Chris Mack is the new head coach at Xavier.

Mack will be introduced at a 1 p.m. news conference on Wednesday, according to sources close to the situation.

The same sources said that Mack was the front-runner from the moment that Sean Miller left for Arizona but that athletic director Dawn Rogers didn't want to rush the process - as he did last time when he hired Miller.

Mack, 39, is a local guy who has spent the last five years with Miller and three years with the late Skip Prosser at Wake Forest.

He's also a guy who inherits a team that could make a deep tournament run. Xavier loses B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson, but returns Derrick Brown, Jason Love, Kenny Frease and Jamel McLean up front and plenty of guards with the addition of Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford, freshman Mark Lyons and holdovers Terrell Holloway, Dante Jackson and Brad Redford.

RANDOM NOTES: VCU John Brannen has gone with Anthony Grant to Alabama. ... Speaking of VCU, Rams starting guard Joey Rodriguez is transferring to Rollins College. ... Ole Miss has lost junior wing David Huertas, who signed a pro contract with a team in Puerto Rico. Huertas averaged 18.1 points last season. The Rebels also lost 6-foot-9 forward Malcolm White, who transferred a few weeks ago.  ... North Florida coach Matthew Driscoll has hired Bobby Kennan from Campbell and also Bruce Evans. ... Boston University coach Pat Chambers has kept Orlando Vandross and also brought Adam Fisher as the director of basketball operations. ... Elon coach Matt Matheny has hired former N.C. State player and Wolfpack director of basketball operations Justin Gainey thus far. ... North Carolina Central coach LeVelle Moton has hired former Jim Valvano assistant Ray Martin.