• SOUTH BEND, IN - DECEMBER 09: Head coach Jamion Christian of the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion on December 9, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 521949767 Photo: Michael Hickey, Getty / 2014 Getty Images
Photo: Michael Hickey, Getty
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SOUTH BEND, IN - DECEMBER 09: Head coach Jamion Christian of the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion on December 9, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 521949767 less
SOUTH BEND, IN - DECEMBER 09: Head coach Jamion Christian of the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion on December 9, 2014 in South ... more
Photo: Michael Hickey, Getty
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EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 29: Head coach Jamion Christian of the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers look on during the second half while playing the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events Center on November 29, 2013 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 98-65. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 185392817 less
EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 29: Head coach Jamion Christian of the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers look on during the second half while playing the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events ... more
Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty
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UAlbany head coach Will Brown talks with reporters after 69-60 loss to the Stony Brook Seawolves during the first half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game in the America East Conference tournament, Saturday, March 3, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
UAlbany head coach Will Brown talks with reporters after 69-60 loss to the Stony Brook Seawolves during the first half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game in the America East Conference tournament, ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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LOUISVILLE, KY - JANUARY 11: Rick Pitino the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals gives instructions to his team during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at KFC YUM! Center on January 11, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 671040029 less
LOUISVILLE, KY - JANUARY 11: Rick Pitino the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals gives instructions to his team during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at KFC YUM! Center on January 11, 2017 in ... more
Photo: Andy Lyons
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PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 17: Assistant coach Gerry McNamara of the Syracuse Orange reacts against the Kansas State Wildcats during the third round of the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Consol Energy Center on March 17, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) (Getty Images) less
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 17: Assistant coach Gerry McNamara of the Syracuse Orange reacts against the Kansas State Wildcats during the third round of the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Consol Energy ... more
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A Siena men's basketball player reached by phone on Thursday afternoon was asked if he'd heard the report Mount St. Mary's Jamion Christian was going to be the Saints' next head coach.

"Just found out like 30 seconds ago,'' the player responded. From whom? "Actually, a lunch lady at school."

It seemed like everyone was talking about a NewsChannel 13 bulletin that Christian, who has led Mount St. Mary's the past six seasons, was being hired by Siena and would be introduced at a news conference as soon as Friday.

However, Siena immediately responded with an athletic department spokesman saying the job hadn't been offered to anyone. A source confirmed Siena hadn't hired Christian.

In addition, another source familiar with the search process insisted Siena hadn't decided on a coach and that it wouldn't necessarily be Christian, though he's still a candidate.

Christian has a record of 101-95 at Mount St. Mary's, a Northeast Conference school that has made NCAA Tournaments in 2014 and 2017 under his watch.

Christian, 36, is known for his "Mount Mayhem" system that combines defensive pressure with prolific 3-point shooting. He is signed at Mount St. Mary's through the 2026-27 season.

The confusion seemed almost fitting during a wild month that saw Jimmy Patsos resign under pressure April 13 as a result of a college investigation into alleged misconduct.

Since then, Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino all but expressed interest in the job and Will Brown of crosstown rival University at Albany was linked to the opening. He sidestepped those rumors earlier this week, saying he hadn't been contacted.

Patrick Beilein, the Le Moyne coach rumored to be the favorite immediately after Jimmy Patsos stepped down, appeared to rule himself out as a candidate.

"Heard (Siena is) after some d1 (coaches) .. which makes sense,'' Beilein texted, indicating the Saints preferred someone with Division I head coaching experience. Le Moyne plays at the Division II level, but the Dolphins beat Siena in an exhibition game this season.

Syracuse assistant coach and former Orange player Gerry McNamara has been reported as a candidate, along with Iowa assistant Andrew Francis, who served on Fran McCaffery's Siena staff for three straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles from 2008-10.

The Saints haven't won a championship since then and went 8-24 this year, which helped hasten Patsos' departure.

Siena got a late start on its coaching search with the NCAA's live recruiting and signing periods already underway.

Also, promising freshmen Prince Oduro and Roman Penn have received releases to transfer from the college. Both have left open the option of returning to Siena.

msingelais@timesunion.com ■ 518-454-5509 ■ @MarkSingelais