Projo College Hoops

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma State had no announcement planned Wednesday amid conflicting reports that Massachusetts' Travis Ford was expected to take the job as the Cowboys' basketball coach.

Spokesman Mike Noteware said Oklahoma State had no plans for a news conference despite a report from ESPN that had unnamed sources indicating that Ford intended to meet with his players at UMass in the afternoon regarding the position in Stillwater.

"Right now, he's still here, still our coach at UMass," Massachusetts assistant athletic director Jason Yellin said.

Ford, 38, turned down a job offer from Big East school Providence and had also previously been linked to an opening at LSU that was eventually filled by Trent Johnson, who left Stanford. UMass athletic director John McCutcheon announced last week that Ford intended to stay with the Minutemen, but did not discuss terms of the coach's new contract.

A former player at Kentucky, Ford led UMass to a 25-11 record this season and an appearance in the NIT championship game, where it lost to Ohio State. He is 62-35 in three seasons at Massachusetts.

Ford previously took over a losing program at Eastern Kentucky and guided it to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 26 years.

Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder told The Oklahoman there was no deal in place for Ford to coach the Cowboys. Holder has been looking for a replacement for Sean Sutton, who resigned under pressure on April 1.

Kansas coach Bill Self turned down the Cowboys last week, instead signing an extension to remain with the national champion Jayhawks.

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