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AD Pat Chun gives basketball team a vote of confidence

Can Ernie Kent survive a fourth straight losing season?

Oregon v Mississippi State Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Cougar basketball has had its struggles this year, but new Athletic Director Pat Chun still has high hopes for the squad. The AD said in a recent interview that he backs the players 100 percent, and it is just a matter of time before they turn the corner.

Chun joined KXLY’s Derek Deis on this week’s Cougs in 60 podcast, touching on a wide range of topics (the basketball conversation starts at 6:30). The AD began by saying how impressed he was after having lunch with a few players last week. He remarked on how the team is composed of “quality young men” and that they are inching closer to more on court success.

“In at least the games I’ve watched, we’ve gone toe to toe with other teams,” Chun said. “We just need to get that knockout blow toward the second half of the game.”

While the Cougs are currently on a two game winning streak, many of their recent losses have been far from competitive. On their recent 8 game skid half the defeats came by more than 18 points.

Chun mentioned that he has had a few “brief” conversations with Head Coach Ernie Kent to get a better feel for the roster and the future. He was optimistic about the team going forward and said that indicators of success are there.

Over his four year tenure, Kent has often implored that he just needs more time to get the program back on track. While Chun is confident that the team will improve in the future, perhaps a change in leadership will expedite that process.

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Basketball:

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Baseball:

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