Pendergraph bemoans funk

Just a few weeks ago, Jeff Pendergraph discussed his hopes for a magical senior season, taking the Arizona State men's basketball team to places it hasn't gone during his time in Tempe.

The vision remains, but after two games the path has changed. Entering today's home game against Pepperdine, Pendergraph is averaging just 9.0 points and 3.5 rebounds, leaving the 6-foot-9 forward frustrated with his performance and questioning his leadership.

"There's a lot of stuff going on," Pendergraph said. "It's definitely not the carefree, drama-free senior year that I wanted to have so far."

Pendergraph grabbed only two rebounds in 36 minutes in Tuesday's win at San Diego State. For the second consecutive game he also got into foul trouble, an area in which he wanted to improve last season.

Pendergraph said he has picked up silly offensive fouls out of frustration.

The rebounding, however, is perplexing. Just two years ago, he was second in the Pac-10 at 9.1 per game. Last season he averaged 6.4 and was a third-team All-Pac-10 selection.

"I see everyone else putting up super numbers and I got two rebounds, and it's just frustrating to me because I know I can do better," Pendergraph said.

He says the funk spreads over the entire team. No one within the locker room has been thrilled with ASU's two wins, and yet Pendergraph said the No. 15 Sun Devils (2-0) have yet to respond in practice.

"You can't have one person funky and it messes up the whole team," he said. "That's not how it works. Everybody has to pick it up. I think it starts with me and (sophomore) James (Harden), and then guys will follow suit. I'm in a super funk right now, and James hasn't been playing like the typical James, either. "

That's when the leadership issues enter. Pendergraph said he needs to do more to bring everyone together.

"I might just need to go hang out with everybody," he said. "Maybe we all need to go out to, like, Chuck E. Cheese or something."

Coach Herb Sendek said ASU's rebounding issues - the Sun Devils have been outrebounded 28-7 on the offensive glass - go beyond Pendergraph. It starts with awareness, he said, which leads to a will to get the basketball.