Smith hopes to have contract resolved this week

Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach B.J. Smith said he hopes to have his contract situation worked out by the end of the week.

Don Kaverman, Southeast's athletic director, would not commit to that timetable, but he said he hopes things will be resolved soon.

"We're working on it," Kaverman said Wednesday. "We're going to get it done as soon as we can."

The current contract of Smith, who recently completed his fourth season as the Redhawks' coach, expires on April 30.

Last week, Kaverman said, "We expect him to be back. We're just working out the finer points of his contract extension."

The Southeast women's basketball program is being investigated by the NCAA for possible rules violations, but Kaverman said the university must proceed with Smith's situation because "we may not know the outcome of that for some time."

Smith -- who Kaverman has publicly supported -- is 79-41 as Southeast's coach, and he recently led the Redhawks to the program's first NCAA Division I tournament berth.

Southeast has the Ohio Valley Conference's best record both overall and in league play over the last four years.

"I hope we can get something done by the end of the week," Smith said Wednesday. "People know I really want to be the coach here."

Smith, who has been busy on the road recruiting -- "I've been at home maybe two nights since the season has been over" -- was not certain how much not having a contract will affect recruiting. "But it can't help," he said.