Cougars coach seeks one last good effort

PULLMAN – Today could well be the start of Dick Bennett’s final homestand as head coach at Washington State University. The Cougars, after sprinting to a 9-3 start and starting to whisper about NCAA Tournament possibilities, have tailed off, falling to less than .500 (11-12) for the first time.

Compiled from various interviews over the course of the week, here is a sampling of what Bennett has had to say about his team and his situation.

S-R: With only a few weeks left, your possible retirement becomes a greater issue. Are you still of the mind that this is probably your last year?

DB: Clearly, I’ve been leaning that way. Our play this year has pretty much confirmed that I think it’s possibly time for a change. I felt that these three years would be very difficult and that’s about the only thing I’ve been absolutely right on.

S-R: You entered last week’s games with a real chance at the NIT, only to play poorly. How big of a disappointment was that?

DB: I think reality set in. We knew we would have to play well to foster those hopes and we didn’t. … It hurt to play that badly. It hurt to basically see those hopes go out the window. But that’s kind of the way it is when you’re not a good team.

S-R: What has happened over the latter half of the season for this team?

DB: I don’t think we’ve made as much progress as our opponents have. A lot of that is a direct result of the inexperience, which in some ways might make you think they might progress faster. But if you couple that with the physical immaturity, it explains a lot. They’ve kind of struggled with the physical demands that come in very much late in the season. We just seem to be a little bit weaker than we need to be.

S-R: That’s a little unusual for one of your teams, isn’t it?

DB: My teams have usually come on strong in February and March. This is an exception to that. Even last year, the two years previous here, they’ve come on strong. Other schools, I’ve almost counted on it. Maybe we still have that spurt.

S-R: What would it take for the team’s mental toughness to improve?

DB: When some group takes ownership, that’ll change a little bit. I think it’d be good if the sophomore class says, “This is our team. And we’re going to make it go,” because we start anywhere from three to five sophomores. And I don’t think they have seized ownership. I do hope that’ll happen next year.

S-R: Is your goal for the rest of this year to see the team continue to mature?

DB: No. My goal … I’d like to go out playing some good ball. I so miss that. You’d like to stand up and yell, “I know what good basketball is! I’ve seen teams play it!” And that would I think thrill me as much as anything, just to see good, consistent, tough defense. Efficient, sharp offense. I would love to go out on something like that.