With a 66-65 victory over the No. 4 seed Vanderbilt yesterday, suffice it to say that Murray State head basketball coach Billy Kennedy is going to be on some prospective head coaching lists around the country.
But can the Racers afford to keep Kennedy, who is in his fourth year with the school?
Kennedy last signed an extension on his contract, in May 2008, that would keep him at the school through the 2011-2012 season.
I don't know the value of the new deal, but I have confirmed with Murray State's athletic director Allen Ward that this clause -- which was in his original contract -- is still in his current one.
If Kennedy leaves Murray State, he would owe $25,000 if he left to take a coaching job in the six power leagues or conference USA, the Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Western Athletic or Ohio Valley. The buyout is $10,000 if he leaves for a school in another conference.
That's as about as low as we've heard on the buyout front in basketball, which tends to be lower than it is for football coaches.
Memphis got paid $200,000 by Kentucky for John Calipari and West Virginia doled out $100,000 to steal Bob Huggins away from Kansas State.
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