Today's Iowa coaching update: Straight news edition

IOWA CITY - Iowa's search for a new men's basketball coach nears two weeks amid secrecy and a daily drop-off of potential candidates.

Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta dismissed Todd Lickliter as coach on March 15, and the search continues without a conclusion in sight. Barta and associate athletics director Fred Mims flew to Cincinnati on Thursday, just days after flying to Atlanta. There are mixed reports about whether Barta and Mims interviewed any or multiple candidates in either city. When a reporter from The Gazette approached Barta on Thursday at Iowa City Municipal Airport for a search update, Barta replied, “No, nothing new,” before walking to his vehicle.

Parker Executive Search, the firm that conducted Iowa's last men's basketball coaching search in 2007, is located in Atlanta. The Gazette asked University of Iowa officials on Monday and sent in an official request through the Freedom of Information Act on Tuesday as to whether the athletics department has hired Parker - or any firm - to conduct the search. As of Friday, The Gazette has received no response.

News about Lickliter's potential replacement is just as sketchy. Within hours of Lickliter's dismissal, most news organizations identified several potential candidates, including Tennessee's Bruce Pearl, Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson and Providence Coach Keno Davis. Other names bantered about include UTEP's Tony Barbee, Wichita State's Gregg Marshall and Dayton's Brian Gregory.

All but one of the above list - through their actions or words - have declined any potential feelers from Iowa. Pearl, Tom Davis' well-liked former assistant coach, spoke glowingly of Iowa City and his Iowa past to reporters Thursday in St. Louis but reiterated his desire to remain in Tennessee. Jacobson agreed a 10-year contract extension with Northern Iowa, which was announced Wednesday by school officials.

Keno Davis told a Providence newspaper within days of Lickliter's firing that he would stay put.

“It would be tough for me to leave because of all that we've done to start turning the corner here at Providence,” Davis told the paper. “I'm not interested in that (Iowa) job, and I've let everybody know it.”

Barbee accepted the Auburn job on Wednesday. UTEP Athletics Director Bob Stull told The Gazette before Barbee's departure that Iowa had not contacted his former coach.

“I'm sure he'd wish that was true,” Stull said Wednesday morning with a laugh. “No they haven't. In fact Gary Barta and I worked together at Washington, so I know him very well. No, they haven't contacted them, unless he's interviewed in secret, but Gary Barta would call me.”

Marshall's agent had sent his resume to Iowa officials in 2007 when the school hired Lickliter. Thursday, he told the Wichita Eagle he declined any overtures to interview for the Iowa job.

“I respectfully declined that invitation and have had no contact with them since,” Marshall said. “Hopefully, this will end any type of speculation.”

Gregory, a former Michigan State assistant, has led Dayton to the postseason four times in his seven seasons, including two NCAA Tournaments. His current team will compete in the NIT semifinals Tuesday.

A source close to Gregory said the coach will not consider any openings before his team's season is complete. Iowa apparently has stayed away.

“Nobody from Iowa has tried to contact me,” Dayton Athletics Director Tim Wabler told the Dayton Daily News. “And no other school has tried to contact me.”

There are disputed reports about Utah Coach Jim Boylen interviewing for the Iowa job. The Deseret News reported Friday that Boylen had not interviewed but declined to reveal his intentions if Iowa offered him the job.

Other names rumored as potential candidates include: Wright State's Brad Brownell, Tulsa's Doug Wojcik and possibly Baylor Coach Scott Drew, whose team will play in the NCAA regional semifinals tonight.