The TCU men’s basketball team may have a new head coach as early as April 7, according to the assistant director of athletics media relations.

Assistant director Joe Monaco said the team hopes to have a new coach hired in time for the NCAA Tournament National Championship game, which is on April 7.

“There’s no real rhyme or reason to the date, but it’s just the best-case scenario,” Monaco said.

He said a thorough search is currently underway, and it has no specific deadline.

A source with knowledge of the situation told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that TCU officials met with Buzz Peterson and Scott Sutton regarding the position Tuesday.

Monaco said he could neither confirm nor deny any potential candidates for the position.

Peterson is currently the director of player personnel for the Charlotte Bobcats, an NBA franchise. He has previous college head coaching experience with Coastal Carolina University, University of Tennessee, University of Tulsa and Appalachian State University.

Sutton is currently the head coach of the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles entered the NCAA Tournament this year as a 13 seed following a 24-9 season and Summit Conference championship.

Oral Roberts was defeated in the first round by four-seed University of Pittsburgh.

Neil Dougherty, who is not returning after six seasons as head coach, replaced Billy Tubbs after his resignation following his eighth season.

Dougherty was hired March 25, 2002, 19 days after the Horned Frog basketball season ended that year.

TCU athletics director Danny Morrison announced Dougherty would not be returning March 16, three days after the Horned Frogs’ season ended with a loss to UNLV in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.