PORTLAND, Ore. — Columnists in Portland and Eugene speculated this past week about whether the Oregon basketball job will come open, and if Gonzaga coach Mark Few might be a replacement for Ernie Kent if it does.

Questions have surrounded Kent since the Ducks finished their season 8-22 and last in the Pac-10. Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny has been quoted as saying he met briefly with Kent early last week but not for substantive talks.

"I need to talk with Ernie more," Kilkenny told the Oregonian. "And I need to hear more things from him, too."

Columnist John Canzano has long speculated that Few might replace Kent, partly because Kilkenny was a Gonzaga booster in the past and knows Few well. The Ducks are also building a new arena set to open in the 2010-11 season.

Few is an Oregon graduate, and his parents live in nearby Creswell.

"Few has a sweetheart gig at Gonzaga," Canzano wrote. "He has support and a nice facility and the expectations fall within his grasp. He's turned down more money and bigger places (including Indiana) without breaking stride. So it seems that he'd be out of the Ducks' — or anyone else's — grasp.

"All except for one factor: Kilkenny. The guy is so convincing, he could sell a bald man a comb."

There would be complicating factors at Oregon, however. Kilkenny, who took the job on a semi-interim basis, is handing it over to ex-Ducks football coach Mike Bellotti starting July 1.

In an odd juxtaposition, Kilkenny, as an official of the sub-regional's host school, had a courtside seat for both Gonzaga games, just a few feet from Few's station at the end of bench.