Don Newman

Former Sacramento State coach Don Newman, hired in May to help Bill Frieder recruit players for Arizona State, replaced him Monday as coach. Athletic Director Kevin White gave Newman the interim job after falling short in attempts to hire big-name coaches Rick Majerus of Utah and Kelvin Sampson of Oklahoma to take over. Newman, 39, inherits a team that went 10-20 last season and is under a cloud from point-shaving allegations that arose after 1994 road games.

Former Sacramento State coach Don Newman, hired in May to help Bill Frieder recruit players for Arizona State, replaced him Monday as coach. Athletic Director Kevin White gave Newman the interim job after falling short in attempts to hire big-name coaches Rick Majerus of Utah and Kelvin Sampson of Oklahoma to take over. Newman, 39, inherits a team that went 10-20 last season and is under a cloud from point-shaving allegations that arose after 1994 road games.

At Arizona State, Monday--The Sun Devils, who already have a victory over Cincinnati this season and an overtime loss to Kansas, could take another early leap toward a postseason berth by defeating UCLA, which currently is ranked No. 2 in the all-important ratings percentage index. Under interim coach Don Newman, Arizona State broke an 11-game Pacific 10 Conference losing streak by defeating USC on Saturday, 84-81.

At Cal State Northridge, the suspension of senior guard Trenton Cross for two exhibition games because he left a recruit at a party last month qualified as major turmoil. But Arizona State, the Matadors' opponent today at 1 p.m. in the University Activity Center in Tempe, is a program with much larger problems. The FBI is investigating reports of point-shaving by at least three Sun Devil players in four games during the 1993-94 season.

The Trojans, trying to break a five-game losing streak, play Arizona State, a team that has played surprisingly well considering the controversy that has surrounded the program in recent months. Former Sun Devil Coach Bill Frieder resigned in September amid an FBI investigation into alleged point-shaving by two Sun Devil players during the 1992-93 season.

Jelani McCoy had one of the best games of his UCLA career in the loss to Arizona on Saturday, but probably will have to wait at least another game, and possibly two, before he returns to the starting lineup, Coach Steve Lavin said Sunday. Lavin suggested he was leaning toward keeping McCoy, who scored 16 points and had 13 rebounds against Arizona, as a reserve tonight against Arizona State.

At Cal State Northridge, the suspension of senior guard Trenton Cross for two exhibition games because he left a recruit at a party last month qualified as major turmoil. But Arizona State, the Matadors' opponent today at 1 p.m. in the University Activity Center in Tempe, is a program with much larger problems. The FBI is investigating reports of point-shaving by at least three Sun Devil players in four games during the 1993-94 season.

Former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett appears to be at the top of Washington State's list of candidates for head coach, several newspapers reported Wednesday. Bennett, who turned around three programs before walking away from college basketball three games into the 2000-01 season, spent time with Washington State Athletic Director Jim Sterk last weekend in Spokane, Wash., the Spokesman-Review reported.

Never underestimate the power of the mind. With a powerful dose of confidence two days after stunning the No. 2 team in the country, USC took the court Saturday and crushed Arizona State, 117-71. "We have a sweet taste in our mouth," USC Coach Henry Bibby said. "Before we had a bitter taste. The win against Arizona gave us a big, big lift, a boost of confidence."

After a recent slump, Toby Bailey heads into the final two Pauley Pavilion games of his career this week brimming with the confidence of a player who set his career high in scoring last Sunday in his 124th UCLA game. "It feels real good, especially since I've paid my dues," said Bailey, who scored all of his 32 points in a wild second half at Washington. That followed an impressive 19-point, nine-rebound effort against Washington State.