USD head coach Bill Grier and former USD assistant and now Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett are prime candidates to fill the opening at Oregon State according to a blog posted on The Oregonian newspaper's Web site last night.
“OSU Athletic Director Bob De Carolis spoke with San Diego coach Bill Grier (yesterday) in Portland,” Paul Buker wrote in the Behind The Beavers Beat blog. “De Carolis and St. Mary's coach Randy Bennett, are still talking, and De Carolis will apparently get back to Bennett (today). But don't expect Bennett to be on campus at OSU unless there is a deal in place . . . .
“Grier seems to be in the 'serious consideration' category right now.”
A message left on Grier's cell phone by the Union-Tribune was not returned.
Grier, in his first season, guided the Toreros to a 22-13 record, a West Coast Conference tournament championship and upset of UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Lopez twins to NBA
Stanford sophomore Robin Lopez is joining his 7-foot brother Brook in entering the NBA draft. The brothers made their announcement to The Associated Press yesterday through their mother, Deborah Ledford.
Both Brook and Robin will hire agents and thus forgo their remaining two years of college eligibility, their mother said.
Around the country
JaVale McGee, Nevada's 7-foot-1 sophomore center, is entering the 2008 NBA draft and has hired an agent to help promote him as an early first-round pick. His mother, former U.S. Olympian and WNBA star Pam McGee, gathered information from NBA scouts and general managers to help make the decision, he said.
Western Kentucky coach Darrin Horn is leaving for South Carolina after the Hilltoppers' best finish in the NCAA Tournament in 15 years. Horn has three years remaining on his contract, which includes a buyout of $157,000 per year for each year bought out, as well as a provision that would require Horn's new school to play four games against the Hilltoppers in the future.
New Mexico gave men's basketball coach Steve Alford a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2015-16 season.
Kentucky basketball manager Bill Keightley, who was with the Wildcats for 48 seasons, died yesterday in Cincinnati. He was 81. . . Vanderbilt freshman guard Keegan Bell and Duke freshman Taylor King will transfer to unspecified schools.
