I mentioned last night that today was Day 2 of an all-day retreat for the DK. Well, apparently I don’t have the focus to spend another day there. I bolted after lunch! Here are a few things that I heard while trying to look engaged:

• Cliff Ellis’ search to fill the spot on his staff that was vacated when Mamadou N’Diaye went to Georgia Tech seems to be wrapping up. From a good source, it sounds like the two leaders are NC A&T assistant Odell Witherspoon, and former Georgia assistant Stacy Palmore. It sounds like a hire could be made here shortly.

• I can confirm that interviews have started for Bob Walsh’s replacement at Rhode Island College. There are at least three on-campus interviews scheduled – the first was yesterday, there is one today, and one tomorrow. I am on double secret probation with the names, but I can share that DI assistants are on tap today and tomorrow.

• Word on the street is that the new DBO at Georgia Southern will be St. Francis (GA) HS head coach Cabral Huff. He would replace Pierre Jordan who joined Dana Ford’s staff at Tennessee State Earlier this month (http://hoopdirt.com/blog/74c1d800/tennessee-state-quotdirtqu…).

• Cory Gardner has been hired by Head Coach Kevin Burton at Union College (KY) as an assistant coach. Gardner was an assistant at Virginia Intermont this past season. He had spent time as a high school coach in Kentucky as well as serving a student manager at Morehead State University under current University of Tennessee Head Coach Donnie Tyndall.

• Lycoming College (PA) assistant Joe Smith has accepted a fellowship overseeing basketball in the Belfast region of Ireland. I mentioned a few weeks ago that Guy Rancourt’s other assistant Ken Hamanaka left to accept a pro offer in Japan. Though not official yet, Rancourt has hired Florida State GA Sean Day and Iowa head manager Tommy O’Connor. An official release should happen shortly.

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