Assistant coach John Groce, who attended Thursday's news conference, will join Thad Matta's staff at Xavier, but that's the only definite right now.

        Groce, 29, was an assistant coach at Butler this past season after four years as an assistant at North Carolina State.

        Matta said Butler assistant Todd Lickliter is a candidate to replace him, and should Lickliter get the job, assistant Mike Marshall — a St. Xavier graduate — and administrative assistant Brad Stevens could remain at Butler.

        If Lickliter doesn't get the job, Matta said he will offer each the opportunity to join the staff at Xavier.

        SKIP SPEAKS: Former Xavier coach Skip Prosser said he has known Matta since Matta was a player at Butler. Matta also has worked Xavier's basketball camp, and the two have crossed paths on the road recruiting.

        “My biggest concern is the (XU) players, and I feel very confident they're in great hands now,” Prosser said. “I think it's a great hire. ... He's a class act.”

        LEFT BEHIND: Butler sophomore center Joel Cornette, a St.Xavier graduate, told an Indianapolis Star reporter that he is not likely to transfer, but he would not rule out that possibility if Lickliter is not elevated to head coach.

        “I love Butler,” Cornette said. “I've really settled down here. This was the place I wanted to be at from the beginning. To say a coaching change would cause me to leave would undermine what I came to school for, which is to get my degree.”

        Cornette said the players went “to bat” for Matta last year in his effort to replace Barry Collier as head coach.

        “And no one regrets doing that at all,” Cornette said. “We feel that we'll go to bat just as hard for Coach Lickliter.”

        "BLUE-CHIPPER': Though Xavier should be ecstatic about its coaching hire, Dick Vitale said, fans should be careful not to dramatically raise their expectations.

        The ESPN analyst praised the choice of Matta, calling him “a future blue-chipper.”

        “I like the idea that you're bringing in new blood and giving him an opportunity, like when they gave a chance to Pete Gillen and Skip Prosser when they were young coaches,” he said.

        Vitale said fans should be realistic in their goals, and that maintaining recent success while making an occasional Sweet 16 trip is a nice target.

        “In today's day and age, when you're a school in that middle group trying to rise, it's not that far,” he said.

        XU has won just one NCAA Tournament game the past eight seasons.

Xavier Stories

Matta's first-year goal: Sweet 16 West 'almost positive' he'll return Matta is always on job AD: Matta stood out from start DAUGHERTY: Coaches leave players in cold Matta may bring staff intact Youngest Division I head coaches

Dodgers 8, Reds 6
Bell to return from Triple-A
Boone shows support for Harnisch
Premium seats in new park go on sale
Padres-Reds Scouting Report
Reds, Jackie's daughter visit schools
Reds box, runs
Bengals' minicamp goal: increased aggression
SULLIVAN: Pitino lets others do his Derby work
Flying Pig hopes to keep growing
Flying Pig schedule of events
Where to watch the race
Marathoner offers practical tips
Sectional baseball preview
Sectional baseball schedule
New Richmond turns adversity into perfect season
Turpin's Hendricks back on track
Cincinnati high school highlights
Cincinnati baseball results
Cincinnati softball results
Cincinnati tennis results
Other Cincinnati results
Malony fills big footsteps
N.Ky. baseball results
N.Ky. softball results
N.Ky. tennis results

• Return to Xavier front page...