Report: VCU's Smart mulling Illinois' offer

SHAKA SMART, who last year signed an 8-year deal to coach Virginia Commonwealth, may be headed to Illinois, according to a report.

College Basketball Insider, citing multiple sources, reported that the 34-year-old Smart, whose Rams lost to Indiana on Saturday after reaching the Final Four last season, is considering an offer worth about $2.5 million a year.

His current deal, which he signed after the Rams lost to Butler in the national semifinals last season, pays about $1.2 million a year.

VCU went 29-7 this season and 15-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Illinois fired Bruce Weber on March 9 after the Illini finished 17-15 and failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

Weber might not be unemployed much longer.

ESPNChicago.com, citing a source familiar with the situation, reported that Southern Illinois has offered Weber a chance to return as its head coach.

Weber coached at SIU from 1998 to 2003. His teams went 103-56 and made two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Southern Illinois athletic director Mario Moccia denied that the school has offered Weber the job, which opened on March 2 when Chris Lowery was fired after eight seasons. The Salukis went to the Sweet 16 under Lowery in 2007, but failed to reach the NCAA Tournament again. Lowery was a former assistant to Weber at Illinois.

Dan Hurley is the new basketball coach at Rhode Island.

Hurley, 39, who spent 2 years at Wagner, agreed to a 6-year deal to rebuild the struggling Atlantic 10 program. A news conference is scheduled for today at 1 p.m.

In his second season at Wagner, Hurley led the Seahawks, of the Northeast Conference, to a 25-6 record. The former star guard at Seton Hall - and son of Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Hurley - also coached nine seasons at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J.

The Rams went 7-24 this season under Jim Baron, who was fired on March 4 with 2 years remaining on his contract.

* USC freshman point guard Alexis Moore wants to transfer and has requested his release, according to a report.

ESPNLosAngeles.com, citing a program source, said the release is expected to be finalized today. He averaged 4.3 points and 1.5 assists in about 25 minutes per game last season, putting up double-digit points five times.

* Oral Roberts coach Scott Sutton interviewed for the Nebraska vacancy, his father said.

Sutton interviewed with Nebraska officials in Atlanta on Monday, his father, Eddie Sutton, said from his home in Tulsa, Okla. Scott Sutton couldn't be reached for comment, and his father said he hadn't spoken with his son since the interview.

The Cornhuskers are looking for a replacement for Doc Sadler, who was fired March 9 after a 12-18 season and last-place finish in the Big Ten.

Scott Sutton is 250-161 in 13 years at Oral Roberts, which is moving from the Summit League to the Southland Conference next year.

* Tennessee junior Jeronne Maymon had arthroscopic surgery to fix torn cartilage in his right knee, hours after the Volunteers lost in the National Invitation Tournament on Monday night.

Senior associate athletic trainer Chad Newman said Maymon had surgery at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The trainer said surgery went well with no timeframe yet for his recovery.