Evans a Top Candidate for Irvine Job

Arizona assistant Jessie Evans has joined the list of leading candidates for the UC Irvine men’s basketball coaching position, and is believed to have interviewed for the job.

Evans, who confirmed he is a candidate for the job, said Sunday that he has been to California since the Wildcats lost to Seton Hall in a West Regional semifinal game Thursday in Seattle.

“I’m not at any liberty to say I’ve met with them or haven’t met with them,” Evans said. “I think that would be out of place.”

Irvine has been busy interviewing candidates the past few days, Athletic Director Tom Ford said.

Evans, a member of the Arizona staff the past three seasons, previously was an assistant at Texas, Wyoming and San Diego State.

Irvine, seeking to name a coach by April 1, is nearing the end of its interviewing phase. Ford said one scheduled interview remained as of Sunday afternoon.

Irvine already has either met with or formally interviewed about a dozen candidates, including Irvine assistant Ernie Carr, former UCLA coach Walt Hazzard, Notre Dame assistant Matt Kilcullen, Mater Dei High School Coach Gary McKnight, Ventura College Coach Phil Mathews, Villanova assistant John Olive, Washington State Coach Kelvin Sampson and Purdue assistant Bruce Weber.