Tubbs officially interviewed

[PG]

Nothing we didn't know already but here you go...

OU aide meets with SMU

Tubbs was an assistant with Mustangs before joining Sooners


11:21 PM CST on Friday, March 12, 2004


By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News



FRESNO, Calif. – SMU athletic director Jim Copeland met with Oklahoma assistant Jimmy Tubbs about the Mustangs' men's basketball head coaching position, according to university sources.

Tubbs, who declined comment, spoke with Copeland on Wednesday. Copeland also interviewed Texas associate head coach Frank Haith on Thursday.

Tubbs was an assistant coach at SMU for 12 seasons under John Shumate and Mike Dement, who was fired Feb. 27. Tubbs joined the OU staff in May 2002.

Tubbs was responsible for the recruitment of several SMU players, including Bryan Hopkins and Justin Isham.

Tubbs has strong ties to Texas. He owns a home in DeSoto and was the head coach at Kimball for eight seasons, winning a Class 5A state title in 1990.

Copeland, who would not speak about specific candidates, said Friday there is no timetable for when a coach would be hired.

However, with Houston and Texas A&M in the market for coaches, it might speed up SMU's process. Copeland said one of the main reasons he released Dement before the end of the season was to talk with candidates before positions opened up at other schools.

"There is a concern about timing because other programs are looking for coaches, too," Copeland said. "But it will not dictate our schedule in hiring someone."

Interim coach Robert Lineburg coached SMU for the final three regular- season games and for two games in the WAC tournament. SMU's season ended Thursday with a 75-60 loss to Nevada in the quarterfinals.