IRVINE, Calif. — Russell Turner was on top of the world three years ago when he eased into a chair in front of a microphone. Sure, the men’s basketball team he was coaching, U.C. Irvine, had lost decisively to Oregon in the second round of the N.C.A.A. tournament. But the Anteaters had won a school-record 31 games that season, including their first tournament victory with an upset of Kansas State. There was also interest from Pac-12 and Mountain West Conference schools about hiring him.
And then Turner opened his mouth.
“Yeah, I’ll tell you,” Turner said with a laugh when he was asked about his conversation with the standout Oregon freshman Louis King in the postgame handshake line.