COLLEGE BASKETBALL / GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI : Huggins May Top the Lists

As contract sagas go, few rival the story unfolding at Cincinnati, where Coach Bob Huggins has yet to find his way to the dotted line.

Huggins, whose Bearcats reached the Final Four last year and are headed to the NCAA tournament again this year, is hot stuff these days. Every athletic director with a program in trouble, an arena that needs filling and a record that needs improving is anxiously awaiting Huggins’ decision.

An extension was supposed to have been in the works a season ago, but that was before Cincinnati believed it was negotiating the Yalta Treaty. For whatever reason--and Cincinnati officials and Huggins have trotted out a multitude of excuses--the deal still isn’t done. Thus, the rumors:

--Huggins to Tennessee, where Coach Wade Houston is under siege.

--Huggins to California, where interim Coach Todd Bozeman’s future remains undetermined.

--Huggins to fill-in-the-blank.

Forget about the year remaining on Huggins’ contract. If another school offered Huggins huge dollars, Cincinnati administrators say they probably wouldn’t or couldn’t fight it. A buyout might be a possibility, but the bottom line is this: If Huggins wants out, he can go. Most recently, the Cincinnati president has vowed to become personally involved in the negotiations. But is it too late?

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Rumors Part II: Sirens wailed when former Tennessee coach Ray Mears was spotted chatting with Huggins when the Bearcats visited Memphis State not long ago. False alarm. Mears is a friend of the family and has no affiliation with Tennessee.

Facts are facts: Tennessee has only one NCAA tournament appearance in the last 10 years--and it did not come during Houston’s four-season regime. Attendance in the 24,535-seat Thompson-Boling Arena is disappointing. The Volunteers are 12-15 this season, 4-11 in the Southeastern Conference.

Depending on the rumors, Doug Dickey, Tennessee’s athletic director, has made up his mind: Houston, even with three years remaining on his contract, is out and Huggins is the new target. Or Houston’s team has shown enough improvement in recent weeks to save the coach’s job.

Best guess? He stays.

Just in case, Kentucky Coach Rick Pitino delivered a fire-and-brimstone speech after the Volunteers’ recent upset of the then-No. 2 Wildcats. In so many words, he said, Tennessee would be crazy to fire Houston. Dickey was sitting in the back of the interview room at the time.

And a Huggins-to-California move? Doubtful. Huggins has a temper, as well as a fondness for recruiting junior college players.

Cincinnati hasn’t lost Huggins--yet. But unless something happens soon, it will be bye-bye Bob.

College Notes

Worried that his team was becoming a tad complacent, Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski recently ordered that the Blue Devil locker room be stripped of almost all photos and mementos relating to past championships. And so disgusted was he with a recent practice, he ordered the team back for a second workout. . . . Appearing on Roy Firestone’s ESPN show Monday, former California Coach Lou Campanelli said reports of his postgame tantrums and his alleged inability to relate to his players were “grossly exaggerated.” He later said no player had complained to him about his methods, nor was he aware of his players speaking with assistant coaches about potential problems. But if Golden Bear players approached Cal administrators, Campanelli said, “It’s (the administration’s) professional responsibility to share it with me.” . . . Krzyzewski has upgraded star swingman Grant Hill’s injury status from week to week to day to day. Hill has a sprained toe. With only eight sound players, Duke desperately needs Hill for another title run. Against UCLA, the Blue Devil bench contributed one point.

Top 10

As selected by staff writer Gene Wojciechowski

No. Team Record 1. North Carolina 25-3 2. Indiana 25-3 3. Michigan 23-4 4. Arizona 21-2 5. Kentucky 22-3 6. Duke 23-5 7. Vanderbilt 24-4 8. Kansas 23-5 9. Cincinnati 21-4 10. Seton Hall 23-6

Waiting list: Utah (22-3), Arkansas (19-6), Nevada Las Vegas (19-5), Iowa (19-7), Florida State (21-8).