Bennett has Arizona roots that go back to Westwood High School in Mesa and Mesa Community College, where he helped the Thunderbirds go 31-4 and receive the No. 10 national ranking back in 1980-81.
In those days, young basketball players’ attention didn’t automatically head south.
“I was around for (Fred) Snowden’s days, and they were actually pretty good then,” Bennett said of UA. “And then they declined and then Lute (Olson) came in… As a young coach, you start studying those: How did they get good? How did Arizona happen?
“Because when I was in high school, Arizona State was ahead of Arizona. And then it changed, and it never really changed back.”
