By Alan Robinson
The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - The arena isn't as nice, the money would be about the same, and the players - at least now - wouldn't be as good. All those disadvantages apparently won't prevent Pittsburgh coach Ben Howland from leaving for UCLA.

Howland, who met with UCLA officials Sunday, was talking about a contract Tuesday, and it wasn't with Pitt. Sources close to Howland said his representatives were finalizing the details that would make him the Bruins' next coach - UCLA's eighth since John Wooden coached them to 10 national championships from 1964-75.

Pitt was willing to improve the $5.9 million, seven-year contract Howland signed only last year, but the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were no discussions between Howland and the school Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site Tuesday that Howland would be introduced as UCLA's coach as early as Wednesday, following a meeting with chancellor Albert Carnesale. UCLA sports information director Marc Dellins declined to comment on the report.

That would follow the timeline Howland spelled out Monday when he met with his Pitt players and told them he wanted the issue resolved by Thursday, when he's leaving for the Final Four in New Orleans.

Howland was an avowed UCLA fan while growing up in Southern California - he played at Cerritos High - and only last week he called the position with the Bruins his "dream job."

Howland is nearing the upper echelon of Division I coaching salaries. Pitt is willing to guarantee him about $1.1 million per year, and UCLA cannot substantially improve on that. However, it can offer the prestige of one of the most storied coaching jobs in any sport, a more fertile recruiting base than Pittsburgh and a greater opportunity for ancillary income, such as commercial endorsements.

Howland's biggest concern about UCLA appeared to be the arena issue. While Pitt just opened a $96 million, luxury-laden arena that is one of the best in college basketball, UCLA has spent decades in Pauley Pavilion, which is filled with history but lacking in amenities.

Howland said last week that Pauley needs substantial upgrades that might force the Bruins to play one season off-campus. However, lining up the money for an upgraded arena at a state-supported university might prove difficult in the immediate future, especially given the current economic climate.

Howland also wants to take his assistant coaches to UCLA, two of whom - Jamie Dixon and Chris Carlson - are native Southern Californians. Dixon, however, is under consideration for the Wright State and Illinois State jobs, and he might be a top candidate at Pitt should Howland leave.

Dixon is Howland's top recruiter - Pitt's incoming class of four recruits is by far its best under Howland - and also handled some of the coaching in practice.

While Howland weighed his tough decision, Pitt also faces one with his impending departure. The school would have to decide whether it can afford to hand over the job to a promising but untested assistant coach such as Dixon, an on-the-rise Division I coach like Howland was 1999, or an established winner who's already a head coach.

Howland's departure would be Pitt's second major personnel loss in only four months. Athletic director Steve Pederson left for alma mater Nebraska in December after overhauling Pitt's athletic program. He made numerous personnel changes, built the new basketball arena and football practice facility, and tore down Pitt Stadium, moving the Panthers' home football games to Heinz Field.