The timing couldn’t be much worse for the University of Nebraska as it begins its search for a new men’s basketball coach.

“Any time except March and April is a tough time. This time of year is especially difficult,” said Kansas University senior associate athletic director Larry Keating.

Keating knows first-hand the challenge facing Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson, who on Tuesday accepted the resignation of new Butler AD Barry Collier just 18 days before first-semester classes begin.

Back in mid-June 1994, Keating, who was athletic director at Seton Hall, needed to hustle to find a coach to replace P.J. Carlesimo, who left to coach the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

“A lot of coaches will take a job (this time of year), but they have to be more low-profile. Most don’t want their name out there, not get the job and have to go back to campus. It hurts them back home in August more than it does in March,” Keating said.

Keating was able to complete his job search at Seton Hall in a month, hiring George Blaney away from Holy Cross.

“I was able to talk to a bunch of people,” Keating said. “It definitely was not as easy as it would have been (in March). I think what you need to do is instead of setting up five appointments, you go one at a time. You talk to somebody, and if you really like the guy, you hire him.”

Coincidentally, Keating’s son, Kerry, a 35-year-old UCLA assistant, has been mentioned as a possible candidate at NU.

“Kerry is going to be a head coach soon,” UCLA coach Ben Howland told the Omaha World Herald. “He is very qualified and does a great job for us. He’ll only be here another year or two at the most.”

The Lincoln Journal-Star lists Kent State coach Jim Christian and Nevada’s Mark Fox as high on the Huskers’ wish list.

“I am not sure I could answer that right now,” Fox told the Reno Gazette-Journal, asked if he had interest in NU. “I have been so focused on recruiting. : I have not been contacted by them. We will cross that bridge if we reach it.”

Of Christian’s possible candidacy, Kent State AD Laing Kennedy told the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “I have talked to Jim briefly, and he has expressed to me his focus is on this team and recruiting for the future.”

ESPN.com’s Andy Katz lists Fox and Christian as candidates as well as Karl Hobbs (George Washington), John Pelphrey (South Alabama), Randy Bennett (St. Mary’s) and Mike Dunlap (Metro State, Colo.).

Jeff Goodman of Foxsports.com lists Pelphrey and UTEP’s Doc Sadler as possibilities. CBSsportsline.com’s Gary Parrish says Creighton’s Dana Altman is definitely not a possibility.

“I’m happy where I’m at,” Altman said. “Right now, there is no doubt that we have things heading in the right direction. Our support is great and we have a great administration here.”

The Lincoln Journal-Star’s list of names included Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery, Wichita State’s Mark Turgeon and Old Dominion’s Blaine Taylor, as well as UCLA assistant Keating and Texas assistant Rodney Terry. KU’s Tim Jankovich and Joe Dooley were mentioned by the Omaha paper earlier in the week.

The Daily Oklahoman indicated former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton would be a perfect fit for the job for a year or two.

“We’re open to the world,” NU’s Pederson said.

¢ Walker update: CBS Sportsline’s Parrish believes Kansas State may have an in with top prospect Bill Walker, a 6-foot-5 senior from Cincinnati’s North College Hill High. Walker’s lawyer, who is challenging a ruling by the Ohio High School Athletic Assn. that would ban Walker from playing next season, is Richard Katz. Katz happens to be Bob Huggins’ family attorney.

¢ Aldrich coming for Late Night: Cole Aldrich, a 6-11 center from Bloomington, Minn.’s Jefferson High who has committed orally to KU, will make his official campus visit the weekend of KU’s Late Night in the Phog (Oct. 13-15). He has been on KU’s campus several times the past two years.

“This is the first time that I will have taken a trip to KU without my mom, dad or both of them. I am really looking forward to spending the entire weekend with the coaches and players. I just love coming in for visits and can’t wait to make it back for Midnight Madness,” Aldrich told Rivals.com.

¢ Singler’s list: Kyle Singler, a 6-8 senior from South Medford (Ore.) High, tells the Portland Tribune he will visit Duke the first week of September and follow that with trips to Arizona and Kansas.

After that : “I’ll see how I feel, see if I need to take the other visits (to UCLA, Washington),” he said. “I’ve been to UCLA and Washington isn’t high on my list. But there really isn’t a leader now.”

An accomplished quarterback, Singler will decide soon if he will play football again this season. His uncle, Bill, is football coach at South Medford.

“It’s a big decision,” Singler said, noting he’s leaning toward not playing “because I haven’t been working out for football at all this summer.”

¢ Big summer game for Galindo: Former KU guard Alex Galindo of Florida International erupted for 39 points in a local summer-league game earlier this week in Miami. The league is for college players in the area. Galindo’s point total, which included six threes, was a Pharmed League record.