As the No. 20 ASU basketball team (7-1) creeps into the second month of its campaign, one thing is certain.

James Harden is even better.

There’s no sophomore slump for ASU’s superstar, who’s having a seismic second season. So far, his numbers have been off the charts.

He’s leading the Pac-10 Conference in scoring by a five-point margin (25.5 points per game) and ranks third nationally.

Harden leads the team in rebounding (7.3 per game), steals (13) and ranks second on the team in assists (34).

Still not convinced?

Check out his shooting percentages: 57.8 from the field, 50 from 3-point range and 81.1 from the free throw line.

Talk about the complete package.

So what’s the difference?

Harden said he’s playing more aggressive this year and that he’s having fun. Watching him and sophomore guard Ty Abbott joke around before Sunday’s postgame press conference, one remembers he is but 19 years old.

Harden’s season thus far suggests he is mortal lock to get drafted in the lottery of next year’s NBA Draft, should he leave as expected.

Other members of last year’s deep freshman class have also made strides.

Abbott and forward Rihards Kuksiks have made arguably the biggest improvements of any players on the team.

Kuksiks has been spot-on from behind the arc, nailing 20 of 44 (45.5 percent) while Abbott has become a better rebounder and versatile scoring threat.

Though coach Herb Sendek has repeatedly stressed the role of fellow sophomore Jamelle McMillan, he has played second fiddle to junior Derek Glasser at the point guard position.

Glasser has taken several ill-advised shots throughout the course of the season, but has usually stayed within his role as the floor leader.

He currently ranks sixth in the Pac-10 in assists per game (4.9).

Down low, Jeff Pendergraph has been as enigmatic as ever.

Since his early “super funk” subsided, the senior forward has played well. Pendergraph is averaging 14.6 points and eight rebounds in his last five contests.

Aside from McMillan, junior guard Jerren Shipp has been the main contributor off of the bench. Shipp said he’s trying to be more of an “energy” guy for Sendek.

Junior center Eric Boateng has made a couple of fundamental faux pas — ahem, committing fouls on opponent’s three-point shot attempts — and hasn’t shown any dramatic improvement from last season.

On paper, things are looking quite rosy for the team.

ASU is sitting at 7-1, and its lone loss will probably look good — in this perverse world of RPI and strength of schedule — when the NCAA Tournament selection committee makes its picks in March.

ASU lost to No. 22 Baylor 87-78 in the semifinal of the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 28. The Bears are rolling along at 7-1 in their own right and look like they’ll return to the NCAA Tournament.

Numbers on both sides of the ball indicate the Sun Devils are having their way with opponents.

Sendek’s motion offense has been proficient thus far, as the team is shooting 50.4 percent for the season.

The Sun Devils played their best defensive game in Sunday’s 64-44 win over Nebraska, and are limiting opponents to 36.4 percent shooting.

Take the numbers with a grain of salt, however.

Outside of Baylor and perhaps San Diego State or Nebraska, ASU hasn’t exactly countered top competition.

The law of averages will most certainly come into play once the conference schedule starts.

After four nonconference games — including a Dec. 20 matchup against Brigham Young University — ASU will open Pac-10 play at Stanford on Jan 2, 2009.

The Sun Devils will host their first conference opponent on Jan 8. when they counter Oregon State.

Reach the reporter at alex.espinoza@asu.edu.