Not many people know it, but there are some interesting things going on in Pullman. Head coach Dick Bennett just announced that he would be back at the helm next season at Washington State. It is readily apparent that his son Tony will be the successor at WSU. The Bennetts have had to back off that assertion, which they made from the very beginning publicly, because of state nepotism laws. The fact of the matter though is that Tony's eventual ascension to the head spot was a condition that Dick placed on his hiring. Tony has done a pretty good job with the first two recruiting classes in Pullman, so most fans do not question his recruiting. Some do wonder about his coaching prowess, but those questions won't truly be answered until Tony Bennett takes the seat at the end of the bench, likely in the 2006-07 season.

Most Cougar fans love Dick Bennett. When he showed up, they were a terrible basketball program, ridden into the ground by Paul Graham. At this point, they are not a good basketball team. They currently stand at 10-13, 5-9 in conference play. They are holding on to eighth place by a thread. Like last season, the conference schedule started promising. The Cougs won three of their first five conference games, and along the way they have beaten Stanford and Arizona. Since that start, they have lost seven of nine. That being said, they have improved every season, and WSU fans are a realistic lot. They didn't think that Bennett would have them competing for the conference title in year two. Last year's team made the conference tourney, a big step, and this year's team could also make it, while dealing losses to the aforementioned schools. The fact of the matter is that the Cougs just don't match up with Pac-10 schools talent wise, and Bennett knows.

The problem isn't that Bennett knows it, it's that he said it. "We're trying to play the game at a major-college level without major-college players, and that's the truth of it." He has also referred to his talent as comparable to the talent that he had at Wisconsin-Green Bay. All of that may be true, but that doesn't mean that it should be said. Bennett knew the state of the program when he took the job. He knew that recruiting top kids to Pullman can be tough, and he knew that Graham left the cupboard completely bare. Personally, I don't think it's fair to his kids to be saying things like this to the media. It sends a negative message to his team. It tells them that he doesn't think they are good enough to consistently win basketball teams. It tells some of the players that they are just temporary parts that will be happily replaced down the road with better talent. There is also an element of built in excuse. Bennett's statements imply that he's doing all he can from a coaching standpoint to win basketball games, but his players are just not skilled enough. It's hard as it is to keep morale up when a team is in a losing stretch. It's even harder when the coach is telling the media that the players are under-talented.

Personally, I agree with Coach Bennett, and have said so many times in this column. He just doesn't have the horses. If the Cougs were playing a more open style, they would be getting run off the floor, and Bennett wisely keeps things slow. However, I can say that because I'm not coaching the team. The kids aren't looking to me for guidance and inspiration. I think Bennett is making a mistake. It's OK to criticize players for their effort, for mental mistakes, etc., sometimes even in the media. These things can be changed with practice and better concentration. However, what can the current team do to boost its talent level? They are who they are. They can work hard in the off season to get better, but at some point, a player plateaus according to his natural gifts. Maybe Bennett is trying to light a fire under his players for the stretch run. I don't know. I tend to think that Bennett lives and dies with every basketball game. He takes losses harder than anyone. His candle burns from both ends, and he can be a little impetuous at times. He's an emotional guy. Some of this has caused him problems in the past, and it was a big reason that he resigned at Wisconsin. Division One basketball is a serious venture, and a stressful one. However, that can't excuse a coach running down his players, even if what he says is true. The kids want to win, too, and have worked hard. They deserve better than what their coach is giving them. A coach's first responsibility is to his players. Some things are best left unsaid, especially if they come at the expense of kids who have poured their sweat in blood for three or four years into a program that has often been under-supported and under-coached in the past.

Writing opinions is the easy part of this column. Now comes the hard part.

ARIZONA (13-2) at WASHINGTON STATE (5-9): The Cougs are a half a game ahead of Oregon for the last spot in the conference tournament, so their home games are huge. Arizona has bigger fish to fry, as they could be on their way to another Pac-10 championship. The Cougs shocked the Cats in the first game by making a blazing hot 57% percent of their three point shots. I can't see a team that is last in the conference in three point shooting repeating that, even at home. This time the Cats come mentally prepared, and they win. Wildcats-72, Cougars-60

ARIZONA STATE (7-8) at WASHINGTON (11-3): The Sun Devils have an outside shot at a tournament berth, and a win in Seattle would be huge for their resume, especially their RPI. Meanwhile, the Huskies are chasing the Wildcats. ASU played Washington tight in the first game for two reasons: the game was abysmally officiated and the Huskies couldn't make three point shots. Don't count on either of those things being repeated in Washington's house. Huskies-86, Sun Devils-71

CALIFORNIA (5-9) at OREGON (4-10): This is a big game for these two teams, who are jockeying to get to the Staples Center. California looked to be turning things around a bit until this past week, when they were throttled at home by the L.A. schools. One has to wonder if Ben Braun is losing the team. The Ducks haven't been so hot either, winning one of their last nine. The first game was a tight one in Berkeley, and I think this one will be tight as well, so I'll go with the home team. Ducks-67, Bears-65

STANFORD (9-5) at OREGON STATE (6-8): The Cardinal continue to chug along despite being severely undermanned. The Beavers surprised Stanford earlier this season by playing a very close game in Palo Alto. Oregon State's only loss at home came to first place Arizona. The Beavers nearly beat the Cardinal despite shooting 39% and not making a single three point shot. This will also be Stanford's first road game since Dan Grunfeld went down, and it will be interesting to see how Fred Washington plays away from home. Cardinal fans are going to love this pick since I've been so bad at predicting Stanford games this year. Beavers-72, Cardinal-66

USC (4-11) at UCLA (8-7): The Bruins need a win desperately, because the Tournament Committee won't look too kindly on a loss to last place SC at home in late February. The Trojans actually are in good shape to make the conference tournament if they win out. USC is playing good basketball of late, and they gave the Bruins everything that they could handle in the first meeting. Still, I think UCLA will get the victory because they have better coaching, which was the difference in the first game. Bruins-74, Trojans-70

ARIZONA at WASHINGTON: This will be the game of the season. If the Wildcats win both games in Washington, they will win the conference championship. The first meeting was a tale of two halves, with the Huskies dominating the first, and Arizona coming back in the second for a big win. The Huskies have been unstoppable at home, and only two of their wins have had single digit margins. After being a skeptic on the Wildcats for most of the conference season, I'm sold on them, but they're going to have to work for one more week for the title. Washington is too tough at home. Huskies-88, Wildcats-83

ARIZONA STATE at WASHINGTON STATE: If the Cougs lose to the Wildcats, they will be desperate for a win because they finish their conference season in the Bay Area, so this will be their last home game. The Sun Devils pummeled the Cougs on the glass 37-23 in the first game, and that was the difference. Look for WSU to bridge that gap enough to come up with a win. The Cougs will be desperate for a win, and the Sun Devils are 2-5 on the road in conference play. Cougars-60, Sun Devils-56

CALIFORNIA at OREGON STATE: The Bears put an absolute beatdown on Oregon State in their first match-up. They shot 57% from the field, and OSU made a measly 38%. It's crunch time for the Bears down the stretch, and they have split on every two game conference road trip, winning the second game each time. All good things must come to an end though. The Beavers are playing much better basketball now, and no one things Cal can shoot that well again. Beavers-78, Bears-68

STANFORD at OREGON: One of the best games of the season last year was a battle between these two schools at Mac Court. The Cardinal were behind by 21 points, but came all the way back thanks to Chris Hernandez and Matt Haryasz. Stanford still has those guys, but Oregon said goodbye to Luke Jackson. Stanford is too good of a basketball team to go down in flames to the struggling Ducks. The Cardinal will defend well to win the game. Cardinal-68, Ducks-62

UCLA at Notre Dame: Both of these teams are on the bubble, so this game will be one that committee members circle. The Irish have been tough at the Joyce Center losing only to Syracuse and DePaul, two teams that are locks for the NCAA Tournament. Last year they hammered the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion with a barrage of three point shots. That is still their game, as they make only 41% of their field goals while making 40% of their threes. The Bruins have played good basketball on the road this season, and have improved their perimeter defense. I think UCLA will use their improved athletic ability to their advantage in a road upset. Bruins-75, Irish-71

1. Arizona: Thanks for coming out, Oregon schools. Buh-bye. (1)

2. Washington: What must Bennett think when the Cougs take the court with the Dawgs? Yikes! (3)

3. Stanford: Last week's performance without Grunfeld showed a lot of grit and determination. (5)

4. USC: I give them the nod over UCLA because they played Stanford tougher. (8)

5. UCLA: The Bruins are playing good basketball. This week is huge for them. (4)

6. Arizona State: Predicting what a woman is thinking is easier than guessing about this group. (9)

7. Oregon State: These guys just can't win on the road, period. (3)

8. Washington State: Things are going so badly for some that the Cougs jumped two spots without winning. (10)

9. California: That was about as brutal of a homestand as you'll ever see. (7)

10. Oregon: One of their last nine? Are you kidding? Kent has some explaining to do. (6)

Questions, comments, or info? Contact me at tvenegas@comcast.net.