WSU Men's Basketball | Cougars opt out of Alaska Shootout

Washington State has opted out of the 2007 Great Alaska Shootout college-basketball tournament in Anchorage, and WSU plans to replace the games partly with a four-team tournament in Spokane over Thanksgiving weekend.

Coach Tony Bennett confirmed the pullout Monday — taking the Cougars out of an eight-team event that includes Gonzaga — saying WSU's schedule included too many road games.

He wouldn't comment on replacement games, but other sources indicate the Cougars are close to finalizing the Spokane event. Matt Gibson, manager of events and booking for Spokane Arena, said, "We're working with Washington State to make sure it happens. As far as we're concerned, it's happening unless they tell us otherwise."

Without the Shootout, the Cougars, who made a surprise run to a 26-8 record last season, have five nonconference games away from Pullman. That includes one at Gonzaga, another against an undetermined opponent in Seattle, a return game at Boise State, another at Idaho State as part of a two-for-one arrangement, and another at Baylor as part of the new Pac-10/Big 12 challenge event.

With the possibility of playing Gonzaga twice and another three away from home, WSU elected to pull out of the Shootout. Besides the Zags, the field includes Texas Tech, Butler and Michigan, a stronger group than WSU is likely to entertain in Spokane.

"With Washington State's success of late, and its proximity, they would have been a great draw," said Alaska Anchorage associate athletic director Tim McDiffett, who helps book Shootout teams. "ESPN was certainly excited about them being a part of it as well. But hopefully we can make it work another year."

Going Down Under

Following a break after final exams, WSU players have returned to Pullman for 10 days of preparation for a two-week, six-game trip to New Zealand and Australia starting June 2.

Many teams have benefited from the extra time together. One of Bennett's priorities will be to impress upon his team that some lofty preseason expectations — the Cougars are already ranked No. 5 by ESPN.com — will not help them win games.

"I'd say nothing is more insignificant than preseason rankings," Bennett said. "I'd [tell his players], 'Look where they ranked you last year.' " Washington State was picked 10th in the Pac-10.

Pan-Am candidates

Bennett called the invitations for senior guards Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver to the Pan-Am tryouts in July "great for them and our program. What an opportunity, from an individual standpoint and to represent your country."

Bennett was on the 1991 U.S. team that took the bronze medal in Havana.

"I got to see Fidel Castro," Bennett said. "He was at our games."

Jay Wright of Villanova is the head coach, with the tryouts in Philadelphia for the Pan-Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Notes

• Bennett said he wasn't concerned about WSU's recently released NCAA Academic Performance Rate score of 892. Only USC's 882 was lower among Pac-10 basketball programs. The score is based on the three school years from 2003-2006.

"We've improved significantly," he said, noting the usual high attrition that came after WSU's coaching change in 2003. The Cougars had three players — Robbie Cowgill, Daven Harmeling and Aron Baynes — on the 2007 league all-academic team.

• John Hines, Northwest Sports and Entertainment promoter, says he is seeking opponents for both WSU and Gonzaga for this season at KeyArena, but has a tentative agreement that would bring Connecticut to Seattle late in 2008 as the return date for Gonzaga playing UConn on the East Coast this year.

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