Bennett lets Green back on team

PULLMAN – When Randy Green walked off Friel Court with more than 5 minutes left to play in Wednesday night’s game, head coach Dick Bennett figured he was walking away from the team for good.

After the game he said as much, calling the senior’s career “done” because of the disappearing act.

But a day later at practice, there was Green, and both player and coach assured that things had been smoothed over.

“It was just a big misunderstanding,” Green said. “I thought he wanted me to go. He thought I wanted to quit.

“I didn’t quit. I would never quit on my players, my teammates, the coaching staff, on Pullman. I wouldn’t quit. I’ve been here way too long. If I wanted to think about quitting, I would have left a long time ago.”

Bennett pulled Green from the blowout win against Wyoming after an ill-advised play and the two exchanged words on the sideline thereafter. Green then left for the locker room and departed from Beasley Coliseum before the game was over.

“I’m hard on kids during the game. I always have been,” Bennett said. “And I’m hard on them during practice. I want them to be better. But the one time I don’t get into discussions with them is during the game. And that happened, and it had kind of a sad ending. I can see where some confusion would result.”

Green’s father spoke with Bennett later that night and Green spoke with WSU associate head coach Tony Bennett as well.

Thursday morning, Green sat down with the head coach and the two ironed out their differences in a half-hour conversation.

“We patched things up,” Green said. “I did some things that were wrong so I wanted to go and clear that up. I also wanted to clear up some things that I thought were wrong on his behalf. We just talked it out.”

Green, who had eight points and four steals against Wyoming, is the lone senior on the roster and is expected to play an important role as a defender and outside shooter off the bench for WSU.

He’s also the only holdover from the Paul Graham era on the Cougars roster.

“I’m much more sensible and objective before and after games,” Bennett said. “I will always give a guy the benefit of the doubt. … He told me his side of it and that’s good enough.”