Dec. 14, 2008
*The Sun Devils are now 8-1 for just the fourth time in 34 seasons. ASU was 11-1 in 2004-05, 9-1 in 1990-91 and 8-1 in 1980-81. The 1974-75 Sun Devil squad started 15-1 35 seasons ago.
*Sophomore Rihards Kuksiks had arguably the best game of his career Sunday against IUPUI. He matched his season high with 18 points (set last Sunday against Nebraska), made a career-high six three pointers, grabbed a career-best nine boards (after a then career-high six boards against Nebraska), matched a career-high with four assists and had a career-high three steals.
*Senior Jeff Pendergraph played his 100th career game on Sunday.
*ASU¹s 16-point comeback is tied for the second-largest halftime comeback in the past 20 seasons of Sun Devil basketball. ASU trailed Stanford by 17 in Palo Alto on Feb. 12, 1994 (46-29) but came back and won 71-69. ASU also came back from a 16-point deficit on March 15, 2000, as it trailed New Mexico State 45-29 in Tempe in the NIT before posting an 83-77 victory.
HALFTIME COMEBACK DEFICITS (1989-1990 TO PRESENT/PAST 20 SEASONS)
(17)-@Stanford 46, ASU 29 (Feb. 12, 1994/ASU 71, Stanford 69)
(16)-IUPUI 34, ASU 18 (@Phoenix) (Dec. 14, 2008/ASU 59, IUPUI 58, OT)
(16)-New Mexico St. 45, ASU 29 (March 15, 2000/ASU 83, NMSU 77, NIT)
(16)-Georgia 39, ASU 23 (Dec. 29, 1989/ASU 62, Georgia 61)
(16)-@Texas A&M 36, ASU 26 (Dec. 19, 1998/ASU 96, Texas A&M 91, 3OT)
(10)-@USC 41, ASU 31 (Jan. 20, 1994/ASU 87, USC 62)
*Four Sun Devils are averaging in double digits: James Harden (23.7), Jeff Pendergraph (11.8), Ty Abbott (11.1) and Rihards Kuksiks (10.9). *ASU has now won five straight overtime games under Herb Sendek. Last year ASU was 4-0 in overtime, beating LSU in Maui 87-84 (Nov. 21), topping Arizona at home 64-59 (Jan. 9), winning at Cal in double overtime 99-90 (Jan. 17) and beating seventh-ranked Stanford 72-68 in Tempe (Feb. 14).
*After starting the season 2-of-14 (.143) from the three-point stripe in the first four games, James Harden is 18-of-25 (.720) from the three-point stripe in the past five games.
*ASU has won five straight games at U.S. Airways in Phoenix and is 5-1 overall at the home of the Phoenix Suns. ASU topped Temple on Dec. 9, 2004, beat Montana State 72-69 and Utah 71-62 in December of 2001 and beat UNLV 79-70 on Dec. 5, 1998, behind Eddie House's 39 points. ASU's only defeat was a 78-74 loss to Boston College on Dec. 5, 1993.
*After going 8-22 (.267) in Coach Sendek's first year, the Sun Devils are 29-14 (.674) since.
*The Sun Devils are giving up 61.4 points per game in Coach Sendek's 73 games.
*ASU is shooting .768 (139-of-181) from the free throw line. Last year ASU shot .739, the fifth-best mark in ASU history and second-best in past 21 seasons.
*After losing its first 10 away from home (neutral or road games) in the Herb Sendek era, ASU is 11-10 since.
*ASU is 9-5 in the past two seasons in 10 points or less games under Herb Sendek after going 4-17 in his first year.
*Jeff Pendergraph now has 21 double-doubles in his career with his 10 points and 11 boards vs. IUPUI (third this year). His 111 career blocks (two vs. IUPUI) is sixth in ASU history.