Candidates Quiet on SDSU Opening

At the time of year when searches for basketball coaches are conducted between winks and behind closed doors, two candidates on San Diego State’s short list had little to say about the job Wednesday.

Yale Coach Dick Kuchen would neither confirm nor deny he met with Fred Miller, San Diego State athletic director, earlier this week, although sources said the two met in New York.

Pepperdine’s Tom Asbury said he had had “second-party conversations” about the job. At this point, he said, there is “nothing of any relevance.”

Kuchen, 45, was preparing for a game at Princeton on Friday and said he didn’t want to discuss other jobs during the season.

“I’m really involved in my season right now,” Kuchen said when asked if he had met with Miller this week. “I don’t have anything to say about that.”

Asked if he considers himself a candidate for the SDSU job, Kuchen said: “I really don’t have any comment.”

Asbury, 46, said Miller had yet to contact Wayne Wright, Pepperdine athletic director, to seek permission for an interview. Asbury, who has Western Athletic Conference ties as both a player (Wyoming, 1964-67) and coach (Wyoming, where was an assistant from 1976-79), said he is not sure he would be interested in the SDSU job.

“I don’t know enough particulars to know if I would be (interested) or not,” he said. “It would take some in-depth research. I don’t know what their timetable is.”

Miller has said SDSU would like to have a coach by mid-March, although that timetable would be delayed if the Aztecs attempt to lure someone with a team in the NCAA tournament, which doesn’t begin until March 19. Pepperdine already has clinched the West Coast Conference title.

“When you have a really good job like I do in a league where you can win. . . . “ Asbury said. “I played in the WAC and coached in the WAC, and (a WAC job) is not an easy job. There is a tremendous emphasis on basketball in the WAC.

“I have no idea whether San Diego State will make the commitment it needs to (to win) or not.”