CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Duke associate head coach Jai Lucas has agreed to become the next head coach at Miami, pending the completion of contract negotiations, a person with knowledge of the matter told the Associated Press on Saturday night.

Lucas and the Hurricanes will work toward finalizing that contract in the coming weeks, said the person who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity because neither side has confirmed any details publicly.

Part of those negotiations would include when Lucas would leave the Blue Devils and start with the Hurricanes, whose regular season ends March 8. The postseason — even an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament berth — is unlikely for Miami, which fell to 2-14 in the ACC and 6-21 overall with a loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday night.

Duke, meanwhile, is an NCAA Tournament lock and potential national championship contender led by player of the year candidate Cooper Flagg. That means the Blue Devils could play until early April; the transfer portal opens on March 24, and it’s likely that Miami would want a new coach in place by then to begin the process of rebuilding a roster.

The Hurricanes went to the Final Four two seasons ago and started last season with 11 wins in their first 13 games. But since early January 2024, Miami has gone 10-36 — the worst record of any Division I power conference school in that span — and 6-29 against ACC opponents.

Duke — No. 3 this week in the AP Top 25 — was playing Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York against Illinois. The website CanesInsight first reported an agreement between the Hurricanes and Lucas.