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Lute Olson quietly returned to the Arizona basketball team Monday night in a manner characteristic of his unexplained three-week leave of absence.

Olson joined the Wildcats in the locker room for 28 minutes before their 8 p.m. practice, in what players said was a film session. Olson said he did not know if he would coach against Cal State-Fullerton on Wednesday.

UA forward Bret Brielmaier said Olson did not offer any timetable for his return.

"All I know is he was at practice," Brielmaier said. "We watched some film and had practice. It was all good."

Guard Daniel Dillon said he didn't know when Olson would return as head coach, either.

"He's sort of feeling his way back, maybe," Dillon said.

Olson said before practice only that he wanted "to see how I feel on the court tonight," and declined additional comment. After the 75-minute practice, he told team spokesman Richard Paige that he was pleased.

"It was nice to be back," Olson said. "It was a good practice."

While Paige said Olson was "mostly an observer" during the closed 75-minute practice, run primarily by assistant Kevin O'Neill, Brielmaier said Olson was "all there" and involved during the film session.

O'Neill, who has served as interim head coach in Olson's absence, declined comment, and attempts to reach UA athletic director Jim Livengood were unsuccessful.

Olson cited personal reasons for taking the leave of absence in a Nov. 4 news release and did not change his stance Monday.

"I said there were personal matters to take care of," Olson said.

Olson missed a total of seven games — two exhibitions and five regular-season contests during his 21-day leave.

Olson missed 18 days and five games during the 2000-01 season, when his first wife, Bobbi, died of ovarian cancer.

Olson has missed only two other games during his 25-year stint at UA: Dec. 12, 1994, against La Salle because of back problems, and Dec. 9, 2000, at Connecticut to be with Bobbi Olson as she underwent a cancer-related procedure.

Cats' schedule is nonstop / C3