Bennett gets fired at SMU
DALLAS - SMU Coach Phil Bennett was fired Sunday, a day after the Mustangs lost 29-23 at Tulsa and were eliminated from bowl contention.
Bennett, who is 18-48 in six seasons, will finish out the season, Athletic Director Steve Orsini said.
"I appreciate Phil's efforts here at SMU, but I felt it was time for a change," Orsini said in a statement.
The Mustangs are 1-7 with four games remaining. They play at Houston on Sunday.
Bennett is expected to address the media Tuesday.
He did not immediately return a phone message from TheAssociated Press on Sunday.
Bennett was reportedly close to losing his job after the 2005 season but won the last three to finish 5-6. He signed an extension in January 2006 that put him under contract through the 2009 season.
But that was before Orsini came aboard as athletic director. His first big move was to hire former North Carolina basketball Coach Matt Doherty.
Bennett, under Orsini's close watch in 2006, led the Mustangs to a 6-6 record. It was the team's second nonlosing season since the NCAA shut down the program in 1987 for numerous violations, including paying players.
ILLINOIS STATE
2 dismissed from team
NORMAL, Ill. - Two Illinois State players were charged with stealing a classmate's wallet and were dismissed from the team.
Cameron Cyril Thompkins,18, of Sanford, Fla., and Micha Gordon, 19, of Peoria, were removed from the squad Thursday because of "violations of team rules," athletic department spokesman Todd Kober said.
The alleged theft happened in late September near the campus, police said Sunday.
The players weren't arrested until Thursday, when the state's attorney issued a warrant after reviewing the case. Each posted a $500 cash bond.
WEBER STATE Scoring spree sets record
PORTLAND, Ore. - Weber State beat Portland State 73-68 on Saturday night to set an NCAA all-division record for points in a game. The previous record for two teams was 136, set in 1968 when North Park beat North Central 104-32 in a Division III game. The Division I record was 133, set in 2004 when San Jose State beat Rice 70-63.
Sports, Pages 21 on 10/29/2007