"It's a tough deal right now. I've been through it before, so it's not something I'm really worried about. But I have to help out (seniors) Ty (Abbott) and (Rihards Kuksiks). It's correctable. I'm just trying to clear my head a little, get some reps up and try to get this team figured out."
Through seven games, McMillan, a senior point guard, is averaging 6.9 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds. His effort is there. His defense is solid. He's simply struggling with his shot, slowing a team that's averaging a conference-low 62.3 points per game.
McMillan is 4 of 21 over ASU's losing streak, missing 10 of 12 from 3-point range. It offers a perfect reflection of where ASU stands, incapable of overcoming many obstacles as it tries to integrate seven newcomers.
"Our whole team is going through a learning experience," ASU coach Herb Sendek said. "Even our veteran players, because they're integrated with so many new players, they're trying to adjust roles."
ASU fans might have expected as much, but they didn't count on such a decline in defense and 3-point shooting, team staples the past two seasons. Entering Saturday, the Sun Devils allow opponents to shoot 43.5 percent from the field and are shooting 30.5 percent from 3-point range, both ninth among Pac-10 teams.
"Our defense hasn't allowed us any room for error," McMillan said. "Playing the types of games we are playing, these are good players. They deliver when they need to deliver. If we don't give ourselves any breaks on the defensive end, we have to be perfect on the offensive end, which we haven't been."
With another down season predicted for the Pac-10, it could end up costing ASU down the road.
"This could be a deal where we're desperate for Pac-10 wins in late February because we didn't take care of business now," McMillan. "We got a lot of work to do. The season's definitely not over. The (NCAA) Tournament's definitely within reach. We just have to take care of business a little more."
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