Pitt assistant coach Mike Rice interviewed yesterday with Robert Morris officials as the school seeks to find a successor for former men's basketball coach Mark Schmidt, who left for St. Bonaventure.

Rice was the first of four candidates scheduled to be interviewed.

Two of the other three, as well as Rice, have Pittsburgh ties.

Matt Driscoll, a graduate of Northgate High School, is believed to have an interview scheduled next week. Driscoll, who was the head coach at La Roche College from 1993-97, currently is an assistant coach at Baylor.

Scott Rigot, a graduate of Bethel Park High School, is expected to interview at Robert Morris Monday. Rigot was an assistant at Kentucky before head coach Tubby Smith left to take the head coaching position at Minnesota about three weeks ago.

Kevin Clark, an assistant coach at Rhode Island, is expected to interview for the position today.

The new Robert Morris coach could be announced at a news conference late next week.

The new coach will inherit a team that finished 17-11 last season and returns four starters. The most pressing need for the new coach is recruiting a point guard. Former point guard Derek Coleman, who's a senior, is the only starter from last season's team who won't return.