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Ritchie McKay stands to leave after a news conference announcing his contract has been terminated by New Mexico effective at the end of the season.

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University of New Mexico Athletics Director Paul Krebs says he will cast a wide net as he searches for the next Lobos men's basketball coach.

"As I told the players, we'll do an exhaustive national search," Krebs said today at a news conference. "I have not yet talked to any coaches."

Krebs declined to discuss a specific timeline for the hire or if UNM hopes to land a well-known coach from another established program to help boost sagging attendance.

Krebs said he plans to form an advisory committee and utilize the help of a search firm to streamline the process.

He expects several qualified candidates.

"This program has a rich tradition and a lot of expectations," Krebs said. "That's a good thing."

The UNM job is one of several in Division I that is open. Minnesota fired Don Monson earlier this year and the Santa Clara position is open as well.

Less certain is the number of big-name coaches who might be interested in the job. Often associated with coaching vacancies of late are former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery and former Utah coach Rick Majerus. However, Montgomery is a friend of McKay's and seemed uninterested in UNM during a recent interview with The Trib. Ditto for Majerus, currently an analyst with ESPN.

A name often linked to the job is that of former Lobo Michael Cooper, coach of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA Development League. Cooper has never made a secret of his lust for the position, though he does not have a college degree, traditionally a requirement for the head coach.