Okay, have to admit I didn’t see this coming.

Arizona State plans to introduce Herb Sendek as its next basketball coach within a couple of days in a move that Saturday surprised nearly everybody at ASU and North Carolina State.

An announcement is not expected today. The agreement happened so quickly that, among other things, both parties need time to put the finishing legalese on the formal contract before signing it.

However, Sendek could be in Tempe for a news conference on Monday, according to several ASU officials, who confirmed a CBS report between Final Four games at Indianapolis that Sendek was leaving North Carolina State for ASU.
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According to media reports in the North Carolina cities of Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, Sendek agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $1 million a year.

A couple of reports put the annual salary at $1.3 million, which is more than twice the $600,000 a year Evans earned.

Sendek was under contract at North Carolina State through the 2009-2010 season at a reported $750,000 to $800,000 a year.

Sendek is a surprise, in part because Love said at the outset of the lengthy search that she would prefer a coach with links to the West, which she said would be important for recruiting.

I guess if she couldn’t hire Pitt’s coach, she went with a guy from Pittsburgh. Despite having a decent looking record at NC St. and apparent support from the administration, there wasn’t a great deal of fan and alumni support for Sendek. Traceable for a few reasons. He played a less than exciting style of basketball, he was dull as dirt with the media and public, and he has an 0-6 record against UNC since Roy Williams took over there and 3-21 versus Duke. For NC St. reactions and to follow what happens next (if you care) you can check out Section Six — unsure right now as to his feelings — and State Fans Nation — a little less subtle.

Missouri partisans actually believe they were a major factor in Coach Jamie Dixon getting the bigger and better deal from Pitt.

Before offering the job to Anderson, Missouri athletics director Mike Alden had a lengthy meeting with Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon and made a pitch, but Dixon decided to leverage Mizzou’s interest and sweeten his deal at Pitt.

Arizona State’s actual offer was irrelevant. It was Mizzou influence that did it. The sky must be very pretty in that world.

Now for what is up with Seton Hall? One columnist just doesn’t understand why Bobby Gonzalez hasn’t been hired — by anyone?

Administrators at major programs keep shuddering at the thought of hiring Manhattan’s Bobby Gonzalez to lead their program. Their fears are ridiculous. Gonzalez should have had a big-time job a couple of years ago, and maybe Seton Hall will come to its senses and make the logical choice by hiring the Buffalo State graduate as its replacement for Louis Orr.
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New Seton Hall Athletics Director Joe Quinlan, a former assistant at St. Bonaventure, is trying to make this choice and deal with his school’s administration. Hall officials are reportedly skittish about Gonzalez’s fiery personality, and some higher-ups are holding an incident against him from 2003, when Gonzalez confronted Seton Hall students in the Meadowlands during a game against Manhattan. Memo to Hall higher-ups: Gonzalez was defending his players after racial epithets came from your student section.

Apparently Bob McKillop from Davidson and Tim O’Shea of Ohio did fine in their interviews.

Seton Hall first-year athletic director Joe Quinlan interviewed Davidson’s Bob McKillop before the national semifinals tipped off last night in Indianapolis, The Post has learned.

McKillop, 55, a Long Island native who led the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament for the third time this season, is the fourth candidate to formally interview with the Big East school, joining Pitt assistant Barry Rohrssen, Manhattan’s Bobby Gonzalez and Ohio’s Tim O’Shea.

Actually, reports are that Rohrssen may be down on the list now.

It also appears that Pittsburgh assistant Barry Rohrssen, who met with Quinlan on Monday, is no longer a top candidate. His lack of head coaching experience seems to be the biggest issue.

Given former St. John’s coach and present ESPN talking head, Fran Fraschilla’s interest in the Fairfield job, it’s starting to look like Pitt will be able to keep Associate Head Coach Rohrssen for another year.