AT CSUN, A NOT-SO-GREAT DIVIDE COACH, AD AT ODDS OVER BASKETBALL PROGRAM'S STATUS.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

About the only thing Cal State Northridge men's basketball coach Bobby Braswell and athletics director Dick Dull have in common is their desire to leave the school.

A philosophical divide over the direction of CSUN's signature program surfaced recently after Braswell made clear his displeasure that Dull was not interested in sending the Matadors to the National Invitational Tournament - a second-tier postseason event that would provide television exposure for the program - had the team qualified.

Dull, who has battled financial constraints throughout his time at Northridge, was disturbed about lost class time when the Matadors opened the season with seven games on the road and later traveled to Connecticut for a game to enhance their chances of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. He says he did not want the players to miss any more classes.

All this was taking place while Dull, a former AD at the University of Maryland, was interviewing for a similar position at Indiana State. Braswell, 143-123 in nine seasons at CSUN, has drawn interest for the vacant basketball job at Fresno State, his alma mater.

``It would be a sad day if both of them leave,'' said Terry Davila, who coaches the men's and women's soccer teams. ``It would be hard to replace those two. For how competitive basketball is and the (lack of) resources Braswell battles day in and day out, he has done a tremendous job. Any time you have an AD moving on, it's unsettling.''

Braswell and Dull have worked together for five years and never displayed any outward tension. Dull, who did not get the job at Indiana State, often visits Braswell at practice to offer congratulations after a big victory and allows the coach complete control of the day-to-day operation of the basketball program. He did not, however, attend the Matadors' 2001 NCAA Tournament game against Kansas.

But their differences are clear. CSUN plays in a 1,600-seat gymnasium that does not generate revenue and lacks the quality of many local high-school facilities, which makes it difficult to attract high-profile opponents and television exposure. Braswell claims the only way the Matadors can schedule games against top teams is to go on the road. CSUN opened the season against Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., the hometown of his leading scorer, Ian Boylan.

``I'd find it hard to believe that our university would not have accepted an opportunity to play in the postseason, especially with an institution like ours where we need any kind of recruiting edge we can get,'' said Braswell, who inquired about the USC job last fall after Henry Bibby was fired. ``It's a positive thing. It's important for us.

``When Maryland and Georgetown, national championship teams, accept a bid, I think it'd be pretty smart for us if we had the opportunity.''

The Matadors finished 18-13 this season but were overlooked for an NIT bid in favor of Big West Conference rival Cal State Fullerton. Fullerton went 19-10, had a slightly better RPI (108 to 106) and swept the Matadors. The Titans won two games in the NIT.

CSUN was 1-6 to start the 2004-05 season but went 17-7 the rest of the way. Braswell, who has two years left on his contract, figured CSUN had a shot at the NIT, but NIT executive director Jack Powers said the Matadors were not considered by the selection committee.

Dull had a $9 million budget during his last season at Maryland in 1985-86. The operating budget at Northridge, nearly 15 years later, is $5.3 million. Maryland had a revenue-generating football team. CSUN dropped its program in 2001 when Dull recommended its elimination to cure a budget deficit.

``In our specific circumstance, the reason I didn't push, push, push (for an NIT bid) was because our kids missed an incredible amount of class time in December,'' Dull said. ``We ended up playing the bracket-buster game and went all the way to Fairfield (Conn.) and missed a lot of class in the (Big West) Tournament in Anaheim.

``Quite frankly, I believe it's time to be in class, not the NIT.''

Both sides have to be in sync, said John Robinson, the former USC and UNLV football coach. Robinson was UNLV's athletic director for nearly two years during his coaching tenure.

``It's critical,'' Robinson said. ``The (roles) are different in terms of style. I think you need different kinds of people. A coach is used to decisions being made quickly and putting them into action quickly. With the AD, nothing happens fast. His life is budgets and committees. One is a manager and the other is a leader.''

In the last few months, the university has made clear its intention to build a $100 million performing arts center instead of a new athletics facility. It recently unveiled a 30-year campus plan that did not include a new arena. The arts center will not be a multipurpose facility.

CSUN president Jolene Koester attends nearly all of the men's basketball games as well as other athletic events. She went to the Matadors' NCAA Tournament game in Dayton, Ohio in 2001 and still meets people who want to chat about that season.

Koester said she would sign off on a postseason tournament appearance but added that the final decision rests with Dull.

``Throughout the university we support those kind of activities,'' Koester said. ``We have mechanical engineering students who are going to Europe and racing a car they built. That type of opportunity - to take what they've been studying and the skills they've been developing - in a competitive situation is a positive thing. All over the university, our general sense is to support those kinds of activities.''

In the end, Braswell and Dull could wind up staying. The Matadors have a strong recruiting class ready to take Boylan's place. But after four years with the program, Boylan worries that isn't good enough.

``When someone tells you you're not going to have an arena for 30 years, that's disheartening,'' Boylan said. ``That no matter what you do, no matter how much you win, you won't get one. I don't think that's a very smart statement. Northridge could somehow finish 38-0 and it's not going to get an arena?''

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) DULL

(2) CSUN basketball coach Bobby Braswell said his team needs postseason play to help recruiting.

Donald Miralle/Getty Images