Is Williams Interested?

Is it the signal UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero was seeking? Roy Williams might be worth approaching by UCLA about its coaching opening when the season is over, judging from an interview the Kansas coach gave a Kansas City Star columnist.

In the interest of ending speculation, Williams was asked to state that he had no interest in the job before leaving Lawrence for the West Regional in Anaheim.

He wouldn’t do it.

“Would it really make a difference?” Williams said. “How many times have you seen coaches say they’re not interested and then turn around a couple of weeks later and take the job?”

Williams might use contact with UCLA as leverage to hasten the ouster of Kansas Athletic Director Al Bohl, whose popularity is at rock bottom. Few observers believe Williams would actually leave for Westwood despite his long-standing friendship with John Wooden.

Another high-profile coach, Rick Pitino of Louisville, appeared to rule himself out.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I want to retire here. My coaching carousel has stopped. I want to raise my family here. I know the rumors are out there and I’m staying put.”

Mark Few of Gonzaga and Rick Majerus of Utah, whose teams were eliminated from the NCAA tournament last weekend, said Tuesday they were not contacted by UCLA.

-- Steve Henson

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Cal State Fullerton Coach Donny Daniels received a one-year extension on his contract that now will run through the 2004-05 season.

Fullerton was 10-19 this season but finished 8-10 in the Big West Conference, the most conference victories for the Titans in 10 years.

Daniels is 20-64 in three seasons.

-- Eric Stephens