Painter may top Mizzou's list

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Purdue coach Matt Painter may top the list of candidates Missouri will seek out to replace Mike Anderson as the Tigers' next basketball coach.

That is according to a source with knowledge of the search process.

Lower down on that list could be another coach with Purdue ties, Missouri State coach Cuonzo Martin.

But Martin and Missouri State have released a statement that said:

“Nobody from Missouri has contacted me or my agent, so anything connecting me to that position at this point is simply a rumor. My priorities continue to be with Missouri State and building a championship program here.”

Although a call was placed to Martin on Friday afternoon to obtain his reaction, Martin was not immediately available. His earlier statement noted that he would not be available for further comment on the Missouri situation.

Missouri has issued a similar statement, saying that neither Alden nor members of the MU search committee nor current MU players would be commenting further until after Missouri had named its new head coach.

Painter did not immediately return a message left at his office. Tom Schott –assistant athletics director for communications – told The Star there had been no discussion regarding interest from Missouri in Painter.

Painter had driven Purdue to two straight Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament but was denied a third straight on Sunday in falling as an upset victim to VCU 94-76. Purdue finished the season at 26-8.

Schott confirmed that Painter has a $750,000 buyout in his contract with Purdue but that the buyout penalty goes away after July 1 of this year. That, of course, would be a savings on which Missouri could not likely wait.

Published reports list Painter’s salary at Purdue at between $1.3 and $1.5 million a year, depending upon incentives.

Missouri offered Anderson a contract renegotiation of $2 million a year for seven years, an offer that was withdrawn in return for MU giving permission for Anderson to talk about – and of course later take – the Arkansas job.

Anderson – or Arkansas – owe Missouri $550,000 as a penalty for his breaking his contract with Mizzou.