Finalists begin to emerge in Arizona State's men's basketball coaching search

It's been three days since Arizona State officially moved on from Bobby Hurley, and with March Madness just around the corner, things are moving quickly. Athletics director Graham Rossini recently said in a sit-down that, while there is no specific time table, the Sun Devils hope to have a new coach in place soon.

That's proven to be true, as Arizona State has spent the past few days working with their search firm - Elevate Talent - to compile a list of preliminary candidates and pare it down to a final shortlist. While that process continues, here is what seems to be known about the Sun Devils' finalists thus far.

Creighton HC Greg McDermott

One of the more accomplished coaches still working today, Greg McDermott has 645 career wins and a .627 win percentage. This was a down year for Creighton, though, their 15-17 finish marking McDermott's second losing season in 13 years leading the Bluejays.

It also snaps the school's streak of five straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Creighton has been the model of consistency under McDermott's watch, but the 61 year old coach is reportedly weighing his options for the future.

Complicating the decision is Alan Huss, who left his role as High Point's head coach last year to take the top assistant role under McDermott. The former Bluejay was also designated the head coach-in-waiting, though no clock was put on McDermott's career.

With Huss reportedly being approached by other schools now, though, there seems to be a preference for Creighton to promote Huss now rather than lose him. Such a move would necessitate a departure for McDermott. Retirement would certainly make sense, and it would help preserve his legacy at Creighton.

That said, McDermott may not be ready to hang it up. He owns a summer home in Arizona and is expected to move to the Valley whenever he does retire, so the Arizona State job being open at this juncture is what's added some complexity to McDermott's decision.

It's expected that the Sun Devils will have some form of conversation with McDermott, whether it be a formal interview or something else, in the coming week. However, Arizona State will want clarity on how much he's considering retirement, as Rossini does not want to hire someone he'll need to replace in a few years time.

Sr. Mary's HC Randy Bennett

Much in the same vein as McDermott, Randy Bennett has emerged as a top candidate for Arizona State.

The Mesa, Arizona native has built a mid-major dynasty at St. Mary's, going to the NCAA Tournament 11 times in 24 seasons; current bracketologists have the Gaels making it a 12th time, as the projected 7 seed.

Bennett has been courted by other programs before, but he's always opted to stay put, much like Mark Few at rival Gonzaga. However, this time feels different.

Per sources, Bennett has had his eye on the Arizona State job for some time. He reached out to express interest back in 2006, but the Sun Devils hired Herb Sendek instead; ironically, Sendek now coaches against Bennett for Santa Clara.

When Sendek was later let go, Bennett was coming off consecutive seasons having missed the tournament, and as a result he was never seriously considered. His name was once again linked to the job during the 2022-2023 season, with back channels making it known Bennett would be interested if the job came open. However, a strong finish to the season landed Arizona State back in the tournament, leading to an extension for Hurley.

Now here we are, with the job open and Bennett's resume looking stronger than ever. He's won 26+ games each of the last four years and finished each season as the West Coast Conference regular season champion.

There are two main factors that could prevent this pairing from finally happening, though.

For starters, Rossini is rumored to be looking for a coach with more longevity (read: young), similar to Kenny Dillingham and Molly Miller. Bennett will turn 64 in June. Of course, some of the game's best coaches - Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino, Kelvin Sampson, and Rick Barnes - are all over 70. Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim both coached well into their 70's as well.

The idea that Bennett, who still very clearly has his fastball at St. Mary's, could coach for another 10 years isn't unrealistic at all. The question for Rossini is whether, at his age, Bennett will want to deal with everything that this job entails, including fundraising for an NIL department that's lacking and engaging with a fan base that's grown apathetic.

The other factor here is timing. Bennett will be busy coaching this upcoming week, and an extended run for the Gaels would mean Arizona State has to wait a bit if they intend to hire him. Depending on the other candidates interested, Rossini may not want to wait.

Of course, that's also assuming Bennett is a definite yes on accepting the job, which is an unknown at this stage. That said, multiple reports indicate he is very interested in Arizona State yet again.

UC Santa Barbara assistant Derek Glasser

Former Sun Devil point guard Derek Glasser emerged as a dark horse candidate for the job even before Hurley had officially been let go. Now, it sounds as if Glasser is a finalist.

Currently an assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara, Glasser runs the offense for the Gauchos. He's a trusted lieutenant for head coach Joe Pasternack, and Glasser has the financial backing of legendary alum James Harden.

Even so, it would be a hard sell to go from an assistant role at a mid-major to head coach of a program in the most competitive conference in the sport, especially without any prior head coaching experience.

That said, Glasser has been pitching himself to Arizona State boosters ahead of a meeting with Rossini. Reportedly, he's acquitted himself quite well. It's believed that Scott Pera - former Rice head coach, former Arizona State assistant, and once Harden's high school head coach - would be on Glasser's staff in some capacity. He would also fill his staff with experienced X's and O's coaches to offset Glasser's general inexperience.

The crux of Glasser's candidacy, though, is the infusion of cash he may bring with him. It's believed that Harden would be willing to commit enough of a donation to double the program's NIL cache, and Glasser is pitching himself as someone who would actively engage the booster base to generate even more money alongside Harden.

Currently, it's unknown just how much of a frontrunner Glasser actually is. John Gambadoro, longtime local radio host and Arizona sports general insider, has publicly expressed a belief that Glasser will not ultimately be the hire. That said, even Gambadoro anticipates an interview. Glasser cannot be discounted as a legitimate candidate in this search.

New Mexico HC Eric Olen

One of the more popular names thrown around for this opening is New Mexico's Eric Olen.

In 12 seasons as the head coach at UC San Diego, Olen went 240-119. He led the program to prominence early on and then shepherded the Tritons through the transition from Division II to Division I, going 30-5 last year.

That led to him landing the Lobos gig, where he just finished 23-10 despite building his roster almost completely from scratch. Having spent most of the season on the bubble, New Mexico dropped three of their final four regular season games and then lost Friday night in the Mountain West semifinals.

Current ESPN bracketology has the Lobos as the fourth team out, and Olen will be holding his breath tomorrow during the NCAA's selection show.

Regardless of what happens Sunday, Olen will have a decision to make. Having only ever coached on the West Coast, many believe Olen prefers to stay in that area. Currently, Arizona State profiles as the best job on the West Coast, and it's believed that Rossini - who, like Olen, grew up in Mobile, Alabama - is very interested in Olen.

However, would Olen really leave after one year at New Mexico? His predecessor, Richard Pitino, spent four years there before landing the Xavier job. Both head coaches at UCLA and USC will enter next season with relatively warm seats, while Oregon's Dana Altman could be close to retirement.

Does Olen opt for continuity with the Lobos and bet on better jobs being available? Or does he opt for a guaranteed raise (if offered), as Bobby Hurley's $3.6 million salary this year would triple Olen's salary?

Olen's current contract is also a potential hindrance to his candidacy in Tempe. His buyout this offseason is $2.65 million, and the hiring school would also be required to schedule a home-and-home series with New Mexico. The second part isn't a deal-breaker, but the buyout number is a bit high for a school with Arizona State's resources.

Speaking of resources, Olen has earned a reputation for doing more with less. His analytical approach to basketball has empowered his success at both UC San Diego and New Mexico, neither of which are flush with money to spend on the roster.

As a result, some think Olen is looking for a program with more resources and capital in his next opportunity. That could ultimately deter him from considering Arizona State. It sounds like the Sun Devils are very interested in Olen, but it's to be determined if that feeling is mutual.