Alabama athletic director Bill Battle will meet with Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall on Monday to discuss the Crimson Tide's opening, a source told CBSSports.com.
The meeting will take place in Wichita, the source said.
CBSSports.com reported last week that Alabama's administration is determined, one way or another, to make a big hire to replace Anthony Grant in response to Auburn employing Bruce Pearl last March, and Marshall is essentially alone atop the wish-list. Alabama cannot offer Marshall great basketball tradition, school officials understand. But one source said they plan to pitch "piles of money, an athletic department with a culture of winning and every resource he needs to compete with anybody on a national level." It's possible football coach Nick Saban could eventually be involved in what will be high-profile recruitment.
"Alabama is gonna go big," one source said.
The Tuscaloosa News is also reporting the meeting between Battle and Marshall. Sources have told CBSSports.com Alabama's offer will be in excess of $3 million per year and that the school could present a package approaching six years and $20-plus million.
Marshall led Wichita State to the Sweet 16 for the second time this season. The 52-year-old has taken WSU to four straight NCAA Tournaments. He made the Final Four in 2013, earned a No. 1 seed in 2014, and he's won nine league titles in 17 years as a head coach. He has previously rejected overtures from several Power 5 schools -- among them Missouri, Cal and Tennessee. Marshall is also a candidate for the opening at Texas.
UPDATE:
Bill Battle leaves Wichita alone after meeting with top target Gregg Marshall. http://t.co/z6fyvDM7dh
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) March 31, 2015
