Painter undecided as he waits on offer from Purdue

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Matt Painter says he is torn between staying at Southern Illinois to continue building a program he helped revive or leaving for Purdue, where he would be an assistant coach before eventually taking over as head coach.

The Southern Illinois coach said he met with Purdue's president and athletic director on Sunday and discussed the possibility of becoming an assistant there under Gene Keady for next season before taking over for the longtime Boilermakers coach in the next five years. The 67-year old Keady has one year left on his contract.

"I don't know. I start thinking and I start talking with a certain person and I know I'm going to stay here, but I turn around and I start talking with another person (and) I know I'm going to go there," Painter said Tuesday night at the team's basketball banquet. "It just flips and flops. There's so many pros and cons to each situation that it's tough.

"I've discussed it with our players and told them that I'm torn. I don't know what to do and they're the reason I'm torn."

Painter, 33, said he had not yet been officially offered the job at Purdue.

The Purdue graduate has been an assistant coach at Southern Illinois for five years before taking over this season.

Painter, 33, was an assistant coach for five years before taking over at Southern Illinois when Bruce Weber left for Illinois in the offseason. He led the Salukis to a No. 15 ranking, highest in school history, and their third straight Missouri Valley Conference championship. Southern Illinois received and at-large bid for the NCAA tournament but lost 65-64 in the first round to Alabama.

Painter said he would like to make a decision in the next couple of days.

"It's a decision I didn't know would be on my plate," Painter said. "I really don't have an answer for you at this point. They've been very open with it at Purdue and they've been very honest about the whole situation and they've given me some time here to contemplate what I think is best for me and my family and everyone involved."

Painter played for Keady from 1989-93 and would receive a hefty raise if he left for Purdue. He has a four-year contract at Southern Illinois for $180,000 a year; Keady has an annual package of $800,000 at Purdue.

"Working with Gene Keady would be great," Painter said. "He's been like a father to me. But it's still a difficult situation, a difficult decision."

If Painter were to accept an offer from Purdue he would be leaving behind a promising team at Southern Illinois. Four of the Salukis' top five scorers are expected to return next season.