WSU's Bennett could be on LSU list

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Apr 1, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Twitter
• Social Media

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

LSU’s hunt for a new men’s basketball coach didn’t generate very much buzz over the weekend, but there was certainly a ripple effect felt from Pullman, Wash., to Bloomington, Ind., to Baton Rouge.

Washington State coach Tony Bennett spurned Indiana’s overtures, telling a reporter from the Spokane (Wash.) Spokesman Review Sunday that he had “exploratory” discussion with IU Athletic Director Rick Greenspan but would not pursue the Hoosiers job.

In the same story, the 38-year-old Bennett said he wasn’t interested in other job openings and had many reasons to stay in Pullman.

But another story published by ESPN.com’s Andy Katz indicated that Bennett “might be interested in LSU.” Bennett’s wife, Laurel Bennett, grew up in Baton Rouge and attended LSU.

Whether Bennett would entertain the Tigers job remained an elusive answer Monday.

Attempts to reach Bennett and Washington State Athletic Director Jim Sterk were unsuccessful. An interview request through the WSU media relations office was declined.

Bennett’s agent, Spokane attorney Brad Williams, hung up when reached by phone on Monday and did not return a message on a second call.

After two years as the head coach at WSU, Bennett has emerged as one of the hottest coaches in the country. He has guided the Cougars to back-to-back 26-victory seasons and this year guided Washington State to the NCAA Sweet 16.

While there was no news coming from Bennett, it was confirmed that LSU’s search shifted gears last week.

Dan Parker, chief executive of the Parker Executive Search, said Monday that his company signed a contract with LSU to assist with the search for a basketball coach.

Parker Executive Search was slated to handle the search at one point, but that idea was scrubbed when outgoing LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman said he would had enough information to proceed without a search firm. That apparently changed recently and it’s unclear what Bertman’s continuing role will be in the search for a coach.

Tigers junior guard Garrett Temple was one of 16 players named to the Collegeinsider.com Division I All-America Defensive Team on Monday.