Report: Frank Martin among UConn coaching targets

South Carolina basketball coach Frank Martin is among those being considered for the vacancy at UConn, the New Haven Register reported Thursday afternoon.

UConn fired Kevin Ollie on Saturday.

Citing multiple sources, the report says Martin and UConn have been in contact.

Martin told the Charleston Post and Courier that the Register story is inaccurate. A State source close to Martin also confirmed the Register story to be untrue.

Adam Zagoria's blog reported that Martin was not likely to be among the finalists for UConn's job.

The Register story said Martin is "somewhat dismayed that South Carolina hasn’t made more of an investment into the basketball program after last year’s surprise run to the Final Four."

The Gamecocks finished the 2017-18 season 17-16 and missed out on any postseason tournament.

Martin's contract, which was extended last year, runs through 2022-23. His buyout, according to USA Today, is $15.5 million.

Martin voiced frustration in December following a South Carolina win over UMass that came in front of an announced crowd of 10,382.

"There must have been some kind of a golf tournament or an evaluation of seventh-round offensive linemen or something in town because obviously our fans decided that showing up here today wasn’t that important,” Martin said.

A game later, 10,205 was the announced crowd for a win over Wyoming.

“It would be nice if our marketing department helped us to get people in seats,” Martin said at the time. “It’s a little disappointing to continue to play, after the two winningest years in the history of the school, in a building with [4,000] to 5,000 people. It’s embarrassing.”

Martin later clarified his remarks, sending his wishes that more paid season ticket holders would come to games.

USC is only losing two seniors from this season's team and could add both Brian Bowen and Rakym Felder for 2018-19. Bowen, a former McDonald's All-American, transferred from Louisville. He is a centerpiece to the FBI's probe into college basketball and must be reinstated by the NCAA to play in games.

Martin in January defended the Bowen move, citing his trust in Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner and president Harris Pastides. The coach has a history of praising both Tanner and Pastides.

This story was originally published March 15, 2018 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Report: Frank Martin among UConn coaching targets."