SAN ANTONIO - While UMass coach Travis Ford has emerged as the front-runner for LSU, things could change.

LSU is expected to name a new athletic director and while, according to sources, Dan Parker and his search firm and also the LSU president (who was at UMass with Ford) both favor Ford, a new AD could alter the landscape.

According to sources, Ford was on his way down to San Antonio on Friday after wrapping up the NIT on Thursday night.

PROVIDENCE TO INTERVIEW O'SHEA

Ohio University coach and former Boston College assistant Tim O'Shea will interview tomorrow at Providence.

The Friars were turned down by George Mason's Jim Larranaga and Davidson's Bob McKillop spurned interest from the Big East school.

WESTERN KENTUCKY FAVORS A PAIR

According to sources, the two front-runners to replace Darrin Horn at Western Kentucky are Texas assistant Ken McDonald and Florida assistant and former Clemson head coach Larry Shyatt.

Minnesota assistant Vince Taylor and Western Kentucky assistant Scott Cherry both interviewed. McDonald, according to a source, is interviewing today.

BUZZ AROUND MARQUETTE

Don't discount the fact that Marquette assistant Buzz Williams has a chance to replace his former boss, Tom Crean.

Xavier's Sean Miller's name is also in the mix, but his hefty buyout of nearly $2 million could hamper his chances of going anywhere this year.

Other names that could be in play at Wright State's Brad Brownell, Southern Illinois' Chris Lowery and Illinois head man Bruce Weber.
 
GORDON LATEST TO DECLARE

Eric Gordon will make his announcement later today that he's not coming back to Indiana. Even though the Indiana freshman, there's no surprise.

Gordon will likely start a domino effect that will also have Michael Beasley and eventually Derrick Rose declare for the draft.

RANDOM NOTES: Jim Christian didn't want to play the waiting game and jumped from Kent State to TCU. If he had sat tight, would he have had a shot at Providence now?  ... San Diego coach Bill Grier told me that he was torn between taking the Oregon State job, but he felt like it was his best decision to stay put for the time being - especially with his entire team coming back.