Pac-Tending 07-25-07

"We feel that it is important because the season has expanded, due to the number of exempt games and increasing the core schedule a year ago. What we really want to do is continue to look at how teams are playing in the last third of the season."

- NCAA men's basketball committee chairman and Princeton AD Gary Walters, explaining why next year's men's hoop selection committee will likely be looking at a team's final 12 games this year as opposed to the usual last 10 games when considering them for an at-large selection.

The juices are flowing at the Creek as the onset of the 2007-08 season rapidly approaches – greeted by the news this week that the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego will take the Pac-10's seventh-place team in 2008 and pit that team against an opponent from the Mountain West Conference. Beginning in 2009, the Hawai'i Bowl will enter the picture and switch places with the Poinsettia, with the Hawai'i Bowl taking the sixth-place team [now taken by the Armed Forces Bowl] and the Poinsettia taking the seventh-place team.

Meanwhile, at NCAA HQ, the men's basketball committee is discussing awarding an additional "unit" of payment to the winner of the opening round game played in Dayton that typically determines the 16 seed for one of the first round games, announcing the participants of that game at 9 a.m. [PST] instead of 3 p.m. [PST] to give them more time for travel arrangements and consider a team's last 12 games [rather than 10] as one of the criteria for selecting at-large teams.

Washington

In men's hoop, 6-6 forward Tyreese Breshers changed his mind and de-committed from Miami and then verbally committed to Washington.

California

In women's tennis, Michigan head coach Amanda Augustus was named as the new head coach of the Bears.

Oregon

In track and field, assistant coach Dan Steele was promoted to associate director.

Arizona State

In women's golf, Arizona State was selected as a host for the 2009 NCAA West Regional Championship tournament.

USC

In women's tennis, Washington assistant coach West Nott was hired as an assistant coach at USC.

Oregon State

In football, quarterback Jake Gelakoska is academically ineligible for the 2007 season.

WSU

In football, The Cougars will play Notre Dame in San Antonio on October 31 in 2009.

In men's hoop, guard Thomas Abercrombie and center Aron Baynes were named to play in next month's World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand for their respective countries of New Zealand and Australia.

In baseball, the Cougars signed pitcher Eric Maupin to a letter of intent.

Stanford

In football, the Cardinal received a verbal commitment from defensive back Delano Howell.

Arizona

In football, junior defensive lineman Michael Shelton will transfer.

UCLA

In football, tight end Logan Paulsen was named to the Mackey Award Watch List.

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