|
Arizona coach Sean Miller says he will not be replacing Pittsburgh's Kevin Stallings. "I am not a candidate for the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball head coaching vacancy," Miller said in a statement. "I wish them well in their search for a new coach." Miller's statement came shortly after a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicated he was interested in the Pittsburgh job and had already met with Panthers' athletic director Heather Lyke. Miller, a Pennsylvania native who played at Pittsburgh and was an assistant for one season in 1995-96, has been at Arizona for nine seasons. The Wildcats have been to seven NCAA tournaments under Miller, including three Elite Eight appearances. Arizona, however, was mentioned in the federal investigation into college basketball corruption back in the fall, resulting in the firing of assistant coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson. ESPN also reported last month that Miller was heard on wiretaps discussing a $100,000 payment to a recruit. Pittsburgh's top target now appears to be Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley, sources told ESPN. Pitt also met with former Indiana coach Tom Crean last week, according to sources, but Crean was hired at Georgia. Other names potentially in the mix at Pitt include St. Bonaventure's Mark Schmidt and Buffalo's Nate Oats. The Panthers fired Stallings after two seasons at the helm. They went 16-17 in Stallings' first season but finished 8-24 this season -- including a winless ACC campaign.
|
