Associated Press
The college notebook …
LAWRENCE, Kan. ó Bill Self has reached an agreement on a new contract with Kansas, just days after leading the Jayhawks to their first NCAA basketball title in 20 years.
Self met with athletic director Lew Perkins on Wednesday and Thursday, and they emerged at an afternoon news conference to say they had reached general agreement on a deal that is still being finalized.
The deal would replace the contract extension Self signed last year that pays him $1.375 million annually.
“I don’t know what the big deal is, to be honest,” Self said, referring to the speculation over his future. “These last three weeks, four weeks, have been an absolute whirlwind. I don’t know if a guy deserves to have as much fun as I’ve had,” he said.
LSU
NEW ORLEANS ó LSU introduced Stanford’s Trent Johnson, who led the Cardinal to the round of 16 in this year’s NCAA tournament, as its new coach Thursday.
“The opportunity to recruit the best student-athletes across the country and have the opportunity to compete for championship year in and year out … that is the goal,” said Johnson, who was 80-48 in four seasons at Stanford. “We have an excellent chance to get this thing turned around soon.”
MAYO
LOS ANGELES ó O.J. Mayo is leaving Southern California after one season to enter the NBA draft.
Mayo plans to hire an agent, which would prevent him from returning to the Trojans. He said he plans to finish his spring classes and then prepare for the June draft.
Mayo helped the Trojans to a 21-12 record, giving them back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2001-02. Their wins included an upset of crosstown-rival UCLA.
He averaged 20.7 points and 4.5 rebounds.”
CLEMSON
CLEMSON, S.C. ó Clemson coach Oliver Purnell says he’s not going anywhere amid speculation about other jobs. He has long range goals for the program.
Purnell led Clemson to the ACC tournament title game for the first time in more than four decades and the team’s first NCAA tournament berth since 1998.
Purnell agreed to a two-year contract extension last month that would tie him to the Tigers through 2014.