Men’s basketball: Douglass to Fresno State?

UC Irvine Coach Pat Douglass could be a favorite for the men’s

basketball head coaching job at Fresno State if Jerry Tarkanian steps

down after this season, according to an ESPN.com report.

“I’m not aware of where this information (regarding the Fresno State

head coaching job) came from,” Douglass said. “They have a head coach. I

have a job here. Right now, I have no intention of talking to anyone over

there.”

Tarkanian, 71, has spoken of retirement in the past, but has stayed

with the Bulldogs for the last seven years as head coach. Next year,

Fresno State will open a new arena, which Tarkanian has been instrumental

in developing.

“The article is just speculating (on candidates),” Fresno State Sports

Information Director Steve Weakland said. “We currently have a basketball

coach and we’re not looking for a basketball coach at this time.”

Douglass, who signed a four-year UCI contract extention last spring

that will carry through the 2007-08 season, said his focus at this time

is on the Big West Tournament, which begins Thursday at the Anaheim

Convention Center.

“I really don’t have a reaction to that (report),” Douglass said.

“Right now, I’m getting my team ready to go into the Big West Tournament.

We had a tough loss (Thursday) and we’re focusing on how to prove our

team’s response to the challenge we have ahead.”

The Anteaters fell Thursday to host Long Beach, 86-70, to let a chance

at earning a No. 1 seed in the Big West Tournament slip away. The only

way the Anteaters will gain a share of the conference title is if Utah

State loses tonight at Cal State Northridge.

Douglass recorded his 450th career victory Feb. 23, which gave UCI

back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time. Last year, Douglass

guided UCI to the school’s first conference title and a berth in the NIT.

He is 450-184 in his 21st season as a head coach at the four-year

level, including NCAA Division II titles at Cal State Bakersfield in

1993, ’94 and ’97.

In five seasons at UCI, he is 74-66.

--by Steve Virgen and Amara Aguilar