USC made another run at Pittburgh's Jamie Dixon, but continued to be rebuffed, a source said Friday.
The Trojans targeted Dixon to replace Tim Floyd, who resigned last week. Dixon was in Colorado Springs coaching the FIBA U-19 USA basketball team this week and turned down another overture.
Dixon leaves with the Americans next Thursday for the world championships in New Zealand. The competition runs July 2-11.
That Dixon's name led the speculation is not surprising, as he is from Southern California, and his wife, who is from Hawaii, went to USC. But a source said there is no family pressure to go to USC. The Dixons have been extremely happy living in Pittsburgh, the source said.
The Trojans interviewed former Sacramento Kings and New Mexico State coach Reggie Theus on campus Thursday. No offer was made to Theus, according to a source. Theus remains a viable candidate and is the most likely, among those known to want the job, to give the Trojans a pop in Los Angeles, due to his extroverted personality and ties to area recruiting.
Through intermediary sources, USC made an inquiry to former NBA coaches Jeff Van Gundy and P.J. Carlesimo. It also was seeing if there was interest from Utah coach Jim Boylen, a former NBA assistant in Houston and Milwaukee.
USC athletic director Mike Garrett has hired mostly coaches with professional ties for the school's high-profile programs during his tenure, including Henry Bibby, Rick Majerus and Floyd in men's basketball.
A decision on the coaching search is due soon.
If the Trojans decide to shy away from a coach with professional ties and remain in the Los Angeles area, Cal State Northridge's Bobby Braswell could get a look. He has strong ties in the area and rebuilt the Matadors' program, getting the school to the NCAA tournament.
A number of sources in college basketball assumed that Oregon associate head coach and former Arizona assistant coach Mike Dunlap would be a viable choice because he coached in the NBA with Denver. But sources at Oregon said Friday that he wasn't interested in the job and has not been pursued.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.