Decision time is here for Stackhouse and Wallace

Sporting News, The, April 10, 1995 by Gene Wojciechowski

If All-America sophomore forward Jerry Stackhouse is to be believed - and he sounded sincere when he said it - North Carolina can expect to have him back for at least one more season. And if he returns, it's likely his teammate, sophomore center Rasheed Wallace, will stay put too.

"Right now, I definitely feel like I'm coming back," said Stackhouse, whose season ended with North Carolina's 75-68 loss to Arkansas in the Final Four semifinals. "We got close. We might be able to win it all (next season)."

Later, when another wave of reporters and minicams moved in front of his locker, Stackhouse slightly amended the statement.

"There's going to be a lot of talk a lot of speculation," he said. "I'm not ruling out anything. Right now, I feel like I want to come back and do some things."

Stackhouse has a reputation for honesty, so if he said he plans to return, well, he plans to return. But chances are the semi-promise was made out of postgame frustration and disappointment. A more likely scenario has Stackhouse and Wallace conferring with Tar Heels Coach Dean Smith, who has a long history of helping players determine their true NBA draft and salary status.

If Stackhouse and Wallace stay, North Carolina becomes the easy preseason choice for next season's NCAA championship, especially with four starters back and the recent signing of top 25 high school star Vince Carter. If Stackhouse and Wallace leave, they become instant lottery picks and Smith has some serious late recruiting to do.

Stackhouse says he and Wallace will discuss their plans soon. And though he didn't come right out and say it, Stackhouse seemed to suggest that if one stayed, so would the other.

Wallace was less committal about his future.

If I decide to go, I'm gone," he says. "If I decide to stay, (I stay). I don't see (the decision) as a nail-biter."

The newest Badger

Cheeseheads everywhere are applauding Wisconsin's decision to finally hire Dick Bennett as the Badgers' new coach. Bennett comes to Madison after spending the past 10 seasons at Wisconsin-Green Bay and the nine seasons before that at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. All he did was win 361 games ... and generally get ignored whenever the Badgers' job opened.

Not this time, though. After Wisconsin suffered through a dreadful season in which first-year coach Stan Van Gundy might have lost control of a team that eventually finished 13-14, Athletic Director Pat Richter made the obvious choice: Bennett

The easy thing to do is blame Richter for the Wisconsin mess. He could have had Bennett when Stu Jackson bolted for the NBA after the 1993-94 season. Instead, he took a chance on Van Gundy.

There have been worse sins. By sticking with Van Gundy, Richter kept the transition down to a minimum, didn't undermine the recruiting process and rewarded loyalty. Van Gundy's hiring also might have persuaded forward Michael Finley and center Rashard Griffith to stay in school rather than leave early for the NBA.

It was a nice idea, but it didn't work completely. Griffith and Finley stayed, but no one - the two stars, as well as Van Gundy - distinguished himself in a season in which the Badgers were preseason picks to challenge for the Big Ten championship.

All that changes with Bennett, who is regarded by his peers as one of the underrated coaches in the business.

In his last six seasons, Bennett has won fewer than 22 games only once. His teams play mostly man-to-man defense, and they play it with a passion. Entering the NCAA Tournament Wisconsin-Green Bay opponents were averaging fewer than 60 points. Bennett is also a big believer in the 3-point shot - the great equalizer.

Bennett is as exciting as a bottle of lukewarm beer. But what he lacks in some of the superficial areas, he makes up in sincerity and honesty. Already. he has met with Wisconsin's players, including Griffith, a junior who is once again pondering a jump to the pros, and told them to expect lots of hard work.

"(I want) people of quality, people you first can lose with," Bennett says. "I've had difficulty with the first year of every school I've gone with."

As for Griffith's status, Bennett didn't sound overly optimistic.

"I would hope that all will return," he says. "It is doubtful that will occur. Griffith is obviously making an important decision."

Sticking around

We may be without one of the rites of spring for a few years now that Tom Penders has signed a seven-year contract with Texas.

Every year there are openings and every year you hear Penders' name in the mix. The most persistent rumor had Penders going back East, preferably to the Big East.

It all made sense. Penders is from the East Coast, and his record at Texas - 155 victories and six NCAA Tournament appearances in his seven seasons at Austin - is impressive enough. But chances are Penders isn't going anywhere after signing this new contract.

Alford rising

Mark Bernsen won games, but apparently not enough to satisfy Southwest Missouri State, which forced out the third-year coach and hired former Indiana star Steve Alford.