UGA to meet with Clemson’s Purnell, Miami’s Haith

Athens — Georgia athletics director Damon Evans will meet with Clemson coach Oliver Purnell and Miami coach Frank Haith in Detroit today to discuss the Bulldogs’ basketball job, sources confirmed for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Evans left for Detroit Thursday morning to attend meetings surrounding the NCAA Final Four.

Purnell, who will turn 56 in May, has a 350-261 record in 21 seasons as a head coach. He has gone 117-77 with the Tigers the last six years, including 23-9 this past season. Clemson has averaged 24 wins, with two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT runner-up finish, the last three seasons.

Purnell has not returned numerous phone messages over the last two days. Neither Clemson athletics director Terry Don Phillips nor other school officials would say whether Georgia had contacted them for permission to interview Purnell.

“Our policy is to not confirm or deny contacts with other athletic directors concerning personnel matters,” Clemson sports information director Tim Bourret said in an e-mail.

On Tuesday Phillips announced plans to “enhance” Purnell’s current contract, which pays him about $1 million a year through 2014. Phillips would not specify what he meant by enhance.

Haith, 43, has been Miami’s coach since 2004, going 88-73 with the Hurricanes. He was 19-13 this past season, which ended in the second round of the NIT. Miami was 23-11 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2008.

Attempts to reach Haith and his attorney Ricky Leftt for comment were unsuccessful.

Earlier this week, Georgia had extensive discussions with Missouri’s Mike Anderson about its job. Anderson chose to remain at Missouri, where he signed a new seven-year contract worth $1.6 million a year. The Bulldogs are also believed to have pursued Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, who remains with the Sooners.