BY MATT SUGAM & ADAM ZAGORIA

Dan Hurley turned down an offer to become the next head coach at Rutgers on Monday — and will not return home to New Jersey to try to save the day.

Hurley has agreed in principle to a contract extension through 2019-20 at Rhode Island, sources with direct knowledge told SNY.tv. He is expected to sign the extension soon.

Hurley initially signed a six-year deal worth approximately $4 million at Rhode Island a year ago after leaving Wagner following a two-year stint there. The Rutgers offer was not significantly more than what he makes at Rhody.

It was reported here last week that Rhode Island was working on Hurley’s extension.

Rutgers still must hire an athletic director, but for now is moving ahead with ts coaching search anyway — with former South Carolina and Vanderbilt coach Eddie Fogler running the coaching search, sources confirmed to SNY.tv. Now they must look elsewhere for a coach to take them into the Big Ten in 2014.

Hurley,  a Seton Hall alum, a New Jersey native and the son of  St. Anthony coach and Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Hurley Sr., has opted to stay to rebuild Rhode Island.

In Hurley’s first season at Rhody after two years at Wagner, the Rams struggled to an 8-21 campaign, but they should be much stronger in the revamped Atlantic 10 Conference next season with the addition of transfers Jarelle Reischel (Rice), DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech) and Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers).

They also add four-star Michigan guard E.C. Mathews and three-star New York forward Hassan Martin.

Meantime, Rutgers interim head coach David Cox — who went 3-0 during Mike Rice’s suspension — has gained the support of at least some players.

“I feel that he would be a good choice,” Sandra Mack, the mother of sophomore point guard Myles Mack, told SNY.tv.

“He provides the stability and strength that the team needs at this critical time. The team had also voiced this to the administration and I feel they should honor their wishes after all they’ve had to endure.”

In other New Jersey coaching news, Seton Hall is looking at bringing in former Rutgers head coach Freddie Hill as an assistant to replace Chris Pompey, who is no longer on the staff, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.

Hill recruited Gill St. Bernard’s point guard Jaren Sina while an assistant at Northwestern under Bill Carmody.

Sina is currently visiting Alabama and is also considering Seton Hall, Northwestern and Indiana.

Photo credit: NJ.com

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

Follow Matt Sugam on Twitter

ATLANTA — Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley may not turn out to be Rutgers’ next men’s basketball coach after all.

Hurley and Rhode Island are close to an agreement on a contract extension through the 2019-20 season, although it has not yet been finalized, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.

The news was first reported by SI.com.

Theoretically, if Rutgers were to make a hard pitch in the next few days, Hurley might still be an option.

As of now, however, the school has no athletic director to make such a hire after Tim Pernetti resigned Friday in the wake of the Mike Rice abuse scandal.

Hurley spent nine seasons molding St. Benedict’s Prep into a national power before he moved on to Wagner, which he led to a 25-6 record in his second season there. He then took the Rhode Island job.

In his first season, the Rams struggled to an 8-21 campaign, but they should be much stronger in the revamped Atlantic 10 Conference next season with the addition of transfers Jarelle Reischel (Rice), DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech) and Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers).

They also add four-star Michigan guard E.C. Mathews and three-star New York forward Hassan Martin.

Earlier Saturday, it was reported by CBSSports.com that former UCLA head coach Ben Howland is “intrigued” by the Rutgers opening.

Other candidates for the job are Temple head coach Fran Dunphy, La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini, Detroit Pistons coach Lawrence Frank and Lakers assistant and former Rutgers star Eddie Jordan.

First Rutgers needs to higher a new Athletic Director, which Rutgers President Robert L. Barchi will do before the university hires a new basketball coach to replace Rice, who was fired Wednesday in the wake of the video scandal.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

Special to ZAGSBLOG

UNION, N.J. — Curtis High School on Staten Island has been having an under-the radar season despite being 9-2, with one of those losses coming at the hands of perennial power St. Anthony, 61-31, Saturday night at Kean University.

One of the biggest reasons for Curtis’ early success is due in large part to 6-foot-7 senior small forward Hassan Martin.

Martin, a Rhode Island commit, has been the main scoring option for the team as he’s able to use athleticism to the max, whether it is on the boards, through the lane, or wherever his team needs him. Curtis is one of two 2013 Rhody commits for Dan Hurley’s squad, the other being top tier shooting guard E.C. Mathews.

The Rams are currently 5-8 but should take a big step forward in 2013-14 with the additions of Martin and Mathews, plus transfers Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers), Jarelle Reischel (Rice) and DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech).

Martin won’t be on Rhody’s campus as a student for another seven months but has already made a few trips up for basketball season, seeing the Rams play SMU recently. Martin loved the trip.

“It was great to go up there, take in the atmosphere, and it only made me more excited for when I get there,” he said.

With Martin playing against St. Anthony legendary coach Bob Hurley, the father of his future coach, he said he definitely made the connection.

“It did a little bit because all the Hurleys are good coaches especially with Coach (Bob) Hurley being one of the greatest coaches ever,” Martin said. “I got an early taste I guess.”

Hurley’s Friars held Martin to just three points on the night, as Temple-bound Josh Brown and Oregon State-bound Hallice Cooke led New Jersey’s top team to a 30-point win.

Despite the loss, Martin believes his squad will be fine come the postseason.

“I think we’ve been playing well so far and as long as we stay focused we should be fine,” he said.

Follow Alex Schiffer on Twitter

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

How depleted are they?

So depleted that the most interesting game between the two teams might be a hypothetical three-on-three contest between each team’s best unavailable players.

Consider that Rhode Island (2-6) has transfers Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers), Jarelle Reischel (Rice) and DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech) sitting out this year per transfer rules.

Providence (6-2), meantime, has All Big-East preseason pick Vincent Council (hamstring), Ricky Ledo (partial qualifier), Kris Dunn (shoulder injury) and Sidiki Johnson (transfer) sitting for various reasons. The 6-10 Johnson, an Arizona transfer from Harlem, is set to debut Dec. 18 against Colgate.

“Obviously, I’m not concerned with the guys that are not playing,” Providence coach Ed Cooley told SNY.tv. “I think those guys have a chance to be good. I’m more focused in on the guys that are playing.”

The status of Providence junior guard Bryce Cotton, the team’s leading scorer at 22.1 points per game, is also unclear after he twisted his knee while landing after a 3-point shot in the first half of Saturday’s win over Mississippi State.

“The MRI was good, now he’s just really, really sore,” Cooley said. “He’ll be doubtful, he probably won’t play.”

Without Cotton, the Friars have just five scholarship players and one walk-on.

“Think about it, I got one sub right now,” Cooley said.

First-year Rhody coach Dan Hurley, who shares a mutual respect with the Providence coach, has it good compared to Cooley. He has nine scholarship players on his roster, eight of whom are in the rotation.

Yet the bulk of the scoring is done by four guys — Xavier Munford (18.9 ppg), Nikola Malesevic (12.7 ppg), Andre Malone (10.4 ppg) and Mike Powell (8.1 ppg).

“People could make jokes about our rosters for this year’s game but it’s going to be a national game shortly,” Hurley said of the Providence rivalry. “And on Thursday night there will be two teams that play as hard as anyone in the country.”

It’s hard not to look ahead to the potential for both teams next year, and Cooley agreed that things should be different when the mentioned guys above all get healthy and/or eligible.

“I think both teams take a dramatic step in a different direction as far as just the amount of players we have on the court,” Cooley said, “let alone the talent level.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

UNCASVILLE, Conn.

“It felt good but I wish they were cheering because we won,” said Rhody sophomore guard Mike Powell, who finished with 10 points, including back-to-back second-half 3-pointers in a game that was taut until the final minutes.

The Rams are now 0-3 entering Sunday’s consolation game against Seton Hall in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament and you can bet that doesn’t sit well with first-year coach Dan Hurley, a Seton Hall alumnus who comes from a family that is synonymous with winning and whose Hall of Fame father, St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley, sat courtside.

“Ideal would be 3-0,” Dan Hurley said in his typical deadpan.

He added in a voice hoarse from yelling and suffering: “Obviously, right now we’re not a good team. We’re transitioning to become one.”

Hurley lost only five games all of last season at Wagner, before leaving to take the Rhody job. And in nine years before that at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, he went 223-21.

He will do his share of losing this year with a Rams team that has just nine scholarship players and was picked 15th in the 16-team Atlantic 10.

They got 37 combined points from guards Powell, Xavier Munford (16) and Andre Malone (11), but only four points and two rebounds from their starting frontcourt of Alwayne Bigby and freshman Jordan Hare, a 6-10 freshman with a big upside.

But his team fought like they had a real shot to beat the Buckeyes, a team coming off a Final Four appearance, because they did.

If it weren’t for DeShaun Thomas’s game-best 25 points, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, Rhody might have pulled off the upset.

“It hurts to lose and we’re disappointed,” Hurley said.

But in a lighter moment, he added: “It was exciting to play with a lot of spirit and a lot of fight against a top 5 national-caliber team that has a great chance to play in the Final Four.”

Still, Rhody figures to make a dramatic jump next year when they add transfers Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers), Jarelle Reischel (Rice) and DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech), and recruits Hassan Martin, a 6-7 forward out of Curtis High School on Staten Island, and E.C. Matthews, a 6-4 point guard from Michigan.

“We’re gonna have a lot more depth on our team, better competitors, have a lot more talent, so we should be able to make a good push next year,” said Munford, a junior guard who played for Hurley at St. Benedict’s.

Still, this was a learning experience for Hurley’s young club, playing the No. 4 team in the country to a virtual deadlock until the final minutes.

“Obviously, with [Hurley's] background on this side of the coast he’s going to get great players up there and I think he’s got the right approach with what he’s doing,” Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.

“With the way they played tonight he may get there a little quicker than he thought he would.”

Photo: Rhody Athletics

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

Ifeanyi Onyekaba,

Led by head coach Dan Hurley, Rhode Island is filing a waiver with the NCAA to see if he can become eligible this year.

“The kid is highly intelligent and has been a high-achiever academically both in Africa and in the two schools in Virginia,” Hurley told SNY.tv.

“We’re thrilled to have him as a member of the program moving forward. He brings a real physical defensive rebounding presence. Moving forward in the program he’s got a great chance to have a real prominent role because of how effective he is around the basket.”

Onyekaba, who averaged 20.6 points, 15.6 rebounds and 3.7 rebounds last year at Virginia Episcopal School, chose Rhode Island over Utah, Minnesota and Murray State.

Rhode Island, which was down to eight scholarship players at one point, has also added 6-5 Canadian guard Alwayne Bigby.

Hurley’s club also has three transfers sitting out this season who will be eligible next year – Gilvydas Biruta, DeShon “Biggie” Minnis and Jarelle Reischel.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

BROOKLYN — Dan Hurley

Two years ago, he took over a 5-win Wagner outfit and got them to 25 wins last season.

Before that, Hurley spent nine seasons as head coach at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, turning a local program into a perennial national powerhouse.

Now comes Rhode Island’s turn.

Hurley says he has a two-year plan to get the Rams back on the right track after last year’s 7-24 finish got Jim Baron fired.

“We believe in the three seniors that we have returning,” Hurley said Thursday at Atlantic 10 media day in reference to guard Andre Malone and forwards Ryan Brooks and Nikola Malesevic. ”We’re going to give them every opportunity to over-achieve and be better than what people are predicting for us.”

What the A-10 coaches predicted for the Rams is a 15th-place finish in the 16-team league. The top 12 teams make the postseason tournament at the Barclays Center.

But in Year 2, Hurley will have three transfers eligible in Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers), DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech) and Jarelle Reischel (Rice).

Rhody also landed elite point guard E.C. Matthews of Michigan and New York forward Hassan Martin for 2013.

In Year 2, Hurley can look forward to pairing 6-10 Jordan Hare, now a freshman, and the 6-8 Biruta in the frontcourt, which could cause problems for opponents in the A-10.

“Moving forward I think we looked at the late signing period with the opportunity to add three transfers that we believe can range anywhere from having a great impact to All-Conference caliber guys in Gil Biruta, Jarelle Reischel and Biggie Minnis, as well as bringing in a Jordan Hare, who plays a premium position [power forward] and is an [A-10] All-Rookie pick,” Hurley said. “And Xavier Munford, who’s one of the best shooting guards in the country in junior college. And [forward] Mike Aaman, who was a two-time first-team All-State kid from New Jersey.

“We think we’ve got a great future there and we’re happy about where we’re at with the 2013 class. So we believe we can make a big jump in Year 2 but we’re not throwing away Year 1 because our guys are going to work to play with a chip on their shoulder every day.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

Hassan Martin , a 6-foot-7, 196-pound power forward from Curtis High School on Staten Island, verbally pledged to the Rams Sunday, one day after Michigan point guard E.C. Matthews pledged to the school.

Martin picked Rhody over Providence, St. Joe’s and Iowa State.

“They made me feel comfortable and I bonded with the team,” Martin told SNY.tv. Sunday after a weekend visit that also included Christ the King shooting guard Jon Severe. “It was fun. I like the campus a lot and they show me a lot of love.”

Martin played just five high school games last season before dislocating tendons in his left middle finger.

“That was the worst point in my life,” Martin said.

But then he raised his recruiting stock tremendously by playing this summer with New Heights, where he was seen by many Division 1 coaches.

“That helped my recruitment a lot,” Martin said. “If I wouldn’t have played,  I wouldn’t have gotten [any offers]. Playing with them helped me a lot.”

“His rise has been pretty ridiculous. I think he’s a kid who has a chance to become a pro,” New Heights coach Chris Alesi told SNY.tv. “He’s a little under-rated but he represents everything that’s right with AAU basketball. He was on his way last year to really becoming a major Division 1 recruit as a high school player [before the injury].”

Alesi said Martin is currently a power forward who can step out a little bit, but is on his way to becoming a three down the road.

“He’s a four but down the road he could become a three,” Alesi said.

Said Martin:  ”Coach Hurley said I’ll be the perfect spot for the three. My length and athleticism will really help them.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Matthews out of Romulus (Mich.) High also had offers from Minnesota, Iowa, Marquettte, Providence, Missouri, UConn, Xavier and Dayton, his coach, Nate Oates, told SNY.tv.

“I was real comfortable with the coaching staff and the Hurley Brothers,” Matthews told SNY.tv. “What stood out the most was that they wanted me as a point guard only. They’re telling me that they see something in me as a point guard only, and academic-wise it stood out for me, too.”

“First off, Preston Murphy had been recruiting him for a long time,” Oates added. “He wouldn’t have gone there with the last staff. But Danny [Hurley] has done an unbelievable job.

“E.C.’s big into player development. Danny’s big on player development. They feel they can make E.C. into a big time point guard and at the end of the day that’s what made the decision, his comfort level with the staff and the fact that they were recrutiing him as a straight point guard.”

The Rivals No. 25 point guard in the Class of 2013, Matthews said he could’ve chosen a bigger-time school but felt he made the right decision.

“I’m a big addition to it but at the end of the day it’s a team game,” he said. “I know I’ll bring a lot of energy and a new style of play.

“Coach Hurley believes in me to lead the program to new heights so I’m looking forward to the opportunity because I know a lot of players would commit to a bigger school because it sounds good or it looks good on paper but I committed to Rhode Island for the right reasons.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

The 6-foot-2 Severe is ranked the No. 43 shooting guard in the Class of 2013 by Rivals. He has already visited George Washington officially and will trip to Rutgers for its Midnight Madness Oct. 12.

Severe said he holds offers from Cincinnati, Seton Hall, Rutgers, George Washington, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, Dayton and South Carolina.

“He works really hard on his game,” Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello told SNY.tv. “Any school who gets him will have a tough, hard-working player who will only get better.”

Martin is a 6-7, 190-pound power forward from Curtis on Staten Island who visited Rhode Island unofficially in June.

“I think he’s down to Rhode Island, Providence and St. Joe’s,” said Chris Alesi, Martin’s AAU coach with New Heights.

Alesi said “he’s going to be a kid that has a chance to be a high-impact player depending on where he goes. He’s got the potential to be a wing down the road. He’s skinny but real, real athletic. He’s a real big-time athlete.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook