WSU didn’t place a high value on Bennett’s future

COUGARS, PAC-10

Glenn Kasses examined the future of WSU coach Tony Bennett in this story and on his blog .

The biggest surprise Glenn found was the low buyout number ($50,000) in the contract.

The Cougars get back to Pac-10 play Thursday at Arizona (5:30 p.m.; FSN; 920-AM).

That will start the second half of the Pac-10 season, and Bennett doesn’t see the Cougars doing much different down the stretch.

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Bud Withers’ Pac-10 notebook in the Times has his half-year awards. And the news the Pac-10’s RPI rating dropped from first to third this week. Thanks UA.

The P-I also runs its Pac-10 notebook today, with the news Oregon’s Malik Hairston will probably be back for his senior season next year.

The News Tribune’s Don Ruiz also looks at the conference at the halfway point, trying to anticipate the surprises that are sure to be out there.