NIT

How depressing to be reading the about the NIT field....how very depressing.

I just hope that Harden and Pendergraph take this as a slap in the face and decide to come back and do something about it next year. Dare to dream... 

Yep --  they were ready.  The House was rocking tonight, ASU did not let us down.  Harden wowed everyone (as usual) and the Sun devil defense clamped down when they needed to.  I am proud of this team, getting screwed out of their rightful spot in the NCAAs, but they played hard and got the W.

Next victim:  Southern Illinois

LETS GO DEVILS !!!!!

SUN DEVILS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND

No, there isn't anybody from the NCAAs selection committee on Alabama State's roster. It only looked like it.

Arizona State took out it's frustrations Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, AZ by trampling Alabama State early and often in a 64 - 53 National Invitation Tournament victory that the Sun Devils hope is an opening statement in their argument with the committee's decision to exclude them.

There was no spot in the NCAA Tournament for ASU ( 20 - 12 ) which will play Southern Illinois Thursday night ( 9 PM MST ), in the NIT's second round at Wells Fargo Arena. Southern Illinois beat Oklahoma State 69 - 53 Tuesday night in another NIT opener at Carbondale, Illinois.

Instead of an at - large berth, there was a very big chip that grew into some substantial motivation during the couple of days between the Sunday snub and the NIT opener at Wells Fargo Arena.

ASU's anger was evident, especially in Sun Devil coach Herb Sendek's clipped tone and tense body language.

Sendek needed a game to exorcise feelings about a process full of more angles and spin than a legal contract.

In the opening minutes, there was no doubt that the Sun Devils are deadly serious. They led by 14 points eight minutes after the opening tip. James Harden, who had 25 points and 13 rebounds, had 10 of ASU's first 14 points.

The Hornets had no initial counter. They missed 16 of their first 17 attempts from the floor. The Sun Devils extended their first advantage to 21 after four successive 3 - pointers -- three by Ty Abbott and one by Rihards Kuksiks.

It looked as if ASU would win easily. But nothing about the last few days has been easy for the Sun Devils. The game wouldn't be either. In a hint of what would happenafter halftime, the Hornets cut the margin to 13. They crept to within eight during the final five minutes.

In the end, however, ASU's early advantage was too much to overcome, even for the selection committee.

CHEERS

To ASU center Eric Boateng, who was two points short of a double - double with eight points and 10 rebounds.

JEERS

To ASU's free throw shooting, 63.6 percent.  The Sun Devils missed eight attempts. Against a better team, that could have been enough to doom them.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

ASU Freshman James Harden, who was effective in multiple ways, including a double - double - 25 points and 13 rebounds.

lets  

SUN DEVILS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND

No, there isn't anybody from the NCAAs selection committee on Alabama State's roster. It only looked like it.

Arizona State took out it's frustrations Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, AZ by trampling Alabama State early and often in a 64 - 53 National Invitation Tournament victory that the Sun Devils hope is an opening statement in their argument with the committee's decision to exclude them.

There was no spot in the NCAA Tournament for ASU ( 20 - 12 ) which will play Southern Illinois Thursday night ( 9 PM MST ), in the NIT's second round at Wells Fargo Arena. Southern Illinois beat Oklahoma State 69 - 53 Tuesday night in another NIT opener at Carbondale, Illinois.

Instead of an at - large berth, there was a very big chip that grew into some substantial motivation during the couple of days between the Sunday snub and the NIT opener at Wells Fargo Arena.

ASU's anger was evident, especially in Sun Devil coach Herb Sendek's clipped tone and tense body language.

Sendek needed a game to exorcise feelings about a process full of more angles and spin than a legal contract.

In the opening minutes, there was no doubt that the Sun Devils are deadly serious. They led by 14 points eight minutes after the opening tip. James Harden, who had 25 points and 13 rebounds, had 10 of ASU's first 14 points.

The Hornets had no initial counter. They missed 16 of their first 17 attempts from the floor. The Sun Devils extended their first advantage to 21 after four successive 3 - pointers -- three by Ty Abbott and one by Rihards Kuksiks.

It looked as if ASU would win easily. But nothing about the last few days has been easy for the Sun Devils. The game wouldn't be either. In a hint of what would happenafter halftime, the Hornets cut the margin to 13. They crept to within eight during the final five minutes.

In the end, however, ASU's early advantage was too much to overcome, even for the selection committee.

CHEERS

To ASU center Eric Boateng, who was two points short of a double - double with eight points and 10 rebounds.

JEERS

To ASU's free throw shooting, 63.6 percent.  The Sun Devils missed eight attempts. Against a better team, that could have been enough to doom them.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

ASU Freshman James Harden, who was effective in multiple ways, including a double - double - 25 points and 13 rebounds.

lets go