WSU's Bennett won't chase Indiana job

Tony Bennett, Washington State men's basketball coach, said he had "exploratory" talks Saturday night with Indiana about its vacant position but has decided not to pursue the job.

Bennett, reached Sunday at his home in Pullman, stopped short of saying he is turning his back on any overtures this offseason, but is thought to be ready to return to WSU for a third season.

Bennett, 38, talked with a representative of Indiana — thought to be athletic director Rick Greenspan — Saturday night, amid several unconfirmed reports that he had an offer on the table.

Asked whether there was an offer, Bennett said, "I don't even want to go there. You can draw your own conclusions on that."

Bennett then spoke Sunday morning with an Indiana representative — likely Greenspan — and said he had decided not to pursue the job.

In pulling out of the Indiana search, Bennett decided against a program that has won five national titles and is thought to have made him its No. 1 target.

But the Hoosiers have had their share of recent controversies, from the firing of controversial coach Bob Knight in 2000 to the hiring and subsequent dismissal of Kelvin Sampson. The former WSU coach was ousted in February for violations of NCAA restrictions on telephoning recruits. Sampson's violations have posed the possibility of NCAA sanctions for the school, which is to appear before the NCAA committee on infractions in Seattle in June.

Two other high-profile positions are open. Newspaper reports in the Bay Area have indicated Bennett is high on the list for the vacancy at California, but he is thought to be not interested because of the repercussions of switching jobs within the conference.

Louisiana State, meanwhile, could try to woo Bennett. The school is expected to name a list of three finalists for its vacant athletic director position by midweek, and someone is likely to be hired for that job quickly. The new AD figures to act fast to hire a new coach.

Bennett's wife, Laurel, is from Louisiana. LSU fired John Brady in midseason, less than two years after he took the Tigers to the 2006 Final Four.

WSU bowed out of the NCAA tournament Thursday with a 68-47 loss to North Carolina, completing the Cougars' most successful postseason run in 67 years. Bennett, who took over for his father Dick at WSU before the 2006-07 season, is 52-17 in two seasons.

Last year, Bennett signed a seven-year contract that pays about $800,000 per year.

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com