SPOKANE, Wash. -- Washington State athletic officials remained mum Thursday on a replacement for fired men's basketball coach Paul Graham, but signs pointed to Dick Bennett coming out of retirement to try to turn around the Cougars program.

"I cannot confirm or deny that,'' WSU sports information director Rod Commons said Thursday of reports that Bennett, who walked away from the successful Wisconsin program in November 2000, had agreed to contract terms.

Commons said athletic director Jim Sterk was not available for comment.

"Jim has met with Bennett. The last time they met was over the weekend in Spokane,'' Commons said.

Commons did not know if they were scheduled to meet again.

Bennett's hiring is expected to be announced soon, possibly Saturday. No press conference had been scheduled as of Thursday afternoon, Commons said.

A source close to the WSU basketball program, who asked not to be named, told The Associated Press that Bennett had called or met with some of the Cougars players last week.

"I've been told not to talk to anyone about that,'' sophomore forward Shami Gill said when contacted Thursday at the apartment he shares with teammate Thomas Kelati. Gill said he was told to refer questions to Commons.

The Capital Times of Madison, Wis., reported Thursday that Bennett's contract with WSU stipulates that his son, Tony, an assistant at Wisconsin, would join him in Pullman as heir apparent when his father retires.

The elder Bennett turns 60 next month. Tony Bennett, a top recruiter, is 33.

The Bennetts would be expected to turn around a program that hasn't had a winning season in seven years and won just one Pacific-10 Conference game this season.

Graham was fired March 6 with two games remaining on a 7-20 season. WSU officials announced the firing March 10.

Whoever takes over at Pullman inherits a program with limited scholarships to give. An NCAA rule limits the Cougars to eight scholarships over the next two years.

The new coach also would be expected to begin filling 12,000-seat Friel Court, which averaged about 2,200 fans per game this season.

Bennett compiled a 93-69 record with Wisconsin. His record as a head coach over 25 years is 453-258, including 22-win seasons in 1999-2000.

He is the only coach in Wisconsin history to lead the Badgers to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four appearance in 2000.

Three games into the following season, he quit, saying he was burned out.

Bennett's hiring would be Sterk's second high-profile pick since December, when he tabbed Cougars assistant Bill Doba to succeed Mike Price as head football coach.

There was speculation that Sterk would look for someone with Pacific Northwest or Washington State connections to fill Graham's vacancy. Among those interviewed were former WSU player and NBA assistant coach Don Newman and Eastern Washington head coach Ray Giacoletti.