Lsu Still Hopes To Lure Davis Idaho Coach’s Statement He Plans To Stay Not Being Heard By Tigers’ New Basketball Coach

Idaho men’s basketball coach Kermit Davis said earlier this week he unequivocally wasn’t going to accept an offer to become an associate head coach at Louisiana State University.

New LSU coach John Brady apparently didn’t hear the unequivocal part.

Brady is persisting with his efforts to bring his longtime friend to LSU, renewing talks with Davis at the Final Four in Indianapolis.

“He’s an outstanding basketball coach, an excellent recruiter and he’s been a head coach at a major level,” Brady told The Advocate newspaper of Baton Rouge, La., on Friday in Indianapolis. “I’m talking with him as I’m talking with several others. This is a good time to look for staff at the Final Four because it’s a dead (recruiting) period.

“Kermit Davis is one of those (possible staff members).”

Davis didn’t return several messages to his hotel room in Indianapolis.

Davis and Brady previously met in Baton Rouge last Sunday and Monday.

UI athletic director Oval Jaynes said Friday night he hadn’t talked with Davis since Monday.

“Kermit told me (on Monday) he’s going to stay,” Jaynes said, “and as far as I know, that’s the way it is.”

Davis just completed his first season in his second stint as head coach at Idaho.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo