Arizona head basketball coach Lute Olson will hold a news conference at 12:30 p.m. today in which he will announce he is taking a leave of absence from the team.

GOAZCATS.com and Josh Gershon first reported that Olson, 73, would be announcing a leave of absence this afternoon. The news conference will take place prior to a scheduled exhibition game for the Wildcats at 2:30 p.m. against Concordia University of Montreal (Quebec), Canada. New assistant coach Kevin O'Neill would most likely take over coaching duties today.

No reason has as yet been given for the leave of absence. No indication was given by Olson of any trouble with him, the team or his family prior to today’s announcement.

The Tucson Citizen has reported that this is not a health scare for Olson, but a personal matter that needs his undivided attention.

“I've given 110 percent to this team and this job,” Olson said through his wife, Christine's press personnel. “In light of this personal matter, I feel it is in the best interest of the team and the University of Arizona to take a leave of absence.”

Olson has missed only seven games in his 25 years as University of Arizona head basketball coach. Six of those games involved the sickness and eventual death of his first wife, Bobbi, in 2001.