HERB PAC-10 NOTE
Last season's second -place Pac-10 finish matched ASU's best in its 32 seasons of Pac-10 play and its 12 wins were the most since the 1994-95 season. ASU has notched at least 11 Pac-10 wins eight times, Herb Sendek has done it in each of the past two seasons.

MOST SUN DEVILS WINS IN PAC-10 PLAY
1980-81, 16-2/2nd/Ned Wulk
1979-80, 15-3/2nd/Ned Wulk
2009-10, 12-6/2nd/Herb Sendek
1994-95, 12-6/3rd/Bill Frieder
1982-83, 12-6/T-3rd/Bob Weinhauer
2008-09, 11-7/T-3rd/Herb Sendek
2002-03, 11-7/4th/Rob Evans
1992-93, 11-7/T-3rd/Bill Frieder

VS. OREGON STATE
ASU has put together a modest six-game win streak against the Beavers, as Herb Sendek is 6-2 against OSU...the six-game streak is tied for the third-longest current streak in the Pac-10...in that six-game streak ASU has held the Beavers to .339 from the field (105-of-310), .301 from the three-point stripe (41-of-136) and 49.3 points per game...Jamelle McMillan is shooting 9-of-20 (.450) from three against the Beavers and is 14-of-29 (.483) from the field despite missing last year's game in Corvallis. His top two road scoring games have come in Corvallis with 14 vs. OSU on Feb. 7, 2009 and 12 on March 8, 2008...ASU twice held the Beavers to 38 points in the 2008-09 season, the best defensive efforts by any Sun Devil team in the Pac-10 era...ASU held Oregon State to just .246 (14-of-57) from the field on Feb. 11, 2010, the best defensive effort in a Pac-10 game in the past 23 seasons...the 66-57 ASU win in Corvallis on Jan. 16, 2010, was the closest in the six games...OSU leads the overall series 38-37...ASU swept the regular season series from the Beavers in 2009-10 for the third straight year and for the tenth time since joining the Pac-10...only one glaring difference in the Jan. 16 Sun Devil 66-57 win in Corvallis and that was ASU forcing 18 turnovers...Ty Abbott led ASU with 21 points (5-of-10 from the three-point stripe) while Rihards Kuksiks added 15...ASU played without Jamelle McMillan, who missed the first of four games with a foot injury, and allowed just four offensive rebounds.

CURRENT PAC-10 STREAKS
UCLA over Oregon State, 11
Washington over Oregon State, 7
Arizona State over Oregon State, 6
Washington over Stanford, 6

JAMELLE'S TOP SCORING ROAD GAMES
14 at Oregon State (Feb. 7, 2009)
12 at Oregon State (March 8, 2008)

SUN DEVIL FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED IN A PAC-10 GAME
ASU 48, @Oregon State 38 (Feb. 7, 2009/Herb Sendek)
ASU 69, Oregon State 38 (Jan. 8, 2009/Herb Sendek)

THREE-DOT DATA
Senior Jamelle McMillan leads the Pac-10 in assists per game with 52 in 11 games (4.7). He has 263 career assists and just 128 career turnovers...Sun Devils rank third (Ty Abbott at 34.1), fifth (Trent Lockett at 33.5) and ninth (Jamelle McMillan at 30.5) in minutes per game among Pac-10 players...it will be noted again that Kyle Cain is the top freshman rebounder in the loop at 8.5 caroms per tilt, which is best among Pac-10 freshman...senior Rihards Kuksiks is tied for league lead with 2.9 three-bombs made per game (32 in 11 games).

LET'S TALK ABOUT TRENT
Trent Lockett has opened some eyes real quick in 2010-11. It started with a then career-high 22 points in the season opener at New Mexico (Nov. 16) where two of his dunks placed him No. 2 on SportsCenter's Top-10 and he has been nothing short of very good since. He had a new career-high with 24 points vs. Weber State on Nov. 26 in Alaska. A native of Golden Valley, Minn., and a student in Barrett, the Honors College, he is averaging 33.5 minutes and comes from one of the top high school programs in the country (Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minn.). He earned a spot on the five-man Pac-10 All-Freshman Team in 2009-10. He has 19 double-figure scoring games, including a 17-point, six-rebound and eight assist effort against Stanford on Jan. 30, 2010. He posted his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 boards vs. Richmond on Dec. 5.

TRENT'S TOP-FIVE SCORING GAMES
24 vs. Weber State (Nov. 26, 2010)
22 at New Mexico (Nov. 16, 2010)
19 vs. UAB (Nov. 20, 2010)
19 vs. San Francisco (Nov. 20, 2009)
18 vs. Houston Baptist (Nov. 25, 2010)

TY ON THE CHARTS UPDATE
Senior Ty Abbott now has 1,099 career points which is 26th on the Sun Devil career list. Dwayne Fontana (1990-94) has 1,113 points and is 25th, while Mike Batiste (1996-99) has 1,120 points and is 24th. Tommy Smith (1999-2003) is also within reach at 1,123 in the next week. Abbott also has 100 starts, one of only seven Sun Devils to have started 100 games in their careers. Jeff Pendergraph has the ASU record with 120 starts. When Abbott scores in double digits, ASU is 41-15 (.732) including 29-12 (.720) in the past three seasons. Abbott missed the Nov. 25 Houston Baptist game due to a knee bruise.

TY'S 20-POINT GAMES
30 vs. California (Feb. 18, 2008)
29 vs. Stanford (Jan. 30, 2010)
28 at Arizona (Feb. 21, 2010)
25 at Cal, 2OT (Jan. 17, 2008)
22 vs. St. Johns (Nov. 27, 2010)
21 at Oregon St. (Jan. 16, 2010)
20 vs. California (Jan. 28, 2010)
20 vs. #13 Syracuse/NCAA @Miami (Mar. 22, 2009)

CAIN IS ABLE
Freshman Kyle Cain had 17 rebounds vs. Houston Baptist on Nov. 25, the most by a Sun Devil since Jeff Pendergraph had 19 at Oregon on Feb. 8, 2007. The 17 boards is tied for second-most by a freshman in ASU history with Mario Bennett, who had 17 vs. Oregon on Feb. 1, 1992. Ike Diogu has the ASU freshman record with 18 vs. Oregon on March 13, 2003, in the Pac-10 Tournament. He then posted 16 boards vs. Long Beach State in 26 minutes on Dec. 21 and had 14 boards (but zero points) in just 23 minutes vs. North Carolina A&T on Dec. 23. He is averaging 12 boards per game in his past four contests and leads Pac-10 freshman in rebounding (8.5 per game) and field goal percentage (.545).

MOST REBOUNDS BY ASU FRESHMAN
18 by Ike Diogu vs. Oregon @Pac-10 Tournament (March 13, 2003)
17 by Kyle Cain vs. Houston Baptist @Great Alaska Shootout (Nov. 25, 2010)
17 by Mario Bennett vs. Oregon (Feb. 1, 1992)
16 by Kyle Cain vs. Long Beach State (Dec. 21, 2010)

PAST THREE SEASONS
ASU is 32-22 (.593) in the past three seasons in Pac-10 play, tied for the second-best mark in the league behind UCLA (37-17/.685) and even with Washington (32-22/.593). ASU is one of five teams who are above .500 in league play in that time frame.

PAC-10 LEAGUE RECORDS (2007-10/PAST THREE SEASONS)
1. UCLA, 37-17/.685
2. Arizona State and Washington, 32-22/.593
4. California, 30-24/.556
5. USC, 28-26/.519
6. Arizona, 27-27/.500
7. Stanford, 26-28/.481
8. WSU, 25-29/.463
9. Oregon, 18-36/.333
10. Oregon State, 15-39/.278

MORE ROAD NUGGETS
After losing its first eight Pac-10 road games under Herb Sendek, ASU is 15-13 (.536) since...ASU swept the Oregon trip for the second straight year in 2009-10...ASU has now won the past three in Tucson and is 3-1 at UA under Herb Sendek after winning once in Tucson in the previous 23 tries (win was in 1994-95, from 1983-84 through 2006-07 period)...ASU won four straight Pac-10 roadies in 2008-09 for the first time since the 1980-81 team won five straight...in 2009-10, ASU shot 72.1 percent from the free throw line on the road, which was better than the opponent's in their own arenas (.685). ASU shot 35.4 percent from the three-point stripe in road games last year and held opponents to just 35.2 percent.

PAC-10 ROAD RECORDS (2008-10/PAST TWO SEASONS)
Arizona State and Washington (10-8/.556)
UCLA and California (9-9/.500)
WSU, UA and Oregon State (6-12/.333)
USC and Oregon (4-14/.222)
Stanford (3-15/.167)

PAC-10 ROAD RECORDS (2007-10/PAST THREE SEASONS)
UCLA (17-10/.630)
Arizona State (14-13/.519)
Washington and California (13-14/.481)
Washington State (12-15/.444)
Arizona (10-17/.370)
USC (9-18/.333)
Stanford (8-19/.296)
Oregon (7-20/.259)
Oregon State (6-21/.222)

HEAD COACH
Herb Sendek, 83-60 (.580) at ASU, is in his 18th season as a head coach in 2010-2011 and has averaged 19.4 wins per season. He led the NC State Wolfpack to five straight NCAA appearances from 2002-06 and is now 337-218 (.607) and was 191-132 (.591) at NC State. The 47-year-old (born Feb. 22, 1963) Pittsburgh, Pa., native remains the third-youngest coach in the Pac-10. Only Duke posted more ACC wins (regular season and ACC Tournament) than NC State's 53 from 2002-2006. An overlooked note is his 10-year stay at NC State. To compare it to the Pac-10, since the league expanded to 10 teams in 1978-79, only five coaches have coached at their schools for at least 10 years: Lute Olson (24/Arizona), Ralph Miller (19/Oregon State), Mike Montgomery (18/Stanford), Ernie Kent (13/Oregon) and Ben Braun (12/California).

BEST TREE IN THE LAND
Herb Sendek has eight former assistants who are D-I coaches, the best mark of any coach in the nation in 2010-2011, ahead of Mike Montgomery and Rick Pitino (seven each). Twelve-year sidekick Mark Phelps earned the Drake spot in the spring of 2008 after serving for 10 years on the staff at NC State and for two years at ASU. Former NC State sidekick John Groce also earned the Ohio University position in the spring of 2008. The others are Jim Christian at TCU (Miami assistant in 1995-96), Charlie Coles at Miami of Ohio (Miami assistant from 1994-96), Larry Hunter at Western Carolina (NC State assistant from 2001-05), Ron Hunter of IUPUI (Miami assistant from 1993-94), Ohio State's Thad Matta (Miami assistant in 1994-95) and Arizona's Sean Miller (assistant at both Miami from 1993-95 and at NC State from 1996-2000).