Per ESPN's Jason King:

Texas Tech has contacted former Minnesota coach Tubby Smith about its vacant head coaching position, multiple sources told ESPN.com on Thursday.

One source said Smith was expected to meet with Red Raiders officials about the job as early as Thursday. Smith, who won an NCAA title at Kentucky in 1998, was fired by Minnesota on Monday after six years at the school. The Golden Gophers went 21-13 this season, losing to Florida in the third round of the NCAA tournament.

Efforts to reach Smith on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, on the Gophers' search front, today has been eerily quiet -- that is, until some steam about Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg picked up recently. Stay tuned ...