Cincinnati Names Coach

Andy Kennedy was hired as interim head coach at Cincinnati on Friday, two days after Bob Huggins was forced out as the Bearcats’ basketball coach.

Kennedy had been Huggins’ top assistant and served as recruiting coordinator the last four years. Before that, he spent five years as an assistant at Alabama Birmingham, where he is the school’s No. 2 career scorer.

Kennedy, 37, said he was grateful for the opportunity, and he had Huggins’ blessing.

“This has been a very difficult time for men’s basketball at the University of Cincinnati,” Kennedy said. “I have been given the charge to move this program forward, to put the focus back on our student-athletes.”

Huggins quit Wednesday, a day after the school said he would be fired if he didn’t resign. He agreed to a $3-million buyout for the rest of his contract.

Richard Katz, Huggins’ lawyer, said Thursday he and the university’s lawyer probably wouldn’t complete details of the buyout until next week. The sides are discussing when Huggins will leave and how much he will get. The school is willing to let him stay as an advisor for three months, easing the transition to an interim coach.