(Sports Network) - UCLA and men's basketball coach Ben Howland have agreed to terms of a new seven-year contract that will run through the 2014-15 season. Howland's new deal will pay him $1.97 million for the 2008-09 season and will escalate to $2.3 million for the 2014-15 campaign. It also includes the incentive package from his previous contract that has a maximum value of $235,000.

The Bruins are coming off a 35-4 season in 2007-08 and advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. UCLA lost to Florida in the 2006 championship game, then fell to the Gators again in the 2007 national semifinals before losing to Memphis in the national semis this past spring.

"Ben Howland and UCLA are a great combination," said athletic director Dan Guerrero. "Ben is at the top of his profession and is deserving of this commitment by the university. He has returned UCLA to the nation's elite, as illustrated by three straight Finals Fours and three consecutive 30-win seasons. He is an outstanding recruiter, and the foundation Ben has built for our program promises to keep us at the forefront for the foreseeable future."

Howland has a record of 126-45 in five seasons with UCLA. The Bruins have won three straight Pac-10 titles and two of the last three Pac-10 Tournament crowns.

"I have said this before, but there is no place I would rather be coaching than UCLA," said Howland. "I grew up a Bruin basketball fan and this is my dream job. We have great young men in our program, both on and off the field, and they are the real reasons for our success. UCLA is a special name in college basketball thanks to Coach Wooden and I am proud to be the caretaker of his program. I am also grateful to Chancellor [Gene] Block and Dan [Guerrero] for the faith they continue to show in me."

In 14 years as a collegiate head coach, Howland has produced a record of 294-144. He began his career at Northern Arizona in 1994, then left for Pittsburgh in 1999 and spent four seasons with the Panthers before heading to UCLA in 2003.





Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved