SOURCE: No meeting with Dixon
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| UPDATE: Separate source says Bennett, Theus not candidates for LSU job
Joe Alleva, LSU director of athletics, is still trying to find a replacement for former Tiger basketball coach Trent Johnson (Tiger Rag file photo).
By BEN LOVE
Tiger Rag Editor
A source close to the Tigers’ basketball program informed Tiger Rag late Wednesday night that no meeting occurred earlier in the day between LSU and Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon.
It was reported by multiple media oulets, including the New Orleans Times Picayune, that LSU Director of Athletics Joe Alleva spoke with Dixon Wednesday in Atlanta.
As BayouBengalsInsider.com Publisher Derek Ponamsky first reported Wednesday morning, Alleva and LSU brass were expected to meet with someone regarding the men’s basketball coaching vacancy today at the Atlanta airport.
At this time our source has given no indication about the existence of any such meeting nor the parties that might have been involved, expect to deny that any meeting took place with Dixon.
UPDATE (11:25 a.m., Thursday)
A separate source close to the LSU basketball program, who is familiar with the current coaching search, told Tiger Rag Thursday that Virginia coach Tony Bennett and former New Mexico State coach Reggie Theus are not candidates for the Tigers’ coaching vacancy.
According to this source, the search party’s “ideal situation” would be to finalize a hire by the end of the weekend, although there is no official timeline. The source also indicated members of the search group are considering recruiting implications at this moment, but that it won’t stop LSU from doing its due diligence.
Also, when asked if the total number of formal candidates interviewed is expected to be around four to six by the conclusion of the search, the source gave the impression that six would be on the high end, but that the range “might be close.”
Finally, the source said the search party was impressed by North Texas coach Johnny Jones and that one person involved with the search said “he deserves to be considered.”
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Editor Ben Love is Tiger Rag’s lead reporter on LSU men’s basketball. Reach him at ben@tigerrag.com.
Although Johnny Jones would probably be a good hire, his association with the
Dale Brown/Lester Earl fiasco virtually assured that he will never coach at LSU; though technically cleared of any wrong doing.
His interview was just the proper thing to be done at the time, a public showing is all it really was though; as time will reveal when a new coach is chosen.
I’ve been wrong before but I believe time will bear this out b/c JJ is a great recruiter and a very good coach; and also a respectable person with character but guilt by
association is his only crime.