Texas A&M University has contacted NIU Athletic Director Gerald O’Dell about permission to talk to head basketball coach Jim Molinari.

“Yes, they have contacted me,” O’Dell said. “It’s that time of the year when coaching changes take place. So, it’s more rumors than anything else.”

Rumors that Molinari is being considered for the vacant head-coaching position at Texas A&M surfaced after the Aggies’ Athletic Director John David Crow talked with Molinari at the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Apparently, Molinari is one of the four leading candidates to succeed Kermit Davis Jr. at Texas A&M. Colin Killian, assistant sports information director for the Aggies, confirmed that Creighton head coach Tony Barone was interviewed for the job on Thursday.

“(Barone) is being interviewed (Thursday),” Killian said. “As for Molinari, I don’t know that he is being considered.”

Crow could not be reached for comment.

After an 8-21 1990-91 campaign, Davis Jr. resigned after just one season due to “off-the-court difficulties,” according to Killian.

Prior to Texas A&M, Davis Jr. coached at the University of Idaho for two seasons in which he compiled a 50-12 ledger. Molinari has posted a 42-17 mark in his two-year tenure at NIU.

Southwest Conference affiliate, Texas A&M, has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 1987.

Killian did mention that Texas A&M (41,000 enrollment) is in the process of upgrading the basketball program. Plans for a new 14,500-seat basketball facility to be built by the 1993-94 season are currently in progress.

“Texas A&M has always been a football-dominated school,” Killian said. “So we’re in the process of improving our basketball program.”

Rob Judson, NIU assistant basketball coach, strictly labels the whole notion of Molinari leaving as a rumor.

“Any coach that is being successful is going to be rumored for other coaching jobs—it comes with the territory,” Judson said. “Besides, ‘Mo’ would look bad in a cowboy hat.”