By Bill Koch
Enquirer staff writer

Northeastern head basketball coach Ron Everhart has been interviewed as a replacement for former University of Cincinnati associate head coach Dan Peters, who left last month to take a job at Ohio State.

UC athletic director Bob Goin said Friday that Everhart has been interviewed for the job, but that it has not been offered to him.

"I don't anticipate the job being offered to any assistant coach until the return of Coach Huggins," Goin said. "There have been some phone interviews with other people. The decision will be made when Bobby gets back, and we'll move quickly after that."

Huggins is scheduled to return from his suspension for drunken driving Aug. 27.

A Boston Globe report Friday said all signs point to Everhart, a close friend of Huggins', resigning his position with Northeastern within days and accepting the job at UC.

"I really like my team and like it here in Boston," Everhart told the Globe. "I just have to make a decision about which way I want to go."

Peters gave up a head coaching job at Youngstown State to work for Huggins as an assistant, but it's rare for a head coach to make that kind of move, even if it's from a so-called mid-major program to a major one such as UC.

In Everhart's case, he would be giving up not only a head coaching position at a program he has built into respectability, he also would be forfeiting a contract that runs through 2008.

Everhart has posted a 42-47 record in three seasons at Northeastern. After going 7-21 in their first season under Everhart, the Huskies improved to 16-15 in 2002-03 and to 19-11 last in 2003-04.

Northeastern will move from the America East Conference to the Colonial Athletic Association after the 2004-05 season.

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E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com