According to a pair of industry sources, LSU is set to go after Anthony Grant.

However, don’t entirely discount Tigers interim coach Butch Pierre.

Pierre recruited most of the players to LSU and has the backing of some big money people in Baton Rouge. If Pierre can win some games down the stretch, it’s not completely out of the question that he could keep the job on a permanent basis.

USC’s Tim Floyd will be mentioned prominently as well, but sources insist that he’s not interested in making the move – and also that he’s not at the top of LSU’s list.

The Tigers have lost 10 of the last 11 games, but Pierre kept his team more than competitive in a 47-45 loss to Tennessee over the weekend. LSU has eight regular-season games left.

Understandably, Grant declined to comment to FOXSports.com. However, he told me how much he and his family love it at VCU and he’s focused on trying to win another CAA crown.

Grant picked up plenty while working for Florida coach Billy Donovan over the years. One of Donovan’s greatest attributes to live in the moment – and that’s exactly what Grant is doing. He’s not going to get distracted and lose sight of the current task at hand.

ILLINOIS FANS GOT BAD RAP

Eric Gordon knew what to expect.

Except for maybe the pre-game chest-bump from Illinois guard Chester Frazier.

Gordon, the Indiana freshman and one-time Illini commit, went into Champaign and was called a liar and a sell-out. The Illinois fans were chastised for their treatment of Gordon, but it wasn’t all that much worse than Gerald Henderson Jr.’s reception in Chapel Hill.

Sure, there were a few fans that got carried away – one even threw a cup of ice into the section where Gordon’s family was sitting in the waning minutes of the Illini loss.

However, it wasn’t as if the entire student section was shouting profanities in unison.

RANDOM NOTES: North Carolina coach Roy Williams still isn’t certain when to expect Ty Lawson back. … Duke big man Brian Zoubek played two minutes against Boston College on Saturday – his first action in 10 games. … UNC Greensboro senior forward Kyle Hines scored his 2,000th point this past weekend. He’s also scored at least 10 points in 72 straight games – the longest active streak in the country. Hines is 24 rebounds shy of 2,000 for his career. … Seton Hall will be without guard Paul Gause (torn ACL) for the rest of the season.

CHICAGO – It’ll be difficult to match the atmosphere in the Dean Dome last night for Duke’s win against North Carolina, but there should be plenty of intensity tonight when Eric Gordon makes his first – and probably only - appearance in Champaign.

The Tar Heels fans booed Gerald Henderson Jr., when he stepped onto the court at 7:38 p.m. for pre-game warmups and throughout much of the game, but my guess is it’ll be nothing compared to the reaction Gordon, Indiana head coach Kelvin Sampson and even Gordon’s father receive tonight.

Remember, the Illini would be near the top of the Big Ten right now if Sampson hadn’t lured him to Bloomington despite being committed to Illinois.

Roy Williams made the correct move in holding out his point guard, Ty Lawson, due to a sprained ankle. There’s no chance that the Tar Heels can go anywhere in the postseason without their jet-quick floor leader and that was clear last night.

I’m not sure much would have changed from a defensive standpoint if Lawson had been on the floor, anyway. Sure, he’s quick – but he rarely shows any interest in trying to lock anyone up. Duke does a nice job spreading the floor and the Tar Heels haven’t shown they can defend on the perimeter this season.
 
Wayne Ellington was more affected by the absence of Lawson than anyone else. Ellington benefits by Lawson’s ability to penetrate and kick. Last night, Ellington was forced to have to create off the dribble – which isn’t his strength.

COOLEST SIGHT: Roy Williams throwing T-shirts into the crowd just prior to the start of the game. You just don’t see that often – especially from a future Hall of Famer.

WORST SIGHT: Seeing Tar Heels reserve guard Bobby Frasor in a shirt and tie. He’s one of the most underrated players in America and has had tough luck the last two years with foot injuries last year and a torn ACL in December.

STRANGEST SIGHT: Danny Green’s dance on the sidelines before the opening tip. I’m not sure there’s a name for it, but it’s downright entertaining.
  
 ARIZONA’S DEPTH TAKES HIT

You wouldn’t think the loss of Nic Wise be a crushing blow to Arizona, but Wildcats coach Kevin O’Neill has no frontcourt depth whatsoever and now he has none in the backcourt, either.

Wise will miss 4-6 weeks after yesterday’s surgery on his left knee. Now the Wildcats will be forced to move Jerryd Bayless to the point and move someone into the lineup who just isn’t good enough to be a Pac-10 starter.

If there was ever a three-man team, it’s Arizona.

Bayless, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill.

The Wildcats are 5-4 in league play, which is tied for third place. However, Arizona is also just one game from being in eighth place.

RANDOM NOTES: Franklin Street, the place to go after North Carolina games, was a virtual ghost town after the Tar Heels loss. … I haven’t seen it yet, but one coach told me Pat Knight looked downright giddy in the post-game news conference despite losing his first game at the helm. ``He looked like a college kid,” the coach said. ``It was embarrassing.” … Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel isn’t ruling out the return of Longar Longar, who broke a bone in his lower leg Saturday against Texas A&M. Longar has had a stress fracture since the loss to Kansas and it will depend on how much pain he’s experiencing whether he can come back later this season. ... Here’s how unpredictable and balanced the ACC is these days: All four road teams won last night, including Maryland’s victory at Boston College that gave Gary Williams his 600th career win. … St. Joe’s was without star forward Ahmad Nivins in the loss to Duquesne because of a sprained ankle.