Gregg Marshall gets pay bump, stays at Wichita State after brief Alabama courtship

After flirting for several days, Gregg Marshall notified Alabama on Wednesday night that he was going to remain the basketball coach at Wichita State.

Crimson Tide athletic director Bill Battle issued a statement acknowledging that the school's search is reopened.

“I received word tonight that Coach Gregg Marshall has chosen to remain the head basketball coach at Wichita State," Battle said in the statement. "I fully respect his decision and wish him and his family all the best. My objective in this search is focused on one goal: to get the best person available to lead the Alabama men's basketball program. I remain determined to bring to our program a proven head coach with impressive credentials, one who understands and values our program, wants to lead our program, and is excited about what can be accomplished at the University of Alabama."

Marshall's contract has been enhanced for the third straight year, this time from $1.75 million to in excess of $3 million per year. Sources told Yahoo Sports that Alabama's expected offer was nearly $4 million per year.

Battle flew to Wichita, Kan., on Monday and met with Marshall. Since then the situation had gotten quiet, as Wichita State went to work fundraising to enhance the compensation for Marshall. Three sources told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday that a family trip to Alabama had been tentatively planned for Friday, but those plans obviously never came to fruition with the announcement that Marshall was staying with the Shockers.

Minnesota coach Richard Pitino could be a fallback candidate at Alabama. There has been contact between the two camps, sources said, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported the Crimson Tide had expressed interest in Pitino earlier this week.

If Pitino were to go to Alabama, he might not be able to take his full staff with him. Assistant coach Dan McHale is a candidate for the vacant Eastern Kentucky head-coaching job, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Other candidates could be considered at Alabama as well.