Relief and excitement. Those have to be the two words that surround the Cal men’s basketball team after the big news today.

Ben Braun will no longer walk up and down hardwood at Haas Pavilion, getting axed after 12 years as being the head coach of the Bears.

This is what Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said in a statement today:

“This was an extremely difficult decision that was undertaken with great care and diligence. However, in the final analysis, I have determined that it is time for Cal to seek new leadership in our men’s basketball program. Competing for conference championships and a place in the NCAA Tournament are goals and expectations that are embraced at Cal. Unfortunately, we have not been able to consistently meet those expectations in our men’s basketball program.”

One Sweet 16 appearance, no Pac-10 titles, only five invites to the Big Dance in 12 years of service will get you canned.

Now, is there a wish list out there? This AP story (via SI.com) suggests former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery, former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, former Golden State Warriors head coach Eric Mussleman and current Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennet as front runners.

Of those four, I personally like Montgomery. He knows the Pac-10. He’s been successful. He knows how to recruit at an elite academic institution. He’s been to the Final Four. The only snag is that he is relatively old. But I think his star power outshines his age and would be a perfect fit (and a coup for Cal) if he is chosen to lead the program.

Another guy that no one is probably talking about is that I think would also be a snug fit is current Wazzu coach Tony Bennett. I know, Bennett currently leads one of the top teams in the Pac-10 and is going to face North Carolina in the Sweet 16 this year.

But hear this out: Most of the Cougs are upperclassmen. It’s a senior heavy team. In my opinion, there’s nothing left for Bennett to do but to rebuild at Wazzu. So, why not leave Pullman, Wash., for the Bay Area and go to a school that is a tad more marketable and may be a little bit easier to rebuild than to do what your dad did with the Cougars.

But whoever the next coach is, he will bring in a new energy and sense of urgency to a building that was once one of the most feared and most raucous arenas on the West Coast. And that’s all any Cal fan can hope for.

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