vanzilla
03-28-2005, 01:04 AM
KNOXVILLE — Unless there's a late snag, Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Bruce Pearl will be the latest coach to take his stab at resurrecting the Tennessee men's basketball program.
Pearl and his wife, Kim, will be on campus in the next day or two, and Tennessee hopes to finalize a deal to make him the Vols' next coach, two people familiar with the situation told The Tennessean tonight.
Pearl, who guided Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the Sweet 16 this season, was in Knoxville Sunday and met with UT Athletics Director Mike Hamilton and UT President John Petersen. Pearl also met with Hamilton and UT Associate Athletics Director John Currie on Friday in Chicago.
Pearl was 86-38 in four seasons at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and gained national notoriety after his Panthers upset Alabama and Boston College earlier this month to reach the Sweet 16.
Pearl would become the Vols' sixth head coach in the last 16 years. Buzz Peterson was fired on March 13 after going 61-59 in four seasons.
Pearl and his wife, Kim, will be on campus in the next day or two, and Tennessee hopes to finalize a deal to make him the Vols' next coach, two people familiar with the situation told The Tennessean tonight.
Pearl, who guided Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the Sweet 16 this season, was in Knoxville Sunday and met with UT Athletics Director Mike Hamilton and UT President John Petersen. Pearl also met with Hamilton and UT Associate Athletics Director John Currie on Friday in Chicago.
Pearl was 86-38 in four seasons at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and gained national notoriety after his Panthers upset Alabama and Boston College earlier this month to reach the Sweet 16.
Pearl would become the Vols' sixth head coach in the last 16 years. Buzz Peterson was fired on March 13 after going 61-59 in four seasons.