Keady: 'Tell everyone to relax'

If UNLV is truly interested in talking to Purdue coach Gene Keady, it sounds like he'll be more receptive than Rick Majerus.

The longtime Boilermakers coach acknowledged Monday that he has been mentioned as a candidate to becomes the Rebels' next coach.

But Keady, preparing his team for Wednesday's NIT game against Illinois State, tried to calm the waters.

"I'll never say never," he said. "I am wearing a 'P' (on my shirt) right now and I hope to be next year at this time. It would have to be a very lucrative offer for me to go. I don't have any ambition for that and I'm not searching for that. Tell everyone to relax.

"I don't know where this came up. I have a lot of friends in Vegas I play golf with and maybe they were pushing me."

There are several candidates on UNLV's search list, but Keady is regarded as one of the best because of his lengthy resume at the Big Ten school. He has a 454-205 record in 21 years at Purdue, has won six Big Ten titles and has been national coach of the year six times.

"I guess it's somewhat nice to know that you're still known as a coach who could be used in other places," Keady said.

"(But) our players probably don't even know about it. I told the players that if there is ever something like that coming up, or the potential that I would leave, they'd be the first to know."

After Rick Pitino turned down the UNLV job March 4 after a six-week courtship and Majerus quickly declined consideration, the Rebels' search will probably slow down for the next few weeks. Many of the coaches on UNLV's list, including Keady, are in the postseason.

Among those coaches are three in the NCAA Tournament: Dana Altman from Creighton, Bobby Braswell from Cal State Northridge and Skip Prosser from Xavier. UNLV was reportedly interested in Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson, but after winning the Big 12, he's unlikely to move.

Another interesting name popped into the UNLV rumor mill Monday -- TCU coach Billy Tubbs. One college coaching source said Tubbs will be in Las Vegas to discuss the job today or Wednesday, but that couldn't be confirmed.

Despite averaging 20 wins for seven years at TCU, Tubbs has had to fend off reports that he's in danger of being fired or bought out of his contract. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Friday that the university was planning a buyout, but all parties have denied the story.

"(Tubbs) has my full support," TCU athletic director Eric Hyman told the Star-Telegram. "All the rest of the speculation is pure, unsubstantiated rumors."

Tubbs, who turned 66 last week, said, "I'll be the coach next year at TCU. No one is pushing me out. The bottom line is these reports aren't true."

But despite a 20-11 season, the Horned Frogs weren't selected to the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. Under Tubbs, TCU is 140-80 since 1995, but has played in only one NCAA Tournament. TCU will move from the WAC to Conference USA next season.

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