Quote:Alford's future unclear

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Iowa coach Steve Alford should know whether he's Indiana's choice to replace Mike Davis as the Hoosiers' coach in the next week or so, now that the Hawkeyes' season has ended.
A source close to the situation said Alford will meet with Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby to discuss his future in the coming days. But Iowa still needs to know whether Alford is the top choice. Iowa assistants are out recruiting, but are on hold mentally, waiting to see whether they'll be recruiting for Iowa or Indiana. To be fair to Alford and Iowa, Indiana needs to tell Alford soon, so he can plan accordingly. If Alford leaves, Marquette's coach Tom Creen seems to be the top choice for Iowa.

Multiple sources said Alford has plenty of folks rallying for his cause and that this is the one job he would take without reservation, as he grew up in Indiana, played there and started his coaching career in the state at Manchester College.

Indiana has multiple options to fill this job, but Alford remains a popular choice. That Iowa won the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis last week certainly helped his profile. The last-second loss to Northwestern State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament shouldn't hurt.

Orr still sticking around Greensboro

Seton Hall coach Louis Orr stayed in Greensboro, N.C., this weekend to be with his family and reflect on his situation after the Pirates lost to Wichita State in the first round Thursday.

Seton Hall athletic director Joe Quinlan said he would meet with Orr next week when the two return to New Jersey.

Orr has two seasons remaining on his contract, but is awaiting a commitment from the university.
"I want to coach," Orr said. "We've got a great group of guys at Seton Hall that have been there for me. I want to be there for them."

When asked whether he wants to fulfill his contract or seek employment elsewhere, Orr said, "I'm under contract to be the coach of Seton Hall. I've got to do my job. That's how I look at it. I'm not walking away from a job. We'll get together, talk and we'll go from there."

Tom Crean isn't going to Iowa. He turned down another lucrative Big Ten job a few years ago, it might have been Illinois, I can't remember. I think he pulled his name out of the Ohio State job as well. And that was while Marquette was in C-USA. I think he'll stay at Marquette. Unless a premiere job like Kentucky or Kansas opens the only job I think Crean would leave Marquette for is Michigan State.

CatsClaw Wrote:Tom Crean isn't going to Iowa. He turned down another lucrative Big Ten job a few years ago, it might have been Illinois, I can't remember. I think he pulled his name out of the Ohio State job as well. And that was while Marquette was in C-USA. I think he'll stay at Marquette. Unless a premiere job like Kentucky or Kansas opens the only job I think Crean would leave Marquette for is Michigan State.

I think he would leave Marquette for Indiana as well. It is in the same class of jobs as a Kentucky or Kansas.

Maize Wrote:

CatsClaw Wrote:Tom Crean isn't going to Iowa. He turned down another lucrative Big Ten job a few years ago, it might have been Illinois, I can't remember. I think he pulled his name out of the Ohio State job as well. And that was while Marquette was in C-USA. I think he'll stay at Marquette. Unless a premiere job like Kentucky or Kansas opens the only job I think Crean would leave Marquette for is Michigan State.

I think he would leave Marquette for Indiana as well. It is in the same class of jobs as a Kentucky or Kansas.

Good point! UCLA, Duke and North Carolina are the only other elite jobs I can see him taking. I kidn of wonder if he would take the Cincinnati job if it were ever offered to him. That is a Top 10 job nationally as far as prestige, tradition, and support is concerned.