Raveling Tells Maryland He’s Staying Put

USC basketball Coach George Raveling announced that he has withdrawn from consideration for the vacant head coaching job at the University of Maryland.

After being interviewed at Maryland on Thursday, Raveling met with two personal advisers Saturday night. After deciding to remain at USC, he informed Maryland Athletic Director Lew Perkins of his decision and issued a statement to the media on Sunday.

“After careful consideration I have concluded that it’s in my best interest to fulfill the remaining years of my contract at USC,” Raveling’s statement read. “The principal reason I have elected to continue at USC is because of the young men that are already in the program and those that have signed letters of intent. I gave the students we signed my word that I would be at USC to coach them and it is important that I keep that commitment.”

Raveling said he was leaning toward leaving USC, which has finished last in the Pacific 10 for three consecutive seasons. However, he feared it would appear that he had deserted a sinking ship.

“After I started thinking about it I felt it would really hurt me from a professional standpoint because it would give the impression that I ran for the first good offer I had,” Raveling said.

Raveling, who has two years remaining on a five-year contract at USC, said he felt he would have gotten the Maryland job if he hadn’t withdrawn.

“Lew Perkins did everything he could to try to keep me from dropping out,” Raveling said, “but I just felt I had a moral obligation to those kids and I felt it would give the impression that I was running scared.”