The Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Mike Anderson is too busy preparing for Alabama-Birmingham's next opponent in the NCAA Tournament to be distracted by rumors Auburn wants him as its next coach.

Anderson said Tuesday he has not been contacted by Auburn and is concentrating on his ninth-seeded Blazers facing fourth-seeded Kansas on Friday night in the round of 16.

"It's flattering for your name to be mentioned ... I think that means we're doing a good job here," Anderson said. "But at the same time, my focus I know is to stay grounded and try to pursue a national championship."

Anderson surfaced as a possible candidate shortly after Auburn fired coach Cliff Ellis on Thursday. Three days later, UAB pulled off the Tournament's biggest upset, a 76-75 win over top seed Kentucky.

Auburn senior associate athletic director Hal Baird, who is leading the search for a new coach, said Monday the school has not contacted any potential coaches. He didn't immediately return a call Tuesday.

STANFORD: Coach Mike Montgomery expects forward Josh Childress to return for his senior season instead of heading to the NBA.

"What kids are supposed to do is finish college and get a degree. That's always been Josh's intention," Montgomery said Tuesday, three days after his team was upset by Alabama in the NCAA Tournament's second round.

"I don't know that Josh ever said he was going to look at the draft. Did he? No. As far as we're concerned, Josh's intent has always been on returning to school, getting his degree and finishing his career with his teammates."

Childress, the Pacific-10 Player of the Year, missed the Cardinal's first nine games because of a left foot injury, then averaged 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks this season. Montgomery said Childress is on vacation in Mexico and unavailable for comment.

Stanford loses senior starting forward Justin Davis, starting guard Matt Lottich and reserve forward Joe Kirchofer from this season's team. Its early exit from the Tournament was tough to take for Montgomery.

"You're certainly disappointed with yourself as a coach," Montgomery said. "You wonder what you could have done better or how you could have helped them, because it's your job. It's a difficult situation to deal with a loss, but not only a loss but a loss that ends your season. It's an abrupt end, so you have to deal with that. ...

"The game was not indicative of how we played all year long - that's the most disappointing thing."

HOUSTON: Tom Penders was hired to coach a Cougars program that hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game in 20 years.

Penders and the university agreed to a five-year contract, but terms weren't finalized, officials said. Penders, who coached at Texas for 10 years, replaces Ray McCallum, who was reassigned March 8 after going 44-72 in four seasons.

"I am excited about this opportunity here at the University of Houston," Penders said. "It is both a dream and a desire of mine to bring the Cougars back to national prominence and compete for a national championship."

Penders, 58, is best known for resuscitating Texas after his arrival in 1988 after successful stints at Tufts, Columbia, Fordham and Rhode Island. He led Texas to a 208-110 record and eight NCAA Tournaments, including a regional final in 1990, but resigned from the program in 1998 after his second losing season with the Longhorns.

Penders moved on to George Washington but resigned in 2001 citing "burnout" after allegations of players making unauthorized long-distance calls. He has worked as a broadcast analyst since.

Penders is the seventh UH coach but the fifth since the revered Guy Lewis retired in 1986 after 30 seasons and five Final Four appearances. Pat Foster, who followed Lewis, took the Cougars to three NCAA Tournaments and went 142-73 in seven seasons.

Since Foster, Alvin Brooks, Clyde Drexler and McCallum combined to go 117-195 with no Tournament bids. The Cougars have not won an NCAA Tournament game since the 1984 semifinal.

NAISMITH AWARDS: Saint Joseph's Jameer Nelson and Connecticut's Diana Taurasi were selected as the 2004 Naismith players of the year.

Nelson, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, was the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. He led St. Joseph's to an undefeated record in the regular season and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

Taurasi, a 6-foot senior guard, has led Connecticut to two NCAA championships - in 2002 and 2003 - and a Final Four appearance in 2001. Taurasi, who earned her second Naismith honor, is averaging 15.6 points per game and is eight assists away from matching the school career record of 629.