Harden's 40 points pushes Sun Devils past UTEP

November 30, 2008

<separator></separator>TOP SUN DEVIL SCORING GAMES 61-Eddie House at California (2 OT), Jan. 8, 2000 46-Eddie House at San Diego State, Dec. 18, 1999 45-Paul Williams at USC, March 10, 1983 42-Eddie House vs. Penn State, Dec. 29, 1999 40-James Harden vs. UTEP (@Anaheim), Nov. 30, 2008 40-Eddie House vs. UCLA, Feb. 17, 2000<separator></separator>From the outside and from the inside, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/harden_james00.html">J… Harden</a> took control for No. 14 Arizona State.<separator></separator>Harden scored a tournament-record and career-high 40 points to lead Arizona State's 88-58 rout of Texas El Paso in the third-place game of the 76 Classic on Sunday night.<separator></separator>Harden made 14 of 25 shots, six of seven from 3-point range, and added eight rebounds and four assists for the Sun Devils (5-1).<separator></separator>"James had a remarkable game," Arizona State coach <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sendek_herb00.html">He… Sendek</a> said. "It was mesmerizing to watch."<separator></separator>Harden surpassed the tournament's single-game scoring record for the second consecutive game; he amassed 32 points against Baylor on Friday night. The sophomore also set a record for most tournament points, 87, and attributed his success to his team's defense.<separator></separator>"We had to maintain (focus) on the defensive end because I'm going to get my buckets in transition," Harden said. "That was the most important thing. My teammates did a wonderful job of getting the pass on target."<separator></separator>Randy Culpepper scored 24 points for the Miners (3-3), who shot a season-low 30.2 percent. Stefon Jackson added 13 points. Culpepper scored 14 points in the first 5:16 to lead Texas El Paso to an 18-11 lead. But Arizona State responded with a 13-0 spree to move ahead 24-18 with 11:01 left in the first half.<separator></separator>The Miners made only one basket and three free throws in a span of 7:30.<separator></separator>Harden then scored 14 points in 3:35 to extend the Sun Devils' advantage to 41-27 with 6:10 left before halftime. The sophomore made seven of 11 shots, including all four from 3-point range, to score 19 points in the first half.<separator></separator>"It was an ugly game," Miners coach Tony Barbee said. "Our transition defense killed us. We didn't identify the shooters early and we gave up way too many easy buckets."<separator></separator>In the second half, Texas El Paso scored only six points on free throws in a span of 10:55.<separator></separator>Arizona State made a season-high 13 shots from 3-point range.