Men's hoops hosts UAB in home opener

November 19, 2010

Online Coverage: <a href="javascript:window.open('http://thesundevils.cstv.com/gametracker/launch/?event=902585&schoo…; | <img src="http://graphics.collegesports.com/graphics/allaccess/audio.gif" alt> <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/allaccess/index.html?media=206505">Live Audio</a><separator></separator>The Arizona State Sun Devils (0-1 in 2010-11 after going 22-11 last year) open their home slate Saturday at 2 p.m. against the UAB Blazers, who are 2-0 this year and were 25-9 a year ago. ASU is 25-3 in non-conference home games the past three seasons while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sendek_herb00.html">He… Sendek</a> is 61-14 (.813) in November in his 18-year career.<separator></separator>ASU plays just one of its first six games at home and has only one home game in November after having five last year. ASU fell at New Mexico 76-62 on Tuesday, its first season opening game on the road since the 1992-93 season. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/lockett_trent00.html">… Lockett</a> led the way with a career-high 22 points.<separator></separator>Saturday marks the first meeting between UAB and also is the first time <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sendek_herb00.html">He… Sendek</a> has coached against the Blazers.<separator></separator>Using the 20-Win Theory ASU will play at least six teams that won at least 20 games last year in its non-conference schedule. New Mexico (30-5), UAB (25-9), Baylor (28-8), Richmond (26-9), Nevada (21-13) and Tulsa (23-12) all won 20, while Weber State, a possible second-round opponent in the Great Alaska Shootout, was 20-11.<separator></separator>I Can't Believe We Are Using These Three Letters Six of ASU's 10 known non-conference opponents posted final RPIs in the top 100. Baylor (9), New Mexico (10) and Richmond (25) finished in the top-25, while UAB (45), Tulsa (68) and Nevada (73) also were in the top 100.<separator></separator>At Home ASU is 43-12 (.782) at home in the past three seasons, including a 15-5 mark in 2007-08 that set the ASU mark for total home wins that was topped by last year's 16-4 (.800) mark. ASU is 28-7 (.800) the past two seasons at home.<separator></separator>Quickly on UAB UAB, under Mike Davis, has averaged 21.8 wins in the past seven seasons and has been a top-50 RPI team in five of the past seven seasons. Mike Davis is now 87-48 (.644) in his fifth seasons at UAB. He was hired the same year that ASU hired <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sendek_herb00.html">He… Sendek</a>.<separator></separator>UAB Final Record/RPI Past Seven Seasons 2009-10: 25-9/45 2008-09: 22-12/46 2007-08: 23-11/56 2006-07: 15-16/134 2005-06: 24-7/32 2004-05: 22-11/49 2003-04: 22-10/33<separator></separator>Head Coach <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sendek_herb00.html">He… Sendek</a>, 76-57 (.571) at ASU, is in his 18th season as a head coach in 2010-2011 and has averaged 19.4 wins per season. He led the NC State Wolfpack to five straight NCAA appearances from 2002-06 and is now 330-215 (.606) and was 191-132 (.591) at NC State. The 47-year-old (born Feb. 22, 1963) Pittsburgh, Pa., native remains the third-youngest coach in the Pac-10 despite seven coaching changes in the league in the past three seasons. Only Duke posted more ACC wins (regular season and ACC Tournament) than NC State's 53 from 2002-2006. An overlooked note is his 10-year stay at NC State. To compare it to the Pac-10, since the league expanded to 10 teams in 1978-79, only five coaches have coached at their schools for at least 10 years: Lute Olson (24/Arizona), Ralph Miller (19/Oregon State), Mike Montgomery (18/Stanford), Ernie Kent (13/Oregon) and Ben Braun (12/California).<separator></separator>

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