Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl said he never considered leaving the Vols after being formally contacted by the University of Iowa on Tuesday morning.

"Tennessee never had to worry; I'm not interested in coaching anywhere else,'' said Pearl, who spoke at 10 a.m. via telephone with Hawkeyes' athletic director Gary Barta about Iowa's vacant head coaching position.

"Me leaving has never been an issue,'' Pearl said. "It wasn't an issue last year, it wasn't an issue this year and it won't be next year.''

UT athletic director Mike Hamilton said he felt confident that was the case at approximately 6 p.m. Monday when he granted Barta permission to talk with Pearl.

"I'm confident in our program, and I feel like I have a good relationship with Bruce,'' said Hamilton, who fired Buzz Peterson two years ago and replaced him with Pearl. "I think there's a sense of confirmation that Bruce is happy and feels he can achieve his career goals here.

"There will be other times at UT when people are interested in him because he's going to be successful. This was one of those times, and he has re-confirmed he's intent on staying the course.''

Pearl said he spoke with Barta "out of respect for the Iowa program.''

Pearl led the Vols to a 24-11 record this season en route to Tennessee's first appearance in the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 since the 1999-2000 season.

UT went 22-8 and won the SEC East in Pearl's first year in Knoxville, sweeping eventual-national champion Florida during the regular season before bowing out in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Iowa's interest in Pearl was a no-brainer; Pearl coached there as an assistant to Dr. Tom Davis 1986-92, and all of UT's assistant coaches have ties to the Hawkeye State.

Iowa newspapers indicated Pearl was at the top of Iowa's wish list as the school attempts to resuscitate its program after Steve Alford left to take the head-coaching job at New Mexico at the conclusion of a 17-14 season with the Hawkeyes.

Alford told the Des Moines Register that Iowa's basketball commitment was not in line with the school's football program. Alford said he asked for a basketball strength coach, practice facility and weight room, "but when that never happens and $100 million is being put into football complexes, recruits can see that.''

Barta has said Iowa will be competitive in salary with other Big Ten schools. Minnesota recently hired former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith for $1.75 million.

Pearl made $1.1 million this season as part of a six-year contract that averages $1.3 million annually and peaks at $1.5 million in its final year, 2012.

Hamilton said he will extend Pearl's contract at least another year, and though the contract is structured in such a way that negotiations are not necessary, Hamilton left open the possibility that UT will sweeten the deal.

Pending head coach vacancies at Kentucky and Arkansas could have an effect on how much Pearl ultimately gets; it would seem likely that the salaries of their future head coaches would be considered before Pearl's contract is extended.

"We've always been aware of the landscape in salaries and benefits and adjusted to the marketplace, and that's not going to stop,'' Hamilton said. "We'll talk about his salary, and at the appropriate time we'll finish all that out.''

Pearl said that's not a concern for him at this time.

"I've got a contract, and it's a good contract,'' said Pearl, who earned a $72,000 bonus by leading the Vols into the NCAA tournament this season. "We need stability and continuity in this men's basketball program. It's something other top programs enjoy, and it's a reason for their success.''

Pearl said his Tuesday morning conversation with Barta was pleasant, but relatively short.

"Gary outlined what he saw as the future of that program,'' Pearl said. "I let him know we're real happy in Tennessee, so we never got far enough for him to offer me the job. Iowa is a great place, and maybe at a different time in my career ...

"But Tennessee gave me an opportunity, and I'm going to reward this program the best that I can.''

Pearl said in the days leading up to the Hawkeyes' contact that UT had shown its men's basketball program a commitment with the $30 million its sinking into a new practice facility and renovations to Thompson-Boling Arena.

"I'm just thrilled and very fortunate and blessed to be a coach here,'' Pearl said. "I'm at a time in my life where I've had to travel and move to get here. I've had to do a lot, and now that I'm here, I don't need to be going anywhere else.''

Pearl will, however, be going to Atlanta this weekend to serve as a guest analyst for CBS at the Final Four.

"Our fans have nothing to worry about,'' Pearl said. "It's great to be a Tennessee Vol.''