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Bellotti reportedly top option for USC
■ Oregon coach Mike Bellotti
has emerged as a candidate
for the vacant USC head
coaching position
By Scott Pesznecker
Oregon Daily Emerald
If the rumors are true, Oregon
head coach Mike Bellotti may not
he satisfied with a 9-2 overall
record, top-notch facilities and a
still-growing football program.
News reports that surfaced
Thursday afternoon said that Bel
lotti was in San Francisco talking
with Southern California officials
about becoming the Trojans’ next
head coach.
Bellotti was in the Bay Area on a
recruiting trip when the stories
broke.
Reports say that Southern Cali
fornia is offering Bellotti up to Si.5
million for five seasons. Bellotti,
who has led the Ducks to a 48-22
record in six seasons, is making
about $600,000 annually.
The Emerald could not reach
Oregon athletic director Bill Moos
for comment, but Moos spoke with
reporters earlier in the day.
‘'His name keeps coming up at
various places — we know that, of
course.” Moos told CBSSport
sline.com, “but we also know
there's more than just buying Mike
Bellotti. He and his family love liv
ing here, and we've got a pretty
damn good football program going
right here, too.”
Apparently, Bellotti would only
accept the coaching job at USC —
assuming that talks are even taking
place — if Trojan athletic director
Mike Garrett can sell Los Angeles
as a place where Bellotti can settle
with his family.
Also on CBSSportsline.com.
from an anonymous friend of Bel
lotti: “He and his family are verv
comfortable in Eugene, and it’s up
to Garrett to convince him that they
can be as happy in Los Angeles as
they are at Oregon."
Moos said that Garrett hadn’t
called him to ask permission to
court Bellotti, which is normal pro
cedure, but that he knows of con
tacts made between USC and Ore
gon's head coach.
Trojan coach Paul Hackett was
fired Nov. 27 after his team finished
tied-for-last place in the Pacific-10
Conference with a 5-7 overall
record. In his three seasons as head
coach, Hackett compiled a
mediocre 19-18 record.
The Los Angeles Times reported
this week that Oregon State head
coach Dennis Erickson rejected a
five-year, $7.2-million offer to
coach the Trojans.
Oregon women race for the Rose Garden
Catharine Kendall Emerald
Junior forward Ndidi Unaka looks to play as well against Santa Clara as she did against Portland last Saturday, when she scored 12 points.
■ The Ducks stay focused on facing Santa Clara
Saturday, despite some tough ranked opponents
coming up
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
A little unconventionally, the Ducks
will be migrating north this winter.
Well, OK, for just one game, and only
about 100 miles to Portland.
Nonetheless, a change of scenery is
in store for the 12th-ranked Oregon
women's basketball team (3-0 overall)
as it takes on Santa Clara in the annu
al Pape Jam at the Rose Garden. Tipoff
is set for 6 p.m. Saturday.
The confines of the Portland Trail
blazers' home, with seating for more
than 20,000 fans, is a unique experi
ence for the Ducks, who are used to
the tight yet boisterous McArthur
Court.
Oregon has won its last two contests
at the Rose Garden, with victories
against Portland State, 79-42, last vear
and DePaul, 86-57, in 1998.
“I’ve enjoyed playing there,” junior
guard Jamie Craighead said. “It’s not as
loud as Mac Court, but it’s definitely a
different atmosphere, and will be good
preparation for Texas Tech.”
Oregon will attempt to defeat its
third ranked opponent of the year on
Dec. 13 when it heads to No. 10 Texas
Tech.
Turn to Women’s, page 11
On Tap:
Who: Oregon
women vs.
Santa Clara
Oregon men vs.
Massachusetts
What: The Pape
Jam
Where: The Rose
Garden
When: Women
at 6 p.m.
Menat8:30p.m.
UO men studying to pass tough test against UMass
Oregon gets an
opportunity to
bounce back
from Tuesday’s
frustrating win
MEN'S
BASKETBALL
By Jeff Smith
Oregon Daily Emerald
Head coach Ernie Kent is giving his Ducks an early start to
final exam week Saturday when Oregon faces Massachusetts
in Portland’s Pape Jam.
Kent, who lately has been sounding like a professor grad
ing his students, considers Saturday’s game at the Rose Gar
den the first major yardstick for his 4-0 team.
“Saturday’s test is going to be huge,” Kent said. “Maybe
[like] final exams before final exam week.”
Kent is not expecting his players to ace this “test,” but he
would like to see some improvement from the current C-plus
grade that he gives them.
“We’re 4-0 playing C-plus basketball,” Kent said. “We’re
not at an A level right now, yet we’re going to get tested big
time this Saturday [and] that’s going to give us an opportunity
to get to that level.”
The Ducks were not pleased with Tuesday’s lethargic 66
60 victory against Portland but took solace in the fact that
despite not playing their best basketball, they still remained
undefeated. Many of the players believe they will step up
their level of play a notch because the game will be played
Turn to Men’s, page 16
Oregon coach Ernie Kent expects freshman Luke Jackson and the rest of the Ducks to improve.
3
Catharine Kendall Emerald «•