Low notified Hawai'i coach Riley Wallace, Gonzaga's Mark Few and Utah's Rick Majerus of his decision late yesterday afternoon after making the commitment via telephone to Washington State coach Dick Bennett.

Low, a 6-foot-1 point guard, earlier was being recruited by such powerhouses as Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Oklahoma State, among others. But he said last night he ultimately had only four major scholarship offers on the table: Washington State, Utah, Gonzaga and UH.

The first day recruits can sign official letters of intent is Nov. 12, and verbal commitments are non-binding.

But after returning last week from a tournament in Las Vegas, Low decided on Washington State, a program that went 31-79 over the past four seasons, including a 9-63 mark in the Pac-10 Conference.

However, that record was compiled by former coach Paul Graham, who was fired in March.

Bennett, a widely respected coach who guided Wisconsin to the Final Four in 2000 and has 453 career victories, took over for Graham and has told Low he plans to use Low as a foundation for rebuilding the program.

"From the first time I talked to them (in March), it was so exciting," Low said last night. "Every single coach was so sincere. And after getting phone calls from all over and talking to the different coaches, you kinda get a feel for who is sincere."

Last month, WSU assistant coach Tony Bennett (Dick's son) arrived in Honolulu one afternoon just to watch Low play in an NCAA Summer League game, then flew back to the Mainland the same night.

Low made the commitment despite not having visited Washington State's remote campus in Pullman.

"It's a rural town, so I will be able to concentrate on studying and improving my game," Low said. "And I feel comfortable that the Bennetts will take excellent care of me."

That comfort is what ultimately sealed the deal for Low.

"They said I'd have a chance to start right away and Dick Bennett said he'd give me the ball for four years in the Pac-10," Low said. "He also said that even if I were to blow my knee out and not be able to play anymore, he would still honor my scholarship for all four years. In my mind, that shows how sincere he is. It shows that they care about me not just as a basketball player, but as a person."

Low said Washington State was the only school to make such a promise. He added that Gonzaga was looking at four other guards besides himself.

"For Washington State, I'm the only point guard they're looking at for my class," Low said. "I was the whole focus of their summer. That says a lot right there."

In May, Low took an official visit to Utah, which received NCAA sanctions last week. He took an unofficial visit to UH in June.

Low's father, Ken, said before that visit that Hawai'i had not been in contact with them for four months. While acknowledging that Washington State wrote no letters but had been making the allowable phone calls during that period — sometimes once a week — Derrick Low said Wallace's low-key approach to recruiting was not a main factor in turning down the Rainbows.

Until yesterday, Low said he last spoke with Wallace last month after the Nike All-America Camp, which ended July 11. Bennett called him after the Las Vegas tournament, which ended July 26, to say he was pleased with Low's play. Low said he made his decision after that phone call, although he waited until Iolani coach Mark Mugiishi returned from a Mainland trip this week to make the commitment.

"Coach Wallace said it's not his style to call a lot or write a lot of letters," Low said. "But I had Washington State as a front-runner before going to Las Vegas. People might see Washington State as the worst team in the Pac-10, but they need to see that they have a great coach now in Dick Bennett. He is straight-up, honest and sincere."

Coaches are not allowed to comment on recruits until letters of intent are received.