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Rumors have been swirling around recently that Shaka Smart is interested in coaching for Marquette, and that he even is close to signing a contract to coach the team.
Adam Finkelstein of ESPN said on Twitter that Smart relayed to VCU commits and staff that he will not be leaving the school. The other possible candidate to fill the coaching void left by Buzz Williams is Ben Howland, a former UCLA head coach.
Jeff Goodman of ESPN reported that sources close to Howland say that he is "extremely interested" in the position at Marquette after the team contacted him. Ben Howland is a Naismith College Coach of the Year winner and led UCLA to two Pac-10 Tournament Championships and three Pac-10 Regular Season Championships.