When you look at college coaches doing a good job during the early past of the season, glance at Tempe, Arizona.
Think about those who were unhappy with Herb Sendek's performance at NC State. He led the Wolfpack to five straight NCAA tournament appearances from 2002-06, but it never seemed like it was enough.
Well my friends, he has taken his quiet, effective leadership out west. It is certainly appreciated in Sun Devils country and they are happy to have him on that sideline.
Arizona State is 9-2 for just second time in the past 13 years (since reaching Sweet Sixteen with 24-9 mark in 1994-95). It was 10-1 in 2004-2005. Among the nine Ws was a big one against a ranked Xavier squad. That marked the first home non-conference win against a ranked opponent since December 1980, when they defeated Ohio State.
The Sun Devils enter this weekend on a five-game win streak. The only two losses this season came against respectable opposition -- Illinois and Nebraska.
Sendek has a wealth of experience after serving as a head coach at Miami-Ohio before going to NC State. Now he has the sunshine and the Pac-10 as selling points; he has brought in a lot of young talent in this rebuilding process. He has the coaching ability and he is on his way to building a solid program.
James Harden and Ty Abbott are diaper dandies who came up big against Xavier, combining for 35 points. Sendek also relies on a handful of veterans, led by junior Jeff Pendergraph and sophomore Jerren Shipp, the brother of UCLA's Josh Shipp. Arizona State also has Jamelle McMillan, the son of Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan.
That win over Xavier gave the Arizona State program a spark. Scheduling has been a positive too. After returning from the Maui Invitational, where the team won two of its three games (including a victory over LSU), the Sun Devils have 11 of its 12 games in Tempe. That is a good way to boost a team's confidence.
Sendek deserves some recognition for doing a solid job in a tough Pac-10. He took his share of hits at NC State, going against the likes of Duke and North Carolina in recruiting and on the hardwood. Arizona State fans have to be happy with the progress of the program under Sendek's leadership.
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.
