Former Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer says he spoke with Billy Donovan and suspects the Florida coach is "open" to considering the Wildcats job after the Final Four.

Farmer said he called his former assistant coach, and the conversation was mostly about the Final Four, where defending champion Florida plays UCLA today.

Farmer said the Kentucky job did come up, and he didn’t make a hard sell. Farmer added that he would if asked by his alma mater.

"He was certainly aware of what was going on," Farmer said yesterday. "I think that he certainly is open to looking at the opportunity after the tournament."

Farmer also said he has spoken recently with Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, who is leading the search to find a replacement for Tubby Smith, hired last week as Minnesota’s coach. Farmer said he offered to help Barnhart in the search process, including future calls to Donovan if needed.

Farmer, who is running for re-election as Kentucky agriculture commissioner, played for Kentucky from 1988-92, and Donovan served as an assistant under Rick Pitino during part of that time.

Kentucky President Lee Todd said the next Wildcats coach would likely demand one of the nation’s highest salaries. He said the athletics department budget was self-sufficient and would absorb any increase over Smith’s salary, if necessary.

At a news conference yesterday, Donovan said he is focusing on the Gators’ national semifinal game against UCLA and hasn’t been contacted by Kentucky. Although he is yet to indicate an interest in the job, he also hasn’t ruled it out.

"I don’t even have my phone," Donovan said. "I don’t talk to anybody."

● GILLISPIE GETS A RAISE: Billy Gillispie has agreed to a new contract that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the Big 12.

Texas A&M spokesman Alan Cannon said Gillispie wouldn’t sign the deal - approved by regents yesterday - until he returns next week from the Final Four in Atlanta.

Gillispie, who was courted by Arkansas and has been mentioned as a candidate for the Kentucky opening, would get a $500,000 raise to $1.75 million. Big 12 leader Rick Barnes of Texas makes $1.8 million. Kansas’ Bill Self, who was Gillispie’s boss at Tulsa and Illinois, makes $1.6 million.

"While it’s embarrassing to me to be compensated so well to perform my passion for a school I love, I am sincerely appreciative of the efforts of … everyone associated with Texas A&M for their personal support they continue to show," Gillispie said in a statement.

The 47-year-old Gillispie took the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 16 this year for the first time since 1980. A&M was just three years removed from finishing 0-16 in the Big 12.

● NO ‘I’ IN TEAM: Ouch! These T-shirts are hardly worthy of the NIT champions.

They say "West Virgina." That’s right, no "i" before the "a."

The Mountaineers wore them anyway after their 78-73 victory over Clemson on Thursday night.

WVU sports information director Shelly Poe said the NIT printed the shirts. Calls to tournament officials were not immediately returned.

West Virginia Coach John Beilein also could not be reached for comment. He and the team were on their way back to West Virginia after winning their first NIT title in 65 years.

● LEAVING THE LADY BEARS: Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, coach of the Missouri State women’s basketball team the past five years, has resigned.

Her resignation, effective immediately, was announced by Missouri State President Michael T. Nietzel and Athletic Director Bill Rowe at a news conference.

Abrahamson-Henderson did not attend the news conference but said in a statement that she was "very grateful and blessed to have coached at Missouri State University."

It is not clear why Abrahamson-Henderson is leaving as coach of the Lady Bears. Her record with Missouri State was 95-61, including two regular-season Missouri Valley Conference championships, three postseason MVC Tournament championships, three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and a WNIT championship.

Nietzel and Rowe said Missouri State would start looking for a new coach right away.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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