| |
| School Name: | Arizona State University |
| Location: | Tempe, AZ |
| Arena: | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Capacity: | 14,198 |
| Conference: | Pac-12 |
| Head coach: | Rob Evans |
The Arizona State Sun Devils represent Arizona State University in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school is in Tempe, Arizona.
The Arizona State Sun Devils have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 13 times, including 3 Elite Eights (1961, 1963, 1975). They have won 8 conference championships (4 WAC and 4 BOR) and finished in the final AP rankings 7 times. The highest national ranking the Sun Devils have achieved was #3 under Ned Wulk during the 1980–81 season when the starting lineup included Byron Scott, Fat Lever, and Alton Lister. Ned Wulk was the men's basketball coach from 1958 to 1982 and remains the most successful coach in the history of the program with a record of 406 - 272 (.599).
Arizona State appeared in the NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament two years (1948 and 1953). Both years losing in the second round, leaving the NAIA with a tournament record of 2–2.
Herb Sendek is the current head coach of the Sun Devils. Sendek stepped down as head coach of the North Carolina State Wolfpack and accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State in 2006. During a successful career in Raleigh, Sendek took the Wolfpack to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments and also won ACC coach of the year in 2004.[2] Sendek was credited for bringing a "basketball atmosphere" and level of excitement to the ASU campus that had been absent for years. In his first four seasons at ASU, Sendek led the Sun Devils to three consecutive 20 win seasons, the 2009 Pac-10 conference tournament finals, and the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Thirty-six ASU Sun Devils have been selected in the NBA Draft, including James Harden, Byron Scott, Isaac Austin, Lafayette Lever, Alton Lister, Lionel Hollins, Sam Williams, Jeff Pendergraph, Stevin "Hedake" Smith, Mario Bennett, Tommy Smith, Ike Diogu, Eddie House. Freddie Lewis, and Joe Caldwell.[3]