Herb Sendek is leaving for Arizona State after guiding North Carolina State to the NCAA tournament five consecutive years. Damian Strohmeyer/SI

By Seth Davis, SI.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- North Carolina State coach Herb Sendek has accepted an offer to become the coach at Arizona State, according to two sources close to Sendek.

Sendek was very upset at the criticism he received this season despite guiding N.C. State to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

"I spoke to him a few days ago and it's as low as I've ever heard him," said one source.

The Arizona State deal is believed to be worth more than $1 million per year.

Sendek is 258-158 in 13 seasons as a head coach, the last 10 with North Carolina State, where he is 191-132. He spent his first three seasons with Miami of Ohio.

Sendek led the Wolfpack to five straight NCAA tournament appearances, tying a school record set by the late Jim Valvano. He has been named coach of the year in two conferences -- the Atlantic Coast Conference two years ago and the Mid-American Conference in 1995, when he coached at Miami of Ohio.

The Sun Devils have been looking for a coach since March 10, when athletic director Lisa Love announced that Rob Evans would not return next season.

Her first target reportedly was Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon, who spoke with Sun Devils officials before accepting a contract extension from Pitt through 2012-13, at a significant pay raise.

A few days later, Love's search took her to Milwaukee, where she met with former Utah coach Rick Majerus. She did not make him an offer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.