Will Wade, LSU in discussions for basketball coaching vacancy

By CODY WORSHAM | Tiger Rag Editor

VCU head coach Will Wade and Middle Tennessee State skipper Kermit Davis have the inside track on the LSU basketball coaching vacancy, sources tell Tiger Rag, with Wade reportedly in discussions with university officials about the position on Sunday.

Fired Indiana head coach Tom Crean, meanwhile, remains a wildcard in the search, with CBS reporting Sunday LSU had reached out to gauge Crean’s interest “through a third party.”

Wade, sources said, views LSU as a “dream job.” One person familiar with the conversations even indicated Wade would likely accept a position with LSU over Clemson, his alma mater, all things equal. Clemson does not currently have a coaching vacancy, but athl

ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reported Wade and LSU held conversations on Sunday. VCU wrapped up its season Thursday in an 85-77 defeat to St. Mary’s in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The trip to the tournament was the second straight for Wade at VCU, who took over after Shaka Smart’s departure for Texas. Wade, 34, spent two years previously at Chattanooga, earning SoCon Coach of the Year honors in 2014. He has a 51-20 record in two seasons at VCU and a career 95-45 record in four seasons as a head coach, including a 55-15 conference record. He was previously an assistant at Harvard under Tommy Amaker before joining Smart’s staff at VCU.

Davis, 57, has two NCAA Tournament wins in the last two seasons with MTSU, where he has been head coach since 2002. He was previously an assistant with LSU under John Brady. The reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year is 378-229 in his career and has three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last five seasons. Davis, however, is currently working on an extension with MTSU and seems to be fading from the field for the LSU job

Crean, 50, could be particularly intriguing to LSU. Indiana owes him a $4 million buyout, which could lower his asking price. He restored Indiana to NCAA Tournament status after taking over a program crippled by sanctions in the post-Kelvin Sampson era. In nine years, Crean led Indiana to two Big 10 regular season titles and three Sweet 16s. He also previously reached the Final four with Marquette, where he also worked with current LSU associate AD Eddie Nunez.