Tides hire Grant; Gillispie out at Kentucky

Athens — Basketball coaching searches nationwide jumped into overdrive Friday with Kentucky’s announcement it had fired Billy Gillispie.

Exactly how that could impact Georgia’s search for a head coach remains unclear.

Gillispie, 49, was dismissed Friday afternoon after just two seasons as Kentucky’s coach. He was 40-27 (.597), the lowest winning percentage for a UK basketball coach since Basil Hayden went 3-13 record in 1926-27.

UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart on Friday insisted “there is no successor in place.” That means the Wildcats will be diving into the pool for candidates. That pool already included Georgia, Arizona and Virginia. There is a chance that Connecticut could join in if coach Jim Calhoun decides to step down, as has been speculated.

Meanwhile, Virginia Commonwealth coach Anthony Grant reached an agreement in principle Friday to become Alabama’s head coach. Grant made the move after Florida coach Billy Donovan, just moments after Kentucky’s announcement, ended speculation that he was the Wildcats’ target.

“I am committed to the University of Florida and look forward to continuing to build our program here,” Donovan said through a spokesman. Grant was a Florida assistant for 10 years under Donovan and would have been coveted by the Gators, as he was when Donovan briefly became coach of the Orlando Magic in 2007.

Georgia athletics director Damon Evans did not return phone messages Friday. However, he indicated on Thursday he was not concerned about the activity of other schools.

“All I’m thinking about is doing what’s best for the University of Georgia,” he said. “I’ve got to stick to our game plan.”