Armed with a contract extension that runs through 2015, Travis Ford said his eyes aren't wandering and his heart is at the Mullins Center.

"I think the program is headed in an exciting direction," the University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach said. "I want to be part of it."

After two years, a 37-24 record and last season's NIT berth, Ford is seen as a coaching star on the way up. At 37, and a Kentucky native with no prior local ties to this region, he seems like a prime candidate to move up - and out - someday.

Some analysts say Ford may be a couple of years away, and will need to bring UMass to the NCAA tournament before any big offers come his way. Ford, though, said he not only didn't seek the major-college jobs that became open, he rebuffed a few schools that showed interest in him.

"There wasn't one job I pursued, and I told the schools who called that I wasn't interested," he said. "And some were big-leaguers."

Ford's extension, agreed upon in principle this week, comes as UMass faces the challenge of following up this season's 24-9 record. To do it, UMass will be without graduating star forwards Stephane Lasme and Rashaun Freeman, as well as 3-point shooter James Life.

"We'll have big holes to fill, and you can't hide that," he said. "I think next year's team has incredible possibilities, though."

Even if Ford's immediate future is settled, next year's roster is not. UMass has seven returning scholarship players, and Ford said he expects all of them back.

The Minutemen have signed six incoming freshman. Even though that brings them to the NCAA scholarship limit of 13, they are also believed to be close to signing two more players, 6-foot-1 combination guard Gary Correia of Northfield Mount Hermon School and 6-8 forward Trey Lang of Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga.

Correia averaged 14 points and seven assists per game for Northfield Mount Hermon. He hit 46.2 percent of his 3-pointers, and might help a UMass perimeter attack that must replace Life.

Lang, the son of former NBA veteran Andrew Lang, had 67 blocked shots last year. He would help offset the loss of Lasme, the school's all-time shot-blocking leader.

The spring signing period began yesterday. Assuming all seven returning players come back, signing either Correia or Lang - or both - would require changes in plans by one or two of the six freshmen who have already signed.

Guard Marcus Matthews of Brooklyn, N.Y., has shown some interest in attending prep school for a year. Forward Travon Wilcher of Springfield has not yet established his freshman academic eligibility, so spots could become open.

Because of NCAA rules, Ford is not allowed to comment on unsigned recruits. He declined to say which signed recruits might not be on the roster.

"We're working through those things now," he said. "It will sort itself out."

The glut of potential scholarship players does not include 6-8 Tony Gaffney, a Boston University transfer who sat out last season at UMass, and 6-4 incoming guard Sedale Jones of Pittsfield.

Both will be eligible to play next season, but will not be on scholarship.

Source: [url=http://www.masslive.com/sports/republican/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1176340504225930.xml&coll=1]The Republican[/url]