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Arizona State eyes ninth straight win

Jan 4, 2009 - 3:07 PM No. 14 Arizona State (12-1) at California (12-2), 8:00 p.m. EST

BERKELEY, California (Ticker) -- Starting off the season with rare expectations, Arizona State has not disappointed thus far.

The 14th-ranked Sun Devils go for their ninth straight win when they visit California on Sunday.

After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament last season, Arizona State was expected to contend in the Pac-10 Conference this season. Arizona State has made the NCAAs once since 1996 and only three times since 1982.

The Sun Devils (12-1, 1-0 Pac-10) got off to a good start on Friday, pounding previously unbeaten Stanford, 90-60. The 90 points scored tied a season high.

Senior Jeff Pendergraph scored a career-high 31 points and James Harden had 17 and 10 assists in the win. Harden leads the team in scoring at 23.2 per contest.

Under first-year coach Mike Montgomery, California has also gotten off to a good start.

The Bears (12-2, 1-0) won their sixth straight game with a 69-55 victory over Arizona on Friday. Patrick Christopher scored 23 points in the win.

Jerome Randle is averaging 19.1 to lead California, which is off to its best start since the 2002-03 campaign.

The teams split the two meetings last season with each winning on the opponent's home floor.