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Tuesday, March 19
Huggins has expressed interest in returning to school
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services
CINCINNATI -- West Virginia has been granted permission to talk with Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins about its vacant basketball coaching job.
"We know that West Virginia has a great interest in Bob Huggins," Cincinnati athletic director Bob Goin said Tuesday. "What has yet to be determined is how high Bob Huggins' interest is in the West Virginia position."
Sources close to Huggins told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that he will meet with West Virginia sometime this week. Members of Huggins staff and those close to him say he is wrestling with the decision and wouldn't be surprised if he accepted the job.
Those sources say to expect a decision within a week.
According to Katz's sources, Huggins has to be assured that the Mountaineers are committed to keeping the coaching salaries and recruiting budget competitive in the Big East. Huggins reportedly has been unhappy that his salary at Cincinnati has slipped below Memphis' John Calipari and Louisville's Rick Pitino in Conference USA, while the salaries of Marquette's Tom Crean and Charlotte's Bobby Lutz have been bumped up to near his.
Huggins' teams have won the Conference USA title each of the last seven seasons.
Huggins said Monday night he had talked with Goin but had not talked with anybody from West Virginia. Goin declined to say if he has meeting with Huggins this week.
Huggins won his 500th game Friday and finished his 13th season as Cincinnati's coach on Sunday when the Bearcats lost to UCLA 105-101 in double overtime in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Huggins was born in Morgantown, W.Va., played for West Virginia, graduated from the school and began his coaching career there in 1977 as a graduate assistant.
He has told Cincinnati president Joseph Steger he would someday like to coach the Mountaineers.
"That's hard to fight," Steger said. "I certainly would hope, of course, he would stay."
Cincinnati set a school record with 31 victories this season. The Bearcats annually dominate Conference USA and are a fixture in the NCAA tournament.
West Virginia was 8-20 this season, including a 1-15 record and last-place finish in the Big East Conference.
The West Virginia job opened when Gale Catlett, also a former Cincinnati coach, said in February he was retiring.
Ed Pastilong, West Virginia's athletic director, was traveling Tuesday and did not return a message left with his office.
Huggins has been contacted before about coaching vacancies elsewhere, including the NBA. He passed up an offer to coach the Los Angeles Clippers.
Huggins' package at Cincinnati includes a $115,700 annual salary, a $50,000 annual bonus, $125,000 from radio and TV shows, bonuses for getting his team into the NCAA tournament, a country club membership and use of a car.
In addition, an annuity the school started for him in 1995 is now worth at least $910,000. Huggins may take the annuity now that he has completed the 2001-02 season. He is under contract to Cincinnati through the 2004-05 season.
In 2000, he received a raise that brought his guaranteed annual compensation to $545,000. That does not include money from summer camps or his shoe deal with Nike.
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M COLLEGE BB
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CONFERENCES
Select OneAm. EastA 10ACCA-SunBig 12Big EastBig SkyB. SouthBig TenB. WestCAACUSAIndep.HorizonIvyMAACMid-ConMACMEACMVCMWCNECOVCPac-10PatriotSECSouthernSouthlandSWACS. BeltWCCWAC
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Tuesday, March 19
Huggins has expressed interest in returning to school
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services
CINCINNATI -- West Virginia has been granted permission to talk with Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins about its vacant basketball coaching job.
"We know that West Virginia has a great interest in Bob Huggins," Cincinnati athletic director Bob Goin said Tuesday. "What has yet to be determined is how high Bob Huggins' interest is in the West Virginia position."
Sources close to Huggins told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that he will meet with West Virginia sometime this week. Members of Huggins staff and those close to him say he is wrestling with the decision and wouldn't be surprised if he accepted the job.
Those sources say to expect a decision within a week.
According to Katz's sources, Huggins has to be assured that the Mountaineers are committed to keeping the coaching salaries and recruiting budget competitive in the Big East. Huggins reportedly has been unhappy that his salary at Cincinnati has slipped below Memphis' John Calipari and Louisville's Rick Pitino in Conference USA, while the salaries of Marquette's Tom Crean and Charlotte's Bobby Lutz have been bumped up to near his.
Huggins' teams have won the Conference USA title each of the last seven seasons.
Huggins said Monday night he had talked with Goin but had not talked with anybody from West Virginia. Goin declined to say if he has meeting with Huggins this week.
Huggins won his 500th game Friday and finished his 13th season as Cincinnati's coach on Sunday when the Bearcats lost to UCLA 105-101 in double overtime in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Huggins was born in Morgantown, W.Va., played for West Virginia, graduated from the school and began his coaching career there in 1977 as a graduate assistant.
He has told Cincinnati president Joseph Steger he would someday like to coach the Mountaineers.
"That's hard to fight," Steger said. "I certainly would hope, of course, he would stay."
Cincinnati set a school record with 31 victories this season. The Bearcats annually dominate Conference USA and are a fixture in the NCAA tournament.
West Virginia was 8-20 this season, including a 1-15 record and last-place finish in the Big East Conference.
The West Virginia job opened when Gale Catlett, also a former Cincinnati coach, said in February he was retiring.
Ed Pastilong, West Virginia's athletic director, was traveling Tuesday and did not return a message left with his office.
Huggins has been contacted before about coaching vacancies elsewhere, including the NBA. He passed up an offer to coach the Los Angeles Clippers.
Huggins' package at Cincinnati includes a $115,700 annual salary, a $50,000 annual bonus, $125,000 from radio and TV shows, bonuses for getting his team into the NCAA tournament, a country club membership and use of a car.
In addition, an annuity the school started for him in 1995 is now worth at least $910,000. Huggins may take the annuity now that he has completed the 2001-02 season. He is under contract to Cincinnati through the 2004-05 season.
In 2000, he received a raise that brought his guaranteed annual compensation to $545,000. That does not include money from summer camps or his shoe deal with Nike.
