Cougars | WSU’s Tony Bennett will take Virginia job | Seattle Times Newspaper

Cougars | WSU’s Tony Bennett will take Virginia job | Seattle Times Newspaper.

Washington State University Director of Athletics Jim Sterk confirmed Cougar’s men’s basketball coach will be leaving the program to coach at Virginia . According to the confirmed report the University of Virginia asked WSU’s permission for speak with Bennett last Friday.

In his first two seasons with Washington State Bennett’s teams made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and then to the Sweet 16 the following year and compiled an impressive 52-17 record during that time. This season, however, the Cougars fell to 16-13 and lost in the first round of the NIT.

He was a hot commodity at the end of last season and had turned down jobs at Indiana, Marquette and LSU. Bennett had five years left on his current contract, so I’m figuring he left WSU while the gettin’ was good.

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 Good-bye Arizona, Good-bye. Louisville crushes Arizona 103-64.

In a game that I figured to possibly be an upset by Arizona, Louisville came out and showed why they’re a No. 1 seed. Earl Clark scored 19 points along with nine rebounds as the Cardinals routed the Wildcats 103-64. It was one of the most lopsided games in a regional game during the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats trailed the entire game and never even looked to be in it. Their big-three once again put up the points—Chase Budinger 22, Jordan Hill and Nic Wise both had 14 points each—but the bench, along with starters Kyle Fogg (3 points) and Jamelle Horne (2 points), did nothing to help their cause. This has been the achilles heel for a Wildcats team that narrowly got into the NCAA Tournament in the first place.

As a team Arizona shot a dismal 36 percent from the field.

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 RB LeGarrette Blount reinstated by Ducks

This is from the University of Oregon media services department:

University of Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount has been reinstated to the Ducks’ football program for the start of spring practice, according to first-year head coach Chip Kelly.

Last year’s record-setting running back was suspended from the program on Feb. 10 for what the school’s former football coach Mike Bellotti termed ‘as a failure to fulfill team obligations.’

The senior-to-be finished last season as the team’s second-leading rusher with 1.002 yards, and broke the school’s single-season record for rushing touchdowns with 17.

Oregon is scheduled to open spring drills at 8:45 a.m. Monday (March 30).

Getting Blount back isn’t a huge surprise, but whenever your top returning tailback is in question, Duck fans were a bit concerned. But it seems like all is well with Blount.

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 Larry Scott to head Pac-10 Conference – Los Angeles Times

Larry Scott to head Pac-10 Conference – Los Angeles Times.

Larry Scott comes from the WTA Tour (that’s women’s tennis for those that don’t know) and will assume duties on July 1, 2009.

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 Arizona vs. Louisville – The Wildcats have a real shot.

Date: Friday, March 27, 2009

Time: 4:07 p.m. PDT

Arizona entered the NCAA Tournament as one of the last teams selected. So far, they’re making the best of it as they face No. 1 seeded Louisville in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

The Wildcats have made it to the dance 25 straight years—two short of the record. They’ve never been seeded lower than they are this year and they’ve probably never had as many doubters as they did entering game one.

Seeded at No. 12, Arizona faced No. 5 seed Utah. The doubters (including myself) figured this to be a walk in the park for Utah, but Arizona’s big three, Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill, and Nic Wise had it figured differently. They scored 20, 17, and 29 points respectively, and led their team to a 84-71 win.

Next up was No. 13 Cleveland State who just shocked Wake Forest and knocked the Demon Deacons out of the tournament. Again, Budinger, Hill, and Wise carried their team with 15, 16, and 21 points respectively and the Wildcats won 71-57.

So what’s next for Arizona after having not been given much of a chance after slipping in to the dance? How about No. 1 seed Louisville. Once again, the doubters are starting to write an end to Arizona’s dance. Not me. Not this time. I believe they have a chance.

During the first two games, Arizona shot 48 percent from the field while Louisville shot just over 50 percent. Both teams held their opponents under 40 percent from the field—Arizona’s opponents shot 34 percent and Louisville’s shot 38 percent.

The Cardinals love to press and get up and down the court—as does Arizona. But, with the exception of the second half versus Morehead State, Louisville’s press hasn’t seemed to work. If they cannot get their press working early, they may be in for a close game.

Nic Wise has been hot during the tournament thus far. He may just be the X-factor for an Arizona win. Wise needs another great game, keep his turnovers down, and help Budinger and Hill get good shot selections.

A second X-factor? The Arizona bench. While the big three for Arizona have played well, the team will have to get more production from its bench if they expect to have a chance at beating Louisville.

So, while I figured Arizona to be one of the first gone of the six Pac-10 teams to make the tournament, I’m now giving them a real shot at knocking off top seed Louisville.

Not because they are the only Pac-10 team left, but because they are playing good ball and I think they match up well with the Cardinals.

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