Braswell May Not Be Able to Say No to Oregon State

The coaching era of Bobby Braswell at Cal State Northridge might soon come to an end.

Braswell, who guided the Northridge men’s basketball team to its best season in 22 years and within seconds of an NCAA tournament berth, is expected to be interviewed today at Northridge by Oregon State administrators, who contacted Northridge this week about pursuing Braswell as coach.

Eddie Payne was fired Sunday after coaching the Beavers to five consecutive losing seasons.

Cal State Fullerton also has approached Dick Dull, Northridge’ athletic director, about interviewing Braswell for its coaching vacancy created by the resignation of Bob Hawking.

Braswell, 37, who in four seasons at his alma mater has significantly raised Northridge’s profile, as well as his own, said he would seriously consider an offer from Oregon State. The move to the Pacific 10 Conference school likely would more than double Braswell’s salary of $96,000.

“I definitely have to take a look at this one,” Braswell said. “It’s piqued some interest in me. But I’m also interested in staying here.”

That Braswell has become a coveted coach is no surprise. Nor is this the first time he has been considered for a Division I vacancy.

After last season, Braswell was considered for the job at Long Beach State, where he was an assistant from 1989-91.

Braswell, formerly coach at Cleveland High, was an assistant at Oregon for four seasons before taking his first college head-coaching job at Northridge in 1996.

Braswell has flourished at Northridge as a recruiter and court general, roles the university would be hard-pressed to find in a replacement. The Matadors posted impressive road victories over Fresno State and Oregon, and Braswell’s stock in coaching circles rapidly rose.

Braswell concedes he has begun to expect overtures from prospective employers.

The lure of assuming command of a Pac-10 program would be overwhelming for most coaches. But Braswell said his ties to Northridge, from where he graduated in 1984, and the San Fernando Valley make a decision difficult.

“I’m not sold on leaving here,” Braswell said. “We’ve built a good thing and I’ve got a great team coming back. We’ve got a good team here and my family is very happy here and that is very important to me. If I was doing this thing for money, I would never have taken this job.”

Northridge was 20-10 this season, losing in overtime to Northern Arizona, 85-81, in the Big Sky Conference tournament final. The Matadors nearly won in regulation, missing a tie-breaking shot with 2.8 seconds to play.

Northern Arizona advanced to the NCAA tournament as the Big Sky’s representative and Northridge did not receive a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.

Northridge will have all but two key players returning next season, its final year in the Big Sky. The Matadors will move to the Big West Conference in 2001-02.

Braswell said he is attracted by the prospect of coaching again in the Pac-10, this time in charge of a program.

“I’m seriously considering the Oregon State situation,” Braswell said. “It’s a challenge similar to what we had at Oregon.”

Mitch Barnhart, athletic director at Oregon State, said he would prefer the next coach be a college head coach or NBA assistant and have knowledge of the Northwest.

Other candidates include Milwaukee Buck assistant Don Newman, Coach Ritchie McKay of Colorado State and Arizona assistant Jay John.

Newman was an assistant coach at Oregon and Washington State.

McKay, who was 18-12 with the Rams this season, coached Portland State in 1997-98.

John has twice been an assistant at Oregon and was the coach at Butler for eight seasons.

Braswell has two years remaining on his Northridge contract but is expected to sign an extension. Dull said the process was purposely delayed until the end of the season.

But any Northridge offer is sure to fall short of what Oregon State is likely to dangle before Braswell. Payne earned $200,000 a year.

“I think it’s a compliment to Bobby to be wooed by a Pac-10 program,” Dull said. “Obviously, I’m not interested in losing him. Certainly, down the road we will have a dialogue about all this.”

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MAKING HIS MARK

Coaching record of Bobby Braswell at Cal State Northridge:

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Year Overall Conf. Finish ‘96-’97 14-15 8-8 6th ‘97-’98 12-16 9-7 6th ‘98-’99 17-12 9-7 Tie 3rd ‘99-’00 20-10 10-6 Tie 4th Total 63-53 36-28

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