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Sun Devils confident, despite 6-5 late-season mark

Arizona State's James Harden (right) commits an offensive foul as Southern California's Daniel Hackett defends during the Pac-10 tournament championship in Los Angeles on Saturday. Southern Cal won 66-63.

Arizona State's James Harden (right) commits an offensive foul as Southern California's Daniel Hackett defends during the Pac-10 tournament championship in Los Angeles on Saturday. Southern Cal won 66-63.

Had Arizona State finished off Southern California and won the Pac-10 Tournament, the argument could be made that the Sun Devils were as hot as any team in the country.

Instead, ASU folded, blowing a 15-point halftime lead. Perhaps it was pressure. Perhaps it was fatigue. But the question becomes this: Is ASU still playing some of its best basketball entering its first NCAA Tournament since 2003?

“I think we’re clicking right now,” guard Derek Glasser said. “With a good week of preparation, we’re only going to get better.”

The sixth-seed Sun Devils meet 11th-seed Temple on Friday in Miami. They had gone 6-5 over their last 11 games of the regular season, but ASU coach Herb Sendek noticed an improvement in last week’s Pac-10 Tournament.

“I thought we played some of our best basketball of the season, not withstanding the last 20 minutes against USC,” the third-year coach said.

Sendek gets boost

Based on the contract approved upon his hire, Sendek will receive a pay increase for leading the Sun Devils to the NCAA Tournament.

The amount depends on how far ASU advances.

Sendek has taken ASU from eight wins to the NCAA Tournament in three seasons. He is under contract at ASU through the 2013 season.

Bonuses are common in college sports. In fact, former ASU coach Bill Frieder one in place when he took over in Tempe before the 1989-90 season.

At the time, the Sun Devils hadn’t had a winning season in six seasons. All Frieder had to do was finish .500 to collect a $40,000 bonus.

“We were awful, but we got better,” Frieder said. “It was kind of like Oregon State this year and ASU during Herb’s first year. We had veteran players, good kids. Then we got to the (Pac-10) tournament and we won a couple, including the upset over Gary Payton and Oregon State. And we ended up 15-15, so I was happy I was going to get my bonus.”

A few days later, the NIT called and extended ASU an invitation. Frieder was surprised, but the Sun Devils accepted, and the committee matched them against Long Beach State.

ASU lost 86-71.

“We end up 15-16 and I lose my bonus,” Frieder said, laughing.

That’s a long ride

ASU’s travels are significant – 2,362 miles to Miami. Despite South Florida’s reputation for fun, Sendek didn’t expect problems getting his team to focus.

“I’ll keep them busy, that’s for certain, and we will not be on South Beach,” he said.

Senior forward Jeff Pendergraph said he had never visited Miami, but he planned on making the most of the trip.

“Coach Sendek’s talking about not going anywhere, but . . . (he smiles) . . . I’m not going to get into any trouble, but it’s the tournament and kind of like our spring break and it’s Miami,” Pendergraph said, jokingly. “You can’t really expect somebody . . . to be cooped up in the room.”

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