NEW ORLEANS - USF athletic director Lee Roy Selmon has obtained permission from Florida to interview assistant Anthony Grant. He will join USF assistant Dave Zimroth as the first two contenders to replace Seth Greenberg.
USF officials indicate there will be more interviews.
"A lot of assistants have shown that when they've matured, they have the chance to do an outstanding job; we're here with Tom Crean who four years was an assistant," said former FSU coach Pat Kennedy, who had Zimroth on his staff in Tallahassee.
"I think Z has earned it. He's an extraordinarily hard worker. He knows the state of Florida; no one knows it better. And when we were at Florida State, he had a lot to do with our success. If they're going to go the route of an assistant, he'd obviously be a great choice in my opinion."
CLEMSON: Dayton coach Oliver Purnell has accepted an offer to coach the Tigers, Flyers athletic director Ted Kissell said.
Kissell said he talked to Purnell on the telephone Saturday morning, and they parted on good terms.
"Obviously, they decided he's the guy," Kissell said of Clemson. "He's a friend of mine, and I wish him well. We both feel proud of what we accomplished."
Clemson would not confirm whether Purnell had been hired. Larry Shyatt resigned as coach last month.
INDIANA: Mike Davis is interested in one coaching job - the one he has.
Davis told Indianapolis' Star he hasn't spoken with any school, trying to put an end to speculation he was interested in coaching at Georgia.
A newspaper report out of Georgia on Thursday quoted sources close to that program saying Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley hoped to speak to Davis at the Final Four this weekend regarding the Bulldogs vacant job.
"I want to say once and for all that I have no interest in any other job except the one that I have," Davis said. "I have a great job, one of the top five college basketball jobs in the country, and all of this talk about me wanting to go here or there is crazy."
The 42-year-old Davis signed a six-year contract extension through 2007-08 last season. He just completed his third season and led the Hoosiers to the national championship game a year ago.
KENTUCKY: Coach Tubby Smith moved closer to a historic sweep of the national coach-of-the-year awards and a commitment to remain as the leader of the program.
Smith received the Adolph F. Rupp Trophy, which is given annually by the Associated Press.
"We're excited about what we have coming back," Smith said of expectations for next season, "and I'm looking forward to being part of this program for a number of years."
When asked whether he was ready to make a definitive statement about his intention to remain coach, Smith said, "I've already made a statement. What else do you need?"
That prompted a splitting-hairs question about whether Smith would be back next season, or planned to be back. "I plan to be back," he said before adding, "I hope I don't get hit by a car here crossing the street. Otherwise, I'll be all right."
Speculation this spring about Smith's coaching future has piled about as high as his awards. Most recently, he was mentioned as a possible candidate for the North Carolina job.
"Things are going to change that I feel will be very beneficial to our team and to our program in the future," he said.
AD Mitch Barnhart said he intended to offer Smith a contract extension and raise.
MURRAY STATE: Louisville assistant Mick Cronin was hired as coach.
- Times staff writer Brian Landman contributed to this report.
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