Report: Longtime Texas Christian coach to get buyout

<br>FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) _ Administrators at Texas Christian are reportedly preparing to oust longtime coach Billy Tubbs, despite his long-stated wish to retire years from now at the North Texas university.

Friday, March 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) _ Administrators at Texas Christian are reportedly preparing to oust longtime coach Billy Tubbs, despite his long-stated wish to retire years from now at the North Texas university.

Several sources told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that TCU is getting ready to buy out Tubbs' contract. But Tubbs called any reports of his pending dismissal by the Horned Frogs ``erroneous,'' instead reaffirming his desire to fulfill his contract.

``I do not plan to resign,'' Tubbs told the newspaper hours after TCU's 99-79 loss to Hawaii in the Western Athletic Conference men's basketball quarterfinals in Tulsa, Okla.

The coach, discounting the reports as ``rumors,'' said that he will continue recruiting Friday for needs in upcoming seasons. He denied knowledge of any contract buyout proposal, adding that no one at the university had discussed such a move with him.

The coach maintained late Thursday that he has a ``valid contract with TCU that does not end this year.''

Tubbs, who turned 66 on Monday, has compiled a 140-80 record in seven years at TCU.

The Horned Frogs made three postseason appearances in the first six years, but only one to the prestigious NCAA Tournament.

But Tubbs owns the second-most victories and second-best winning percentage, at 63.6, in TCU annals.

After the Horned Frogs' loss on Thursday, reports began to circulate that Tubbs might leave TCU following his fourth 20-win season at the university.

The coach's run-and-gun offensive style, known as Billyball, turned TCU into one of the nation's highest scoring teams. Tubbs also presided over the most consecutive winning seasons in school history, with seven.

The 20-11 Horned Frogs, in the WAC for the past five years, are awaiting a potential bid to the National Invitational Tournament. The university will join Conference USA next season.