This is the time of year when Mark Few's name is mentioned in connection with high-profile job openings in college basketball. Another member of GU's staff, assistant coach Ray Giacoletti, also receives a number of calls from schools searching for a head coach.

Drake University, a Missouri Valley Conference school in Des Moines, Iowa, interviewed Giacoletti on Sunday.  It's a job that would seem to suit Giacoletti, who is a native of Peoria, Ill, location of MVC member Bradley University. Giacoletti has extensive Midwest ties and also was an assistant coach at Illinois State, another MVC school, in the early 1990s.

Giacoletti is believed to be a finalist at Drake, which is replacing Mark Phelps, who was fired after five seasons.

More below. 

Gonzaga assistant coach Ray Giacoletti interviewed Sunday for Drake University’s head coaching job, sources said.

Giacoletti, who has been at GU for six seasons, is believed to be a finalist at Drake, a Missouri Valley Conference school in Des Moines, Iowa. Gonzaga lost to Wichita State of the MVC on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament.

Giacoletti was unavailable for comment.

Giacoletti has head coaching experience at North Dakota State (1998-2000), Eastern Washington (2000-04) and Utah (2005-07). He was an assistant at Illinois State in the MVC from 1990-93.

Giacoletti guided EWU to four straight winning seasons and the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004. Giacoletti’s first Utah team went 29-6 and advanced to the Sweet 16.

Drake is replacing Mark Phelps, who was 77-86 in five years, including a 15-17 mark last season. The Bulldogs had two winning seasons in Phelps’ tenure.