Southeast women's job is grabbing attention

There has been no shortage of candidates for the university's vacant women's basketball coaching position, according to Southeast Missouri State director of athletics John Shafer,

Not really a surprise considering virtually every coach I ever have talked to believes the job is attractive, often noting the position is ripe for consistent success in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Your guess is as good as mine regarding who will be hired.

I haven't heard the names of many potential candidates, but I did hear one that grabbed my attention.

Jill Pizzotti, a first-year assistant at nationally ranked West Virginia, has Southeast ties and sources tell me she is interested in the job.

Pizzotti was a reserve guard on four straight Division II tournament teams at Southeast in the late 1980s. She spent three seasons as a Southeast assistant while earning her undergraduate and master's degrees from Southeast before departing in 1991.

Pizzotti has been an assistant at several other programs and also served a decade as Saint Louis University's coach, where she experienced a decent amount of success at a place where it has been tough to win.

I got to know Pizzotti well when she was in Cape Girardeau and have followed her career since. She's smart, personable and a real go-getter.

I have no idea if Pizzotti will be considered for the position, but I would be surprised if she isn't.

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Former Southeast assistant men's basketball coach Keno Davis took a tough job when he was hired to lead the Providence program. From a financial standpoint it was virtually impossible not to make the move.

Davis was fired Friday after just three years with the Friars, who went 4-14 in the brutal Big East Conference for the second straight season.

Davis, who turned 39 on Thursday, came to Providence in 2008-09 after his only other season as a head coach, in which he led Drake to a 28-5 record and was named coach of the year by The Associated Press.

Davis received his first Division I coaching opportunity when he was hired as part of Gary Garner's inaugural staff at Southeast before the 1997-98 season. He spent six years under Garner.

But don't feel too sorry for Davis. His original seven-year contract at Providence was for about a million dollars per season, so he'll no doubt receive a pretty hefty buyout.

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Former Notre Dame basketball standout Ryan Willen fell one win short of playing in the NCAA tournament for the second straight season.

Willen, a junior forward at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., scored eight points Friday as the Leopards lost at Bucknell 72-57 in the nationally televised Patriot League tournament championship game.

The Leopards, who also were beaten in last year's Patriot League title contest, nearly emerged this season despite being the No. 6 seed. They ended the year 13-19.

Willen wrapped up a third straight solid season for the Leopards. He was their No. 3 scorer and No. 3 rebounder with averages of 10.4 points and 3.7 boards. He also earned academic all-district honors as a neuroscience major.

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Willen won't be in the NCAA tournament, but another player with local ties will.

Former Central star Darnell Wilks has been a solid bench player and part-time starter for Cincinnati (25-8), which is having a big season under former Murray State coach Mick Cronin and earned its first NCAA berth since 2005.

Wilks, a senior forward, is averaging 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 15.1 minutes. He had made 11 starts.

While Wilks finished up his high school career at Pioneer Christian Academy in Nashville, Tenn., he played for Central during his sophomore and junior years.

The Bearcats' second-round opponent is Missouri, which should make for an interesting matchup.

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An ex-Southeast coach also will participate in the Big Dance for the first time.

Robert Guster, an assistant on Garner's final two Redhawks squads in 2004-05 and 2005-06, is in his fifth season as an assistant at Texas-San Antonio.

Texas-San Antonio won the Southland Conference tournament Saturday to earn the program's first NCAA berth since 2004.

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Former Scott County Central standout Bobby Hatchett is headed to this week's national junior college tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

Hatchett is a backup freshman point guard for Midland (Texas) College, annually among the nation's premier juco teams.

While Hatchett hasn't put up big numbers for the talent-rich Midland squad that always is loaded with high-level Division I recruits, he has been a key player off the bench.

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Speaking of Scott County Central, the Braves are headed to their fourth straight Class 1 final four as they chase what looks like an inevitable third consecutive championship.

The Braves didn't have a close game in the playoffs the past two seasons, and they have again decimated their opponents so far this year.

Led by sensational senior forward Otto Porter, along with other talented players, I can't imagine that changing this week in Columbia, Mo.

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Congratulations to the Sikeston boys basketball team for winning the program's first state championship.

The Bulldogs capped their perfect season Saturday, beating longtime nemesis Borgia 74-55 in the Class 4 title game in Columbia.

Sikeston (30-0) rolled through the playoffs, its smallest margin of victory coming in the state final.

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I'm happy to see Charleston's boys make the Class 3 final four because I like the way the undersized Bluejays play, and I absolutely love the game of junior guard Greg Tucker.

Tucker, the area's second-best college prospect behind Porter, reportedly has received scholarship offers from OVC programs Southeast, Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech.

After watching Tucker play several times this season, and considering the fact he has one more year of high school to go, I wouldn't be surprised if he attracts recruiting interest from programs above the OVC level.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.