Low leads Cougars to win in Bennett debut

MILWAUKEE – Washington State Cougars guard Derrick Low helped make coach Tony Bennett’s debut a smooth one.

Low scored 17 of his career-high 28 points in the first half as the Cougars never trailed in Bennett’s first official game as head men’s basketball coach for a 71-60 victory over the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the John Thompson Foundation Classic.

The Cougars’ three-guard offense had an easy time against a UAB team that has made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances but was playing its first game under former Indiana coach Mike Davis.

Low made six 3-pointers, point guard Mac Hobson handed out nine assists and Kyle Weaver had a successful return to his native Wisconsin with eight points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, who had assists on 10 of their first 11 baskets.

“I thought we came out and obviously we played well,” Bennett said. “We opened a big lead. We shot the ball well.”

With father Dick Bennett beaming from the stands, Tony Bennett’s Cougars jumped out to a 15-2 lead as Low scored eight points. They led by as many as 18 points in the first half and took a 39-22 lead into the locker room.

Tony Bennett, who grew up in Wisconsin while his father established himself as a coach, had several supporters on hand. He didn’t, however, receive any advice from dad on game day.

“I didn’t even talk to him before the game,” he said. “I talked to him last night. When I walked out, we just shook hands and we didn’t even say anything. It was kind of a special moment.”

Low also played in front of his father, who traveled from Hawaii for the tournament. The junior played aggressively throughout the contest and made 9 of 15 shots.

“I just went out there and tried to (shoot) it as well as possible and it kept falling,” Low said. “So I guess I got lucky.”

The Cougars’ frontcourt also played well as Ivory Clark scored 18 points, including two thunderous dunks in the Cougars’ dominant first half.

Daven Harmeling added 11 points off the bench.

“Ivory Clark came up big, David Harmeling had a nice outing and Robbie Cowgill – whose has been a good player for us – got into foul trouble and doesn’t give us what he usually does, but I thought everybody stepped up,” Bennett said.

The Cougars, who played the earliest season opener in school history, continue the round-robin tournament today against the host school, Wisconsin-Milwaukee.