Sampson, Indiana working to close deal
March 29, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson and Indiana were completing contract details Tuesday that would make him the Hoosiers’ next basketball coach, a person close to the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The deal was expected to be announced shortly, according to the anonymous source, unnamed because talks were not complete.
The Sampson-to-Indiana story was first reported by ESPN earlier in the day. Sampson spent the last 12 seasons at Oklahoma, re-establishing the Sooners as a national contender. This year, Oklahoma went 20-9 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Oklahoma officials declined to comment. Telephone messages left for Indiana athletic director Rick Greenspan and spokesman Pete Rhoda were not immediately returned.
The 50-year-old Sampson would replace Mike Davis, who announced Feb. 16 he was resigning after leading the Hoosiers the past six seasons.