In a stunning development within college basketball, Washington State is expected to name former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett as its head coach to replace Paul Graham, sources told ESPN.com Wednesday.

	Dick Bennett left Wisconsin in November of 2000.

Bennett informed school officials of his decision Wednesday. The school is tentatively scheduling a Saturday news conference, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com.

Eastern Washington head coach Ray Giacolletti withdrew from the search after interviewing earlier in the week. Washington State athletic director Jim Sterk also interviewed Milwaukee Bucks assistant Don Newman, who was once an assistant at the school as well as being an interim head coach at Arizona State.

Sterk spent quality time with Bennett while Wisconsin played in the Midwest Regional in Spokane, Wash., last week. Bennett's son, Tony, is an assistant coach with the Badgers.

Bennett, 59, retired abruptly from Wisconsin in November of 2000, eight months after leading the Badgers to the Final Four. Bennett has won wherever he has coached, resurrecting programs at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, UW-Green Bay and Wisconsin. Bennett is known to be one of the top coaching minds in the game, with an emphasis on defense. His knowledge of the game, both offensively and defensively, is respected throughout the coaching world.

Arizona coaches who were getting ready for the West Regional in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday were stunned by the news that Bennett could be coaching in the Pac-10.

They immediately said that playing Washington State would be an even tougher assignment with preparations for the Cougars becoming even more taxing.

Graham's teams were one of the hardest working teams in the league. Graham was set back by multiple injuries to key players, losing eight players at various times of the season.

His star guard Marcus Moore missed nine games with bone chips in his ankle. He returned to help lead the Cougars to a win over rival Washington. Washington State finished 7-20, 2-16 in the Pac-10 and missed the Pac-10 tournament for the second consecutive time.

Bennett would likely bring with him his son, Tony. But that isn't a done deal yet. Bennett is with Wisconsin in the Midwest Regional in Minneapolis.

Sources said Dick Bennett came out of retirement because of his hunger to get back to the court. He initially left the game because he was physically drained. But he would intend to coach without an ending point, feeling that he could coach for many years. There wouldn't be any kind of set deal to have Tony take over for him. Dick Bennett would be taking this job to continue coaching and teaching, not as a way to create a job for his son.

Bennett's return to coaching in the West is akin to Charlie Spoonhour coming out of retirement to coach UNLV two years ago. Spoonhour retired from Saint Louis because of a similar burnout.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.