Herb Sendek’s Sun Devil Hoops Team is in the Top 25
The Arizona State men’s basketball team has returned to the top 25. So how high are Jeff Pendergraph, James Harden and the Sun Devils ranked? Keep reading to find out.
The coaches have spoken and Arizona State is the 15th ranked team in all the land. This is according to the USA Today coaches’ poll that was just released this morning. (Check out the rankings here.)
Here’s what they had to say about our Sun Devils:
“One of the biggest turnarounds in the nation resulted in an NIT bid last season. The Sun Devils will look to keep moving up as almost every key contributor returns. High-scoring G James Harden leads a veteran backcourt that also includes Ty Abbott and Derek Glasser, with Jeff Pendergraph returning up front along with Rihards Kuksiks.”
To think we have a “veteran backcourt” after two consecutive years of placing the outcome of games in the hands of freshmen is pretty darn exciting.
ASU is one of three Pac-10 teams in the top 25. Arizona is listed as others receiving votes—and that’s a status we think Tucsonans will have to get used to.
If you want to read more about the hoops team, read our post on a season that will end with Pendergraph in tears or check out our preview with links from the Valley’s media outlets.
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NOTE: Don’t miss this morning’s post on “magical” freshman running back Ryan Bass.
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I hate to think…wasn’t the football team ranked 15th coming into the season?
All joking aside, the hoops season can’t get here soon enough. And it’s a lot easier to judge talent in college basketball than football.
Barring injury, it should be a fun season at Wells Fargo. And I’m telling you, Boteng is going to be much better this year.
“ASU is one of three Pac-10 teams in the top 25. Arizona is listed as ‘others receiving votes’—and that’s a status we think Tucsonans will have to get used to.” — Matt
You sure they’re going to be getting votes all year?
The Pac-10 media voted today and selected ASU to finish second in the conference behind UCLA. One guy even gave us a first-place vote.
Here’s the rundown …
1. UCLA (37) 379
2. Arizona State (1) 325
3. USC 292
4. Arizona 241
5. Washington 217
6. Washington State 188
7. Oregon 147
8. California 143
9. Stanford 115
10. Oregon State 40
With the cream puff schedule Sendek has put together anything less than undefeated going into conference play will be underachieving.
This preseason ranking is justified if and only if 1)Pendergraph stays engaged all game, every game. Last year he completely disappeared far too often; 2) a third option is found to consistently deliver some offense; 3) Boateng lives up to his potential.
If any of the above fail to materialize then ASU is back in the NIT.
They actually might get to play some solid teams David in the Thanksgiving tourny. St. Marys is no cupcake.
No matter what, they have to win. This team is more experianced than last year and should be solid, unlike the football team.
Come on AK, it’s Boateng. That’s the first step towards successfully slobbering over a 6-foot-10 stiff who speaks Twi, is to get his Brit name right.
He also claims to be a solid ping-pong player, so put him in your next tournament bracket.
I really apprecatie free, succinct, reliable data like this.