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Monday, May 12
 
Fresno State responds to Iowa State rumors

Associated Press

FRESNO, Calif. -- Fresno State has revised men's basketball coach Ray Lopes' five-year contract amid speculation he would interview for the opening at Iowa State.

Athletic director Scott Johnson said Lopes' $400,000 annual financial package has "changed a little bit,'' but both he and Lopes declined to provide details. They did say the contract included a revised bonus structure and money from private local sources that will not affect the university's budget.

Fresno State officials scrambled to reach a contract agreement Friday, quelling speculation Lopes would interview for the Iowa State coaching job. Larry Eustachy resigned from Iowa State on May 5.

Lopes said he never was contacted by Iowa State, although he was flattered to be considered for the position. Lopes said he had no plans to interview with the school.

"I've got a good job here,'' Lopes said. "I really like it in Fresno. The administration gave me my first opportunity to be a Division I coach. My wife, my kids like it here.''

However, Fresno State athletic officials feared they could lose their coach. Lopes, a former assistant basketball coach with Oklahoma, was hired in April 2002 to replace Jerry Tarkanian, who retired from the Bulldogs after four decades of coaching.

Lopes, who was selected Western Athletic Conference coach of the year, was 20-8 this season and led the Bulldogs to the WAC regular-season title.

Johnson said his sources told him that Lopes was a "serious candidate, if not the No. 1 candidate,'' especially with Creighton coach Dana Altman backing out of the Iowa State job late last week.