Indiana hires interim coach Davis

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana headed off a possible player revolt over Bob Knight's dismissal by hiring assistant Mike Davis as interim basketball coach, a source told The Associated Press. \nDavis was expected to be introduced as the new coach Tuesday at a news conference, said the high-ranking University source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. \nThe Associated Press could not immediately reach Davis for comment, but he told ESPN.com, "I got the job."\nThe decision came two days after Indiana fired Knight for repeated misconduct and a day after players issued an ultimatum to athletics director Clarence Doninger. \nThey insisted that Davis or John Treloar, another Knight assistant, be hired as interim coach or players would defect en masse. \nThe University source told The Associated Press that Treloar also will remain with the team. The source said he did not know the status of Pat Knight, the son of the hall of fame coach and also an assistant. Pat Knight has said he has considered himself fired along with his father. \nThe storied basketball program has been in disarray since the firing of the coach who brought three NCAA titles to the school, with several players threatening to leave. \nJunior guard Dane Fife said Monday he had decided to transfer, but the University source said Fife\'s departure was not yet certain. Fife could not be immediately reached Tuesday. \nHighly recruited freshman swingman A.J. Moye also indicated Monday he probably would leave Bloomington. \nJunior center Kirk Haston said Tuesday that he had not yet heard of Davis' promotion, but he said he hoped the core of the team would stay together. \n"I've been very pleased with what I've heard today," Haston told The Associated Press. "Until I talk to each guy personally and know where they stand, I really can't say exactly, but as of right now I'm very optimistic."\nDoninger had said Monday he had asked Davis and Treloar to remain. He also said he had received calls from "a number of people" interested in the interim post. He would not identify any of the others. \nDespite Knight's rigid discipline, uncompromising demand for perfection and infamous temper, he was the main reason players have come to Indiana to play basketball the past 29 years. \nDoninger understood why the players were upset. \n"You've got some quality people and they are stunned by all of this"he said. "There's no question they came to Indiana University to play for coach Bob Knight. We'd like to think they came to Indiana University because of Indiana University, too. But I know the facts of life here, and they came to play for Coach Knight."\nKnight was fired by president Myles Brand for violating a "zero-tolerance" behavior policy imposed in May. \nIt's not known what Knight's next move will be, but Indiana Pacers coach Isiah Thomas, who led Knight's 1981 team to a national title, said he would welcome Knight as an assistant. \n"I would love for him to sit on the bench with me and more or less mentor me," Thomas told Detroit radio station WDFN. "I don't think there's a basketball player in the world who wouldn't crave his insight. That's what, hopefully, he'll be able to give me."\nThe Mavericks' owner, IU graduate Mark Cuban, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he'd be happy to have Knight work for him. \n"As a huge fan, Bobby has a standing offer to join the Mavs as a consultant," Cuban was quoted as saying in Tuesday's newspaper. "I would offer him a job in a heartbeat"