LANGSTON, Okla. (AP) - New Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford will make about $9 million over seven years under a deal revealed Friday at a regents meeting.
The contract calls for Ford to make $1.3 million per year.
He replaces Sean Sutton, who resigned April 1 under pressure.
Sutton's original buyout package called for him to make $2.7 million over 10 years, but tax considerations have led officials to restructure the deal to give him $2.2 million, with him to receive full payment by the end of this year.
Ford, who took Massachusetts to the NIT the last two seasons, was introduced as Oklahoma State's new coach Thursday. Earlier this month, he turned down the PC job and received a new contract from UMass.
Bill Reynolds took questions from projo.com readers today about PC basketball. He was a late substitution for Kevin McNamara, who is in Boston today covering the Celtics (hence the questions addressed to Kevin). Here's a full transcript of the hour-long chat.
Bill Reynolds: hello everybody, i'm pinch-hitting for Kevin McNamara, who has disappeared somewhere, so here goes
gboy: KMac, what was the extent of Keno's playing career?
Bill Reynolds: Gboy, keno played through high school, then went to Iowa where his father was the coach and he became a glorified grad assistant and worked out with the team
ggrossi: since the PC team is senior laden, any ideas about what type of player Keno favors and if anyone he had targeted for Drake might end up at PC/ thanks
Bill Reynolds: ggrossi, i have no idea about what kind of players keno prefers, but I know that he likes pressure defense and his team this year took a lot of threes. But, as you said, it's a senior laden team and he needs players, a lot of them. that's the real work right now, as he is getting the job late and after next season this program is bereft of talent.
Fitzy: Any leads on where Brown is going with its search process?
Bill Reynolds: Fitzy, i have no idea on the brown job, for they haven't even gotten all the applications yet. Their time frame is to have a coach in about a month. stay tuned.
magmay77@verizon.net: Is the recruiting year over or is it still going on
Bill Reynolds: magmay77, the recruiting year is never over, especially now when the entire process has been speeded up, many of the top juniors having already committed. The point is that recruiting now is a 12-month process.
Big Hoops Fan: Kev - Do you find it humorous that Davis looks like Bruschi's brother? As a Pat's fan, I hope he brings the same amount of intensity to Friar's hoops as Bruschi did to the Pat's "D".
Bill Reynolds: Big Hoops Fan, I didn't see the connection to bruschi until you brought it up. but you're right. if he brings the same intensity things will be great
THL: Good afternoon Kevin. My question centers around the ultimate make up of Coach Davis' staff. Do you have any opinions that relate? Do you feel that Griffin and Kurbec will ultimately end up as part of that staff? If, I believe his name is Chad Davis, does not become the new HC at Drake, he will come to join the staff here and KD will need to hire another coach with northeast ties. If he does not come to PC, obviously 2 more coaches will need to be hired. I do have the opinion that both Griffen and Kurbec will be retained.
Bill Reynolds: THL, you're right. the makeup of davis's staff will depend on who gets the drake job. he said the other day that he is definitely looking for someone who has experience recruiting on the east coast, which only makes sense. what that means for either griffin or kurbec I have no idea, but history tells us that most coaches bring their own people in.
steve: 1. Will coach Davis bring in any recruits for next season?
Bill Reynolds: Steve, the friars have one kid already signed, and don't have room for any more in next year's class unless someone leaves. there's been talk of Dwain Williams doing that, but so far anyway, that's just talk. So I suspect that next year's team will look very much like last year's.
Fabulous Friar: Hi Kevin - how much was Keno involved in the recruitmen of players at Drake, and what is the 'word on the street' about his recruiting prowess?
Bill Reynolds: Fabulous Friar, the word is he was very involved.
Dan: Hi Bill, question. Do you think Providence got lucky considering the long drawn out search?
Bill Reynolds: Dan, I think davis is an excellent choice, a smart young coach on the way up, exactly the kind of coach I always thought they should have hired. And he's the coach of the year to boot. hey, you roll the dice with any new coach, but it seems to me that this was a real good get.
steve: 2.how much of a disadvantage is it in recruiting players on the east coast given the fact that most of your recruiting as an assistant and head coach have been rooted in the midwest and west?
Bill Reynolds: Steve, yes, it's a disadvantage. In a perfect world you would want guy with great eastern ties, but it's not a perfect world. It's the reason why davis will hire someone like that on his staff. But it's a national game in ways it never was before, so, ultimately, I don't think it's going to matter in the long run.
southie: any word on where TW and his staff may end up?
Bill Reynolds: Southie, I heard welsh could have had the toledo job and backed out, and that he is involved with the Florida Atlantic job.
THL: Jeff Goodman has Dwain Williams on his list of players who are transferring. I have heard that he has already received his release from PC.
Bill Reynolds: THL, that would not surprise me at all, as that rumor has been around since the end of the year and makes a lot of sense for Williams, especially since Curry is due back. It also would give the friars an extra scholarship to play with and that would be good, for they could really use another big body - maybe a juco? - who would be ready to help next year.
bfriar: Kevin: Do you anticipate that Coach Davis will be in attendance at this weekend's AAU "JamFest" at PC? Are you hearing any names for potential recruits, especially a true point guard?
Bill Reynolds: bfriar, davis said the other day that he has a commitment in Iowa, but that all games of the JamFest are on tape.
BrownFanatic: Kevin, any word on who Brown is targeting to replace Robinson? Any chance that Tim O'Shea might be in the mix?
Bill Reynolds: Brownfanatic, I have heard that Tim O'Shea might have an interest, but don't know that for sure. because of Robinson's success, the perception is that this is a better job than it was one two years ago.
Rock: Hi Kev, you expressed some belief that the Friar search for a coach was going to attract only such lowly candidates as the Tim O'Shea and Will Browns of the world. Does the naming of the national COY in Keno Davis give you thought that perhaps the program is not as bleakly seen as you may have forecasted? Thanks.
Bill Reynolds: rock, I'm not speaking for Kevin, but any time a school is paying roughly a million dollars a year for a coach it is going to get someone good, so I'm not sure I understand your phrase ``lowly'' candidates.
THL: Kevin, when do you think KD will begin recruiting for 2009...and, with DW probably gone, for that elusive backup PG we need so badly?
Bill Reynolds: THL, I think he will begin recruiting for 2009 immediately, given that his roster for next year is virtually set and that the entire recruiting process has been speeded up. and, you're right, they need a backup point guard.
bfriar: Aside from the Anaheim Classic, any word yet on other OOC opponents?
Bill Reynolds: bfriar, i haven't heard a thing about that.
THL: Kevin, do you believe that KG will encourage a transfer by a frontcourt player to open another spot? Your opinion on the JUCO question. Do you feel that there will be an easing by the administration so a JUCO big man could be recruited?
Bill Reynolds: THL, that's a good question about the school's opinion of juco players. I know that some of them don't always work out, but Eric Williams, Ruben Garces and Derek Brown certainly did.
THL: Bill, do you have an opinion on PC's current place in the Big East compared to the 80's and early 90's? In other words, do you feel that the BE is more difficult now than what it was during the years of Pitino and Barnes?
Bill Reynolds: THL, it is definitely more difficult, for the simple reason that there are more teams. Sports Illustrated just came out with a proposed top 25 for next year and they had eight Big East teams on it. That's the reality. For you can be a good team and still finish ninth or 10th in the league and not go to the NCAA Tournament and everyone thinks you've failed. That's the other reality.
pc guy: Who's the better coach in your opinion, TFord or Keno Davis?
Bill Reynolds: pc guy, good question, with no real answer. Not now anyway. Ford has more experience, certainly, davis had a great year last year and is the national coach of the year. But when all is said and done? I think PC got the best guy, because he obviously wants to be here more than Ford did.
jimmy626: Name your starting five for next year
Bill Reynolds: jimmy626, McDermott, Curry, Efejuku, Hanke, Xavier, with McKenzie and Kale off the bench.
jimmy626: Do you expect Chris Davis to be one of the assistants?
Bill Reynolds: Jimmy626, is that the Drake assistant coach's name? If he doesn't get the Drake job I expect to see him here.
pc guy: Looking back Bill, would you still have rather seen Robinson get the job over Davis, who the Friars ultimately ended up with?
Bill Reynolds: pc guy, that's impossible for me to really answer because I know Robinson, saw what he did at Brown, think he is a future star in coaching, and believe he would have been a great hire at PC. But everything I''ve heard tells me that Davis is an excellent hire, too.
Bill Reynolds: thanks for your interest. sorry about the typos, i flunked typing in high school.
Kevin McNamara had a late conflict come up -- it involves the basketball team that wears green and plays near North Station -- and so he had to back out on today's scheduled PC hoops chat. Fortunately, Bill Reynolds is in the house and ready to take your questions. He'll answer from noon to 1 p.m. today.
You can submit your questions now: Go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, choose a display name (you do not need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. Type in your question, but remember not to press enter or click send until you have finished your thought. Questions will display to the room as Bill answers them.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma State had no announcement planned Wednesday amid conflicting reports that Massachusetts' Travis Ford was expected to take the job as the Cowboys' basketball coach.
Spokesman Mike Noteware said Oklahoma State had no plans for a news conference despite a report from ESPN that had unnamed sources indicating that Ford intended to meet with his players at UMass in the afternoon regarding the position in Stillwater.
"Right now, he's still here, still our coach at UMass," Massachusetts assistant athletic director Jason Yellin said.
Ford, 38, turned down a job offer from Big East school Providence and had also previously been linked to an opening at LSU that was eventually filled by Trent Johnson, who left Stanford. UMass athletic director John McCutcheon announced last week that Ford intended to stay with the Minutemen, but did not discuss terms of the coach's new contract.
A former player at Kentucky, Ford led UMass to a 25-11 record this season and an appearance in the NIT championship game, where it lost to Ohio State. He is 62-35 in three seasons at Massachusetts.
Ford previously took over a losing program at Eastern Kentucky and guided it to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 26 years.
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder told The Oklahoman there was no deal in place for Ford to coach the Cowboys. Holder has been looking for a replacement for Sean Sutton, who resigned under pressure on April 1.
Kansas coach Bill Self turned down the Cowboys last week, instead signing an extension to remain with the national champion Jayhawks.
Kevin McNamara will take your questions about new PC Friars coach Keno Davis in a live chat from noon to 1 p.m. Friday. You can submit your questions now: Go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, choose a display name (you do not need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. Type in your question, but remember not to press enter or click send until you have finished your thought. Questions will display to the room as Kevin answers them on Friday.
We've been asking projo.com readers all day whether Keno Davis is a good choice to lead the PC Friars. We've had 300 votes as of 2:30, and by a 5-1 margin, the public is saying that this is a good move. Here is a sampling of reader comments:
"GREAT BLOODLINES, NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR. JIM WHO?"
"Davis is a better choice than either Larranaga or Travis Ford. I trust that he'll build a program and stay around long enough to sustain that program."
"Mass, guy... local to the area... Travis Ford would have left quickly and Larranaga coaches in a real weak conference and was too old."
"ONE year coaching? Sure he got to the NCAAs, but blew the game, once they played. No track record. It's like hiring an assistant coach."
"I'm not sure really. He has only 1 year of coaching experience and has been a mid-western based coach. I hope he has recuiting contacts on the East Coast. I kind of liked [Karl] Hobbs who is based in DC and from NE."
"When he finds out how hard (or should I say impossible) it is to win here then he will leave like the others."
"PC is set to hire " a young, second-generation coach with limited head-coaching experience, but a winning record during his tenure at a mid-major"....is it 1998 and is his name Tim Welsh?"
"AP coach of the year, not 10 years ago but this year, took his team to the NCAAs for the first time since the 70's in his first year as coach. Are you kidding me? PC is lucky to have Keno. Great job Bob! Send me my season ticket renewal package I'm ready to sign up."
"I'm happy, 2008 coach of the year, gives choice some credibility. Are they overpaying him, yes. Will I answer my phone when the PC students soliciting money call again, Not unless he wins."
Providence College has just confirmed that it will hire Drake coach Keno Davis has its next basketball coach.
Davis will be introduced at a news conference at 5 p.m. today at PC's Alumni Hall. Fans and friends of the program are encouraged to attend the new coach's introduction.
Davis, 36, won the Associated Press' National Coach of the Year award at the Final Four last week after leading Drake to a 28-5 record in his first season as head coach. Davis arrived in Providence on Monday and discussed particulars of the job into the night with athletic director Bob Driscoll. A contract was apparently agreed upon this morning.
Davis is the son of Dr. Tom Davis who was the head coach at Boston College from 1977-82. Keno was born in 1972 and raised as a BC fan before his dad left to take a job at Stanford and then moved on to Iowa and then Drake from 2003-07 where he was joined by his son, Keno.
The Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth in the 10-team Missouri Valley Conference but blossomed into the most surprising team in the nation on the way to a conference title with a 15-3 record. At one point, Drake won 21 games in a row.
Drake advanced to the NCAA's for the first time since 1971. The Bulldogs lost to Western Kentucky in the first round on a last-second 3-point shot in overtime.
Keno Davis was previously an assistant coach at Drake from 2003-2007, Southeast Missouri State 1997-2003, Southern Indiana 1995-1997, as well as an undergraduate assistant coach at Iowa from 1991-1995. He currently lives with his wife Krista, whom he married in 2005. They have a son, Brady, who was born in November 2007.
We're awaiting official word from Providence College but it appears that the Friars have found their next coach in Drake's Keno Davis. A press conference will happen this afternoon (5pm).
One media outlet, FoxSports.com, has reported that the contract with Davis is complete, citing unnamed sources. We're going to wait for official word, which should be coming soon.
Here are some online resources to get you up to speed on Davis:
Providence College's search for a new basketball coach has focused on Drake's Keno Davis. The 36-year old coach has emerged as the favorite to be the next Friar coach.
On Monday, the rumor mills focused on Karl Hobbs and Kevin Willard. However it is Davis who could be hired as the next PC coach, as early as tomorrow.
More in Tuesday's Journal.
On Monday night, Providence College is holding its annual end-of-season basketball banquet at the Biltmore Hotel. Will the program have a new head coach to unveil at the event?
That was the hot tip that interrupted the Masters this afternoon. PC athletic director Bob Driscoll has been working the phones the last few days in search of a new coach and it would not be a surprise if he’s settled on someone who will actually take the job this time around. The question, of course, is who?
After initially hearing rumblings about GW’s Karl Hobbs and Florida associate coach Larry Shyatt from high-level basketball people, we now know that Driscoll has been urged to think about Iona coach Kevin Willard by none other than Rick Pitino. Pitino is the same man who listened to an offer for himself to come back to Providence (not sure just how long that offer was considered by the King of Louisville) and then pushed PC to chase UMass coach Travis Ford. Ford turned PC down last Thursday in a major embarrassment for the Friar faithful.
Now it’s Willard. He just finished his first season at Iona where he went 12-20 and 8-10 in the MAAC. He inherited a 2-28 train wreck from Jeff Ruland and is considered a coach with potential but this would be a major risk for the Providence program. What would make it a little more palatable is if Kevin brings along his father, Ralph, the current Holy Cross head coach and use him in an associate head coach role. Something to think about.
Will Driscoll keep listening to Pitino, a conference rival whose job demands that he keep beating the Friars? He has not called Florida’s Shyatt but has done some background work on Hobbs, an interesting candidate. Hofstra’s Tom Pecora is another interesting name but as of yesterday his athletic director hadn’t heard of any interest from Providence.
No doubt shook by the public nature of his courtship of Ford, Driscoll seems to be playing his next move close to the vest. Wrapping it up Monday in time for a dinner expected to draw a few hundred fans wouldn’t be a bad idea at all.
PROVIDENCE -- There is no pending word on whether Travis Ford will accept an offer to become the next basketball coach at Providence College.
PC has no press conference scheduled, according to associate AD Arthur Parks. Athletic Director Bob Driscoll is in Providence and no doubt anxiously awaiting some kind of resolution to his courtship of Ford.
The UMass coach spent yesterday at PC but returned to Amherst last night and is on campus there today. There is no word coming from UMass, either.
"John McCutcheon, our athletic director, has a policy of not commenting on speculation regarding coaches," said UMass athletic spokesman Jason Yellin.
UMass is holding its end-of-season team banquet tonight on campus. Representatives of both schools privately say they hope this situation is resolved sometime later today. PC's banquet is scheduled for Monday night.
It's unclear if Ford is asking for more money from UMass. He already has a contract that runs through 2015, so security is not an issue. UMass' athletic department is far from flush with cash and the university system is dealing with major budgetary issues.
What could also be playing out is Ford wishes to tell his team and UMass officials that he is moving on. Doing so before (or at) a public banquet would prove difficult but Ford is scheduled to attend the event.
Providence College athletic director Bob Driscoll is traveling to San Antonio today. The city is the site of Saturday's Final Four and the national title game Monday night.
Once he checks into his room, Driscoll will be inundated with `Who are you going to hire?' questions from the hundreds of AD and coach-types who fill Final Four cities every year. Driscoll is expected to meet with the candidates he says are on his `short list' beginning Saturday.
One name that's appeared in The Journal since Tim Welsh was fired three weeks ago is that of Tim O'Shea, the former URI and Boston College assistant who is now the head coach at Ohio University. O'Shea is one of the coaches likely to sit with Driscoll over the next few days.
O'Shea has compiled an impressive resume at Ohio, a member of the Mid-American Conference which happens to be one of the most competitive leagues in the country. Over the last 18 seasons, only one school (Kent State, 2001-02) has repeated as conference tournament champion.
Ohio won that tourney in 2005 and put a major scare into Billy Donovan and Florida before losing, 67-62. The Bobcats finished 21-11 that season and that success has continued with O'Shea's teams winning 19, 19 and 20 games the last three years. In his seven years as coach, Ohio has beaten North Carolina, DePaul, Virginia, Cincinnati, Rhode Island (twice), St. Joseph's, Maryland and St. John's.
Ohio finished 20-13 this season, including the win at Maryland and over SJU in Hawaii. Interestingly, the Bobcats thumped Jim Larranaga's George Mason team, 69-57, in February when it erupted for 50 second half points. Larranaga is the coach who turned down an offer to come to PC on Wednesday.
Neither Driscoll or O'Shea will comment publicly about a potential meeting. That means we can't report it. But it seems likely the two will talk. Who else will get Driscoll's ear. Brown's Craig Robinson seems likely. So does UMass' Travis Ford but the Kentucky native is reported to be waiting to see if he can get involved at LSU.
Not a shock. Jim Larranaga has reached agreement on a 3-year extension to his contract at George Mason.
Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Tom O'Connor announced today that Larranaga has signed a three-year extension at George Mason. Larranaga is now signed through the 2014-15 season.
"Jim (Larranaga) is a terrific ambassador for George Mason University,"
O'Connor said. "Obviously with the 2006 run to the Final Four, our basketball program and the University have garnered a lot of national attention. On top of that he is a tremendous basketball coach, he's our coach and I'm proud to say that he will continue to be our coach for the next seven years."
"I've made it clear over the years that my family and I have loved it here at George Mason," Larranaga said. "I feel very fortunate to work under the great leadership of President Merten and Tom O'Connor. I feel very connected to both the George Mason and the greater Fairfax County communities. We have enjoyed their great support and it continues to grow. I've said before that I hope to retire here at George Mason and this contract extension allows me to do just that."
PC athletic director Bob Driscoll just issued a press release. Here's what it says:
"Over the last several days it became public knowledge that we were in discussions with George mason head coach Jim Larranaga about becoming our men's basketball coach. We offered him a very substantial package but he was too comfortable in his current situation and opted to stay at George mason. As a result, I will continue to have ongoing discussions with the other finalists in this search. I remain very optimistic that we will find a head coach who will embrace the rich tradition of Friar basketball and move the program forward."
Who's next for the Friars? Certainly not clear at this point but they're likely to look at Davidson's Bob McKillop (who won't be interested), Brown's Craig Robinson, UMass' Travis Ford, Arizona's Kevin O'Neill and Ohio U's Tim O'Shea. But this race is now wide open.
Jim Larranaga has decided to remain as coach at George Mason and not accept an offer to come to Providence College, according to PC associate athletic director Arthur Parks. A release from athletic director Bob Driscoll is due at any moment.
It appears that George Mason coach is understandably torn between staying in Virginia and leaving for the basketball coaching job at Providence College. We expect word one way or the other some time today.
What you're saying: Folks are generally upbeat on Larranaga
We've been asking readers today to tell us if Jim Larranaga would be a good choice for the PC Friars' head coaching vacancy. As I write this, there have been 103 votes, with 65 (or 63 percent) saying that Larranaga is a good choice.
Here's what one Larranaga supporter said: "Jim is a consummate professional, an outstanding recruiter, coach and teacher. He practices what he preaches and what he preaches leads to exemplary student athletes and successful basketball teams. He had success at Bowling Green, but his greatest success came at GMU because the University supported his vision and goals. With the same support from the PC administration, he will return Providence to the top of the Big East and the NCAAs."
The hits on Larranaga generally concern his age, and his lack of big-time head coaching experience. Here's one reader's quote: "Not a good choice at this time. Need someone who is younger with a great resume. Must be able to RECRUIT Big East caliber talent!!"
Interestingly, when we asked readers earlier this month if Brown's Craig Robinson would be a good choice for the job, about the same majority -- 62 percent -- said that Robinson would be a good fit.
We've been polling readers today about whether Brown coach Craig Robinson is the man PC should hire to fill its men's basketball vacancy. We've received 71 votes so far, with a majority of 42 (59 percent) saying that yes, Robinson is the right choice.
Here is the comment of one Robinson supporter: "To get stability and pride back to the program he is your man... Don't forget that he wins also."
The main knock on Robinson seems to be his short head coaching experience. Here's what one skeptic had to say: "He has only been a head coach for two years and let's face it, coaching basketball at Brown is a far cry from the Big East and coaching at Providence College or Georgetown University."
Kevin McNamara chatted with projo.com readers at noon today about college hoops. Here is the transcript of the chat.
Kevin McNamara: Hello hoop fans. We'll be here for about an hour answering your questions on the NCAA tournament, PC, URI and Brown hoops. We don't have many questions in our Q already so fire away and I'll give it my best shot for a return volley.
THL: I don't believe there are very many Friar fans who give a damn about the NCAA Tournament. All we want to know about is the status of Tim Welsh, and who is going to be the coach come next season. I writing this question on last Friday afternoon, so maybe you've got some answers by now to the questions that everybody wants answers to.
Kevin McNamara: Here's what we know about the PC job. Bob Driscoll is clearly focusing on a few coaches who are still working with their current teams. That makes this week a pretty slow one on the search process. He'll certainly do backround checks on some of his top choices. Who are the 3-4 guys he's focusing on? Too early to tell. At this point, he won't contact coaches until their teams are done playing so I wouldn't say anybody is a leader. Some coaches also won't get involved unless they are contacted by PC first. So who is going to be the next PC coach? I don't know and I know Bob Driscoll doesn't either at this point.
james donald: What about the Georgte Maswon Coach
Kevin McNamara: Is this Jimmy Donaldson? If so, come on in here and you do this chat.
b1: Kevin you do a great job. Jim O'Brien has been a popular name in the coaching rumor mill but he hasn't been mentioned so far in the press. Is he at all being considered to be replace Welsh?
Kevin McNamara: If i was doing this search, I'd think about Jim O'Brien and speak with him but it seems as if PC is scared away by his transgressions with the NCAA while at Ohio State.
Bobbyg: While a little early in the procedings, the obvious question is who might be in the mix to replace Timmy W?
Kevin McNamara: These are the guys I'd be talking to, in no particular order: Phil Martelli, Bob McKillop, Jim Larranaga, Craig Robinson, Kevin O'Neill. Other guys who I wouldn't suspect would have an interest who I'd call on include Anthony Grant (VCU), Jeff Van Gundy (likely NBA return) and Sean Miller (Xavier). That's called shooting for the moon.
Red: Kevin: Does the URI administration have any idea how restless the natives are? Not just the few of us on the projo board, but others I talk to are frankly embarassed at the way things went down the dumper. We need change -- what will it take?
Kevin McNamara: You are wasting your breath. First of all, URI is more than happy with a 21-win season and return to NIT for first time in several years. Now the next step is geting to the NCAA's. I think the Rams are positioned to remain in that mix over the next few years. They've recruited well and have talent in every class in their program. Did things fall apart at the end of this season? Of course. But the big picture is a positive. Besdies, there is absolutely no way URI can get out of Jim Baron's contract even if it wanted to. He is owed 5 more years. Barring an unforeseen embarrassment, URI would have to privately raise big $$ for a buyout. That is not on anyone's radar screen, even if a small pocket of fans think it should be.
kurtsletten: Kevin, it seems to me that a coach with a solid recruiting background should be a high priority. Both Rick Barnes and Pete Gillen seemed to be able to pry away blue chippers away from the bigger schools (i.e. Michael Smith, God Shammgod) while Welsh always seemed to be searching for a a diamond in the rough (i.e. Gomes). Your thoughts?
Kevin McNamara: The perfect staff at Providence would include an innovative coach willing to try something different in X's and O's. He'd also be someone who loves recruiting and the challenge of trying to target top 100 players and getting them. More importantly, PC needs a coaching staff filled with recruiters and guys with connections. If someone can be hired and bring a top recruit along `a package deal' all the better. Finally, the staff needs to be good at individual workouts so the players in the program get better once they are here. That's asking a lot and I don't know if a staff with that makeup is even possible but that is my goal if I'm Bob Driscoll.
nelsonstmafia: kevin - 34 at large bids, 26 went to "bcs" schools, leaving just 8 to smaller conferences. what does it say about the a-10 and the level of competition that URI played against this season?
Kevin McNamara: The A-10 made great strides this season to get back into that upper echelon of leagues. Now it has to build on it. Three bids this season, 4 or 5 next year. Repeating its N-C success is clearly paramount because RPI's for all the schools slide once conference play begins..The A-10 will get its share of bids if it is the 7th or 8th conference, staying ahead of the Missouri Valley and Colonial, for example. If it slides back to 10th or 11th, it will struggle to get at-large bids.
kurtsletten: Kevin, any thoughts as to where Welsh ends up next?
Kevin McNamara: I keep hearing from other coaches and plugged=in media types that Tim Welsh could get hired by another school in the next few months. I believe that. The question is would Welsh want to coach at a school like Toledo, which just opened? Good league (MAC) but you have to live in Toledo. That's a question only Tim can answer.
jim: On name I haven't heard menioned is Tommy Amaker at Harvard who has Big East ties. Assuming that PC can't persuade a big name coach to come here, what about a top assistant coach. Maybe a guy like Chris Collins or even Richard Pitino.
Kevin McNamara: Tommy Amaker is not on the radar, and should not be. He's at Harvard for a reason. he didn;t get it done at Michigan. Michigan. PC will not hire an assistant coach. That is suicide in a conference where you coach against Pitino, Boeheim, Calhoun, Huggins, ect.
Bobbyg: I am hopeful that the returning PC team will entice a decent coach into realizing that they are not inheriting a broken program, but one that could (make that "should" with the right coaching) get into the NCAA next year. When I hear Larranaga and O'Brien I think their better days have come and gone. Of course, when you bring the hot young coach in you risk another Pitino or Barnes situation where they are exiting in 2 - 3 years after some quick success. It ain't easy being a small school in a big league. Driscoll has his work cut out for him. But I have faith in Driscol and more in Fr. Shanley.
Kevin McNamara: Right now I think PC would be thrilled with a 3-5 year run by a coach that is good enough to send him on to greener pastures. Winning is what it's all about. if that wasn't the case, Tim Welsh would still be the coach. As for your take that PC should be in the NCAA's nexty season, I doubt they will be selected pre-season in the Big East's top 7.
rhody85: How about Travis Ford, or is he to smart to think he could win on a consistent basis at PC, I do think you can win at PC, just not consistently.
Kevin McNamara: Travis Ford belongs in the South, not in Rhode island. I think he needs to get UMass into the NCAA's before he moves on. He's doing a fine job in Amherst right now.
Eileen: What about Tim O'Shea?
Kevin McNamara: Good coach who's won a lot of games in a difficult league. Someone who is on the radar, for sure.
rhody85: How good is Ben Eaves supposed to be?
Kevin McNamara: I haven't seen Ben play in a while but reports from URI's coaching staff were that he will help right away next season. He needs to shoot the ball well from outside to play a lot of minutes. He'll compete with LUlmer and Delroy james for minutes.
Friar Fan: Kevin- I was shocked when Driscoll said he was going to be a one man search commitee. He said his experience as a hockey coach allows him to make the call. That scare you?
Kevin McNamara: I much prefer the 1-man committee approach to the URI-like Gang of 10. That is unweildly and insulting to candidates, in all honesty. PC is a private school and can run searches anyway it chooses. URI and other public schools are bound to use committees for important hires. I think Bob knows enough people that he wil listen to important ones to get names to explore and then do his homework to investigate and meet ones he really likes. Then they come to PC and meet Fr. Shanley and others. That's how it'll play out. It could take awhile to get to the end.
rhody85: Is Eaves in anyway a Will Daniels substitute? Or is that asking too much?
Kevin McNamara: It's asking too much. Will was a 2-time all-league player. Ben has yet to prove he can play at this level. Just getting him to play 20 minutes a game and score 8-12 points a game would be a good 1st year in my book.
rf1: It seems that the A-10 has a perception problem. Everyone was talking about the league's great OOC season. Yet the league is later crucified because some of its top teams lose to teams in conference. The converse is not true for teams in the Big East. You hear very little when it comes to bubble talk about WV losing to Cinci, Villanova losing to Rutgers, or Syracuse losing to South Fla and Cinci. You instead hear how tough a league like the Big East is. The Big East was the RPI fifth rated league ( the A-10 was the RPI 7th rated league). It is the opposite for the A-10. Why is this? Do you think it is fair?
Kevin McNamara: The numbers don't lie. I think the Big East had six teams in the top 25 or so of the RPI. The A-10 had 1 (Xavier). Huge difference there. When you play so many good teams in conference, you can't damage yourself all that much with a `bad' loss. Not the case in the A-10. I agree with your premise that the A-10 has a perception problem. Dayton, for example, should've really been considered stronger for the NCAA in my eyes. The issue there was a horrid final 12 games. The conference RPI's do not matter. At all. ACC was #1 and it got 4 teams in. Look at individual resumes and then ask yourself, is this team's records better than another. Do that with Dayton and Villanova, for example. It's very, very close but I'm sure the committee members would say Villanova had better wins later in the year. Dayton's wins over Louisville and Pitt were somehow downgraded. I'm not sure why.
rhody85: Any word on Scott Cordischi being picked up by another local radio station to do an afternoon sports talk show, I already miss having a Rhode Island option during tourney time. Find myself trying to get the FAN out of NYC, although you did a great job on EEI yesterday they don't do a good job with college hoops.
Kevin McNamara: Losing The Score is a tragedy for RI hoop fans. A real tragedy. No word this early on local sports radio getting back into Rhode Island and I'd say it is a long shot. The Score's ratings were very low and that led to its demise. In retrospect, talking Pats/red Sox 52 weeks a year and trying to mirror WEEI was a knockout mistake. That may be what `the public' wanted but it didn't help the station very much. I find it hard to believe there isn't a market for a station that does Sox/Pats and PC/URI a little more often. ..I'm with you. hearing defensive line talk in March turns my stomach. I also think its a shame and downright sinful for Citadel to dump the Score as quickly as it did and not give these guys more of a going away package. Radio is an awful business.
Kevin McNamara: Out of questions guys. Fire away. How about the NCAA tourney??
rhody85: Will Billy Baron prep after next year or is he ready for D1 play?
Kevin McNamara: I think Billy Baron should go to prep for the next 2 years. My opinion only.
kurtsletten: Kevin, can you tell us anything about PC's lone recruit for next year, the kid from New Jersey? Is the consensus that he is a Big East type player?
Kevin McNamara: Bilal Dixon enjoyed a very good senior season in New Jersey. He's seen as a typical Tim Welsh recruit: a sleeper. Good news is he owns the type of physical body to perhaps play some right away. He's a little bigger than Jon Kale. We'll see if he's better.
Red: Out of questions? You haven't answered my follow-up yet.
Kevin McNamara: Repeat please, Red.
rhody85: Is there a small station in RI that has sports talk, I thought I heard that. Is Cordischi doing the broadcast of the Brown game tonight?
Kevin McNamara: I do not know of it. If you do, fire it my way. In know that Scott and Russ Tyler are doing the Brown-Ohio game tonight on 790-am. There's a note on that in our paper today.
nelsonstmafia: kevin - do you see any big surprises in the coaching carousel? every year, someone gets fired or leaves a good job for another out of the blue. what do you predict for this year?
Kevin McNamara: There always are Nelson. Like Tubby Smith leaving Kentucky to go to Minnesota a year ago. I think PC would love to get lucky like that. Tough to predict who would be that big domino to fall.
CranstonFriar: Is there a surprise candidate people haven't heard about who might be a candidate for the PC job? and how long can the search go before it impacts recruiting?
Kevin McNamara: I'm sure a name or three will sirface over the next few weeks that you'd call a `surprise.' That's the nature of the beast. As for recruiting, its effected recruiting all year. Big Time. I'll be writing on that in the next few days.
rhody85: I thought there was a small station in Woonsocket that did sports talk for a few hours, although I can't remeber where I heard that. The score should have made a run at the rights to URI after losing PC. I think PC made a mistake on going to EEI.
Kevin McNamara: You're wrong on that one. If PC didn't go to WEEI, it would be up sh&%#'s creek right now. The Score would be gone and they'd be on an oldies station. if this happened last year, PC would have no leverage with its negotiations with WEEI. They snuck in just in time. The URI-WHJJ relationship has been a good one for URI but signal issues are a major problem with stations around Rhode Island.
Red: You said the administration is happy wih 21 wins and a trip to the NIT. Those 21 wins are an ilusion for a numbe of reasons, not the least of which is the 30-game regular season. We were picked to finish at or near the top of our league, but we finished, what, eighth? And who did we beat? Nobody playing in the NCAA. And when we started circling the drain in the last seven-eight weeks, what adjustments were made? He had the best pure shooter in the country and couldn't even get him open. And how many point guards abused us on simple pick-and-rolls? You need at least two hands to count them. And they're satisfied with all this?
Kevin McNamara: Got it, Red. Satisfied, sure. Thrilled? Of course not. I think URI's talent base was exposed in A-10 play. Not enough big men and lack of point guard depth was a real issue. As for defense, that'll be priority numbert one in the off-season. I know this doesn't answer your question but, believe me, there is no `Get Baron' sentiment in Kingston with the people that matter. None.
SU Fan: Kevin you think there will be any kids flunk out from PC with the staff gone? Bye the way word on campus here is Greene is not going to class and is gone for next year.
Kevin McNamara: If you mean Donte Greene, that's too bad. He said after Big East loss that he's back if he's not in top 5. I'll believe that..Too early to guess if PC has any academic issues.
CranstonFriar: How secure is Paul Hewitt at GaTech?
Kevin McNamara: I hear he's secure now. After next year could be another matter. I'd try to talk to him, for sure. I think he'd be an excellent fit at Providence.
rhody85: Ideally both Rhody and PC would have consitent success, do think Rhody in the A10 is set up to have more consistency than Providence in the BE?
Kevin McNamara: Define consistent success? Winning seasons, NIT's, NCAA's?
rhody85: You and PK do a great job, I hope you both get to follow the teams on the road next year.
Kevin McNamara: Plans are a go. Right now anyways. It helps when you avid fans keep reading our stuff. Please keep it up.
rhody85: 4 out of 5 years in either NIT or NCAA's.
Kevin McNamara: I feel that's asking an awful lot for both schools. If I had to answer your question, I'd say it's easier to get to the NIT at URI than PC. It may be easier to get to NCAA at Providence since the Big East gets 6-8 bids every year and th A-10 gets 2-3. But it's very, very hard at both of these schools.
SU Fan: I read where PC's AD said he expects thenm to be in the top 5 or 6 in the conference every year. You know what schools he thinks you guys should be ahead of?
Kevin McNamara: I am not in agreement with that. Just my opinion. I agree with you. PC finishes 7th next year. Name the 9 teams it finishes ahead of?
617rhodyfan: kevin - USC/kansas state, who do you like?
Kevin McNamara: I like So. Cal. To go a long ways. Final Four is possible.
Kevin McNamara: Thanks a lot everyone. Enjoy the tournament. This is the best time of the year for us basketball-crazed fans.
Kevin McNamara will be online from noon to 1 p.m. to take your questions about the NCAA Tournament and other college basketball matters. You can submit your questions now: go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, pick a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. Remember not to press enter or click send until you have completed your thought. Questions will display to the room as Kevin answers them.
We're back from a long afternoon at Providence College where Tim Welsh was relieved of his duties. We'll have three stories in Sunday's Journal on the news.
Here are excerpts from AD Bob Driscoll's press briefing:
“Ultimately as the athletic director I’m responsible for the successes or the failures of my programs and basketball is my primary responsibility,” he said. “I just felt that at this juncture, looking at the body of work and where we need to do, that a change in leadership was necessary. It’s not personal to Tim. It’s part of the business and having been in this business for a long time, you trust your gut instinct in terms of change."
"With change comes great opportunity and renewed energy. That was the reason why I made the decision. The other reason is I have a high expectation for men’s basketball here at Providence College. This perception that we can never be successful or that we’re happy with just getting to the Big East (Tournament), well that goes against every bit of my core being. My goal is to win the Big East championship. Will we get there? Time will tell. But there’s no reason we can’t finish in the upper half of that league and if you do that on a consistent basis, you’ll get to the (NCAA) Tournament.
“I can look at Georgetown and at Marquette, particularly Georgetown four or five years ago, and they were nowhere near in the mix. Those schools have been able to do it. If you look at the leadership here and the facilities we’ve built, with what’s happening downtown at the new Dunk, the money we’re raising, there’s no question in my mind that we can get there. Now we have to prove that we can get there but that’s the reason I made this decision, because of the expectations that we have.”
"A number of the people that we’ll hopefully start looking at are in the Tournament,” he said. “Out of respect for them, we’re not going to start those conversations (yet). But there’s ways to find out whether people are interested without messing that whole system up for them.”
“I’d like to do it as quickly as I can but I don’t want to put a strict time line on it because if there are people I want to talk to who are continuing on, obviously I can’t do that. In an ideal world you’d want someone on board by the conclusion of the Final Four but I don’t know. I want to take as much time as necessary to do the best job I can to get the right person. It’s fluid.”
Here is PC's official release on the firing of Tim Welsh....
WELSH WILL NOT RETURN AS PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence College Athletic Director Bob Driscoll announced today (March 15) that men’s basketball Head Coach Tim Welsh will not return to coach the Friars in 2008-09. Driscoll met with Welsh today to discuss the situation.
“I appreciate all the hard work and dedication that Tim has put into this program over the last 10 years,” Driscoll said. “He represented the College with dignity and class. However, I felt that it was in the best interest of the program and Providence College to make a change in leadership.”
His 2007-08 Friar squad registered a 15-16 record and a 6-12 mark in the BIG EAST. The Friars finished 12th of 16 teams in the BIG EAST this season. The Friars’ season ended on Wednesday when they were defeated by West Virginia, 58-53, in the First Round of the BIG EAST Tournament.
Welsh was named the 13th head coach of Friar men’s basketball team on April 2, 1998. In his 10 seasons as a head coach at Providence, he led the team to a 160-143 mark (.528) and a 72-92 record (.439) in BIG EAST regular-season play. In five of his 10 seasons the Friars qualified for post-season action. Providence was selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and 2004. The team also played in the NIT in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
Driscoll plans to begin a search immediately for a new head coach.
“This is a very important decision and I will work diligently to find someone who will lead our men’s basketball program and guide our student-athletes,” Driscoll said. “Providence College has a rich tradition in men’s basketball. I have very high standards for the program and I expect that we will find the best person to move the program forward.”
Tim Welsh Coaching Record at Providence College
AT PC: 10 years 160-143 .528; Big East: 72-92 (.439)
Providence College will have a new basketball coach next season.
The school is set to announce that it has fired Tim Welsh with one year left on his contract. More details to come. An official announcement is expectred at any moment.
Multimedia: Kevin McNamara previews PC-West Virginia
Click the play button below to see and hear the show, as Kevin McNamara previews the Friars' Big East Tournament game this afternoon against the Mountaineers.
Kevin McNamara: Hello everyone. Obviously one of the busiest times of the year for college hoop mavens. I'm headed to NYCity later today to get ready for tomorrow's PC-West Virginia game. I'm packing right now. Should I go light or heavy?
Kevin McNamara: Please forward your questions. I have about 15 in the Q right now. I will not answer the PC coaching situation over and over and over. I will take questions on URI and Brown as well as NCAA tourney questions. We'll go for about an hour.
BedfordPenthouse: What does Tim Welsh have to do at this point to get an extention going into next year?
Kevin McNamara: Here goes with the Tim Welsh category. The PC coach is obviously on very shaky ground right now. You can debate whether that is fair or not but it is fact. No decision has been made on whether his contract is extend or not. I know this as fact. Can he save himself at this point? That's debatable but he can make it interesting with, say 2 wins this week. Getting to Big East semis with team would be a major achievement....As to new coaching names, let's just say that I've done my share of research. Most of the names fans are tossing about have NO interest in coming to Providence. They either can get better jobs, have a better job or don;t like the chances to win here. I do think that if TW were to get fired, the Friars can find a good coach and won;t have to pay $800K-plus. I think Bob Driscoll will aim high and see if he can get a proven winner. If that doesn't happen, he'll have to get creative and think broadly. That is risky but if Welsh isn't the coach next year, there are no guarantees that the next coach is `better' than he is. If this reads like I am not going to discuss Larranaga, O'Brien, Christian, Van Gundy, ect. you are correct.
BedfordPenthouse: The two names that people have been throwing around to become the next Friars coach have been Jim Larranaga and Jim O'Brien. Of the two, who is better for this job?
Kevin McNamara: Ditto.
THL: Have you heard anything new regarding a coaching change at PC?
Kevin McNamara: Ditto.
pcfan: Hello, Kevin: Should PC be eliminated tomorrow, and the season officially end, do you have any sense of a timeframe for when (or if) PC will replace Welsh? Is it likely that he will "resign" or do you think PC will fire him? Thank You.
Kevin McNamara: As for timing, if PC goes down tomorrow, I would think early to middle next week they have an annoucement on whether the coach is in contract negotiations or moving on.
FriarFan: When will PC make a coaching announcement? What do anticipate regarding their decesion? Thanks.
Kevin McNamara: See above.
BedfordPenthouse: Will Greedy Peterson be in a Friars uniform next season?
Kevin McNamara: I think Greedy has the potential to be a good Big East player. He is undersized, however, and needs to learn how to play without the basketball on offense. That's been his issue late in this season. Tim Welsh would love to have Greedy back. if he's not the coach, you'd have to ask the new guy.
BedfordPenthouse: While his brother will most likely go to UCONN, what are the chances that Majok Majok ends up with the Friars?
Kevin McNamara: All recruiting is up in the air at Providence. That's been the main problem with the decision to let this season be a `referendum' on Tim Welsh. No way anyone would commit to PC in this scenario. The staff has worked the junior class but fallen behind other competitors. Majok Majok is just a name. PC doesn't `lead' for him, in any way shape or form.
matt: kevin ,next year coach baron will give us the excuse that when you lose seniors like Will Daniels and Parfait Bitee that it is tough to replace them. Knowing that will be his excuse next year - what possibly could his excuse be for the collapse we witnessed this year? I think he needs to take responsibility for this. 2007-2008 was supposed to be THE YEAR. Not qualifying for any tournament is totally unacceptable. I hope Thorr Bjorn recognizes this.
Kevin McNamara: I am as surprised as anyone that the Rams have faded here in February-March. I hope they can win a game in Atlantic City and find their way into the NIT or CBI but it will be tough, as Paul Kenyon's article in today's Journal correctly points out. What is the `excuse?' It's lack of defense. Why is this? URI patterned its game after the run-and-gun NBA teams and when its offense was roaring, the Rams were very good. When the O stalls a bit, the defense isn't there to back things up. Losing WDaniels, PBitee and Joe Mbang is very big for this team. URI fans are learning how tough it is to get to the NCAA's.
Ben: Hi, Kevin. URI basketball has seen yet another embarrassing, horrific collapse under Jim Baron. While this guy seems like a nice man who appears to run a clean & honest program, I (and other URI fans) feel that he is not a good coach and has worn out his welcome as coach of the Rams. His teams ALWAYS finish worse than they started. He has never won an NCAA tournament game & has only been there twice in well over 2 decades as a head coach. In fact, neither of those trips were with URI. His offensive strategies are incredibly simple, predictable, and easy to defend once you see what they're doing. This man is not capable of better than getting to the occasional NIT. Do you think that URI would make a coaching change if the state's financial situation were better and/or his contract was closer to its end? And, do you personally feel that Jim Baron has performed adequately in his 7 years (that's almost a decade) at URI?
Kevin McNamara: I won't speculate about Baron's future at URI. I will state that he isn't going anywhere. URI's decision to lock him up for 10 years was an odd one at the time and severely handcuffs the school. It's a 1-way deal that only favors the coach. It also gets very expensive as the years roll on so buying him out is not an option. I personally feel they shouldn't even think about that and no one at Rhody is. Baron has rebuilt the program to his liking and winning 21-22 games this season is a very good year. Obviously expectations were raised once the Rams got off to such a hot start and now people are disappointed. The good news is the staff is working hard to stock the program with good players, more needed size and some additional athleticism. I think a core of Jimmy Baron, KSeawright, Ulmer, Cothran, Delroy James is pretty good. If some of the newcomers can help a bit, the Rams will be in the A-10 mix once again. That's very different from the poorer years that Baron endured trying to get the program back on track.
rhodewarriorlm: Tough question Kev! Baron is a really likable guy and the job he first took over in Kingston was far from a tea party. He has done good things for the program yes. With all of that good will acknowledged Coach cannot seem to get any team to the NCAA's? His best teams at Rhody (this year) and the (Dustin Hellenga) team both had swoons that cost them post season play under Baron. Putting the good will aside for a moment do you really think Jim Baron is anything more than a NIT coach in his best? Do you think Rhody fans have a point in being really upset with the coaching staff regarding this years collapse?
Kevin McNamara: Look above. Getting to the NCAA is hard, especially at a school like URI which is not a top 5 Atlantic 10 program. Not yet, anyways. I think the student-athlete center being talked about will help a lot and recruiting the last 2-3 years is clearly going well. Getting ahead of Xavier, UMass, Temple, Dayton, St. Joe, St. Louis (on the rise) consistently is asking a lot if you cheer for the Rams. If the A-10 remains a 1-3 bid league, do the math. Cracking the NCAA's is a tall order.
rhodewarriorlm: With the swoon in full scale at Rhody do you see them inning any games in the A-10 tourney. If they get eliminated in the 1st or 2nd round do you even see them getting an NIT invite or will the severity of the swoon keep them out of even the NIT?
Kevin McNamara: If URI loses to Charlotte, I think there is a very good chance the NIT passes on them. Hope not. Beat the 49'ers and things clearly improve. problem is A-10 is loaded with NIT-type teams (Charlotte, Temple, Dayton, St. Joe).
rhodewarriorlm: Lets get things flowing for next year.... who has the better recruting class for next year- URI or PC? Can you tell us about either class?
Kevin McNamara: That's for the easyt question. URI in a landslide. The Rams have signed a good, deep class that was badly needed. Lots of promise anyways. PC had one scholarship and used it on Bilal Dixon, a player who could see time right away. URI's class depends on several players academically qualifying. Things look good now but anything can happen with kids these days. Big men Ryan Brooks and Orion Outerbridge are the keys. Both aren't bangers but are athletic and can run the floor. Think Will Daniels, minus 20 pounds. Raw but talented. Remember, the Rams also welcome transfer Ben Eaves, who PC badly wanted out of prep school. He's impressed all year in practice.
rhodewarriorlm: Where (if you do) do you have Will Daniels going in the NBA draft? Do you see him having a productive career or will he ride the pine and be out of the league in a year or two?
Kevin McNamara: I am not hearing much on Will and the NBA. I see his name on some web sites (nbadraft.net, for example) but no scout I've talked to says they see him as a 1st rounder. Will is an NBA 3-man who lacks quickness and will have major defensive issues. He needs to go to pre-draft camps and prove that scouting report wrong. We all know he can score. He'd have a great European career because of those skills but he'll try to make a run at the NBA first. We all wish him luck. He's a good kid.
THL: Is there any serious recruiting being done at this time by the Friars?
Kevin McNamara: I would say no. Any HSchool coach with a clue would know PC's coaching sitaution has to be cleared up before I can take what PC's assistant are saying seriously.
mando11522: Rhode Island's chances of winning the A-10...semms there path isn't to bad
Kevin McNamara: Winning the tournament? Let's just beat Charlotte first. URI lost to the 49ers at Ryan Center just a few days ago. That sounds like a very tough first round game.
friar fan: Kevin- Do you think Gonzo is in trouble for his actions Sunday with his press conference and screaming at a SHU official to "get out of my face"?
Kevin McNamara: That's one of the issues I can't wait to hear more on once we get to New York. I know Gonzo is intense but his inability to control that intensity is one of his major faults. It's not winning him any friends, that's for sure.
mando11522: thoughts on uri chances at winning the a-10
Kevin McNamara: see above.
THL: With San Diego winning the WCC by beating Gonzaga last night, do you feel that the Zags will still get a bid to the dance using up an at large bid?
Kevin McNamara: Thanks for the NCAA question. Best time of year speculating on who does and does not get in. Gonzaga will definitely be an at-large pick. The Zags play a great schedule, won enough games out of conference and were regular season champs in a good league. The West Coast will now get 3 bids: Zags, SDiego and St. Mary's. All three should be watched closely in your pools next week.
Blue Elvis: Looking ahead to next year for the Friars, it seems to me that getting Randal Hanke into the weight room should be a priority. It seems when he plays tough, the Friars play better as a whole team. (I live in DC, and rarely get to see PC games, so I am basing this opinion off of what I read. Let me know if I am off-base).
Kevin McNamara: That's a good call. Randall has enjoyed a very good season after coming in with all sorts of question marks hovering over him. Fans expected him to be good right away and that didn't happen. Tim Welsh didn't play him early on, which was based on shoddy practice efforts, but may have been a mistake. Obviously the Friars needed Hanke to be a legitimate offensive team. He's playing well in the post right now. Hanke will never be the Incredible Hulk but does work in the weight room. Not sure what his upside physically is, though. That's why getting Bilal Dixon, a banger, was so important for next year. Jon Kale's inability to fill that role consistently has hurt this team.
THL: Dwain Williams....In your opinion, has he played his last game in black and white? What are his issues?
Kevin McNamara: Word is Dwain is in the doghouse and is `concentrating on his academics.' Don't know for sure but sounds like he's struggling academically and needs to go to every class. Just a guess, which I guess we're allowed to do in a chat but not the newspaper.
mando11522: As everyone knows san diego won the WCC and south alabama and VCU lost in there conference torney's...who's bubbles just burst because of those teams winning/losing...
Kevin McNamara: These are the teams on the bubble right now. They don't want to see anymore upsets. I think South Alabama (RPI 24) had better watch out. It has 20 wins against teams ranked 100 or higher on RPI. I'd take Dayton over that every day. Dayton, St. Joe, Villanova, Syracuse, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio State, Oregon are just some of the teams that better win a game or two to lock up bids. It would be a shame of the A-10 only got 2 bids. They don't deserve more, however. Beat teams you're supposed to (re:Dayton & St. Joe) at home and you'd be in...I look at quality wins and playing well late. Those are the 2 things I like best.
rodfromcranston: Come on Kevin. CFL's teams always fade at the end of the season. This is THE biggest collapse in URI history, and yet not ONE word of media criticism.
Kevin McNamara: Rod. Let's get JHarrick back! Just bustin'. It is a major collapse but I think URI fans got juiced up over a team that was always flawed. Then the flaws came through. Look at you 5-man. An unheralded JUCO who can't score. That led to rebounding an interior defense issues. Also, the schedule didn't help. URI played great in the Syracuse win but didn't have to play great to win any of its other NC games (Providence included). Once they started playing good teams (especially on the road) at least once a week in a much-improved Atl-10 then things began to crack. You want to kill the coach? Go ahead. But I fault talent issues more than X's-and-O's. They need better players, especially on the interior. That's the coach's fault, too.
mando11522: Florida, Ohio st., Cuse, or Kentucky...which outta those 4 do you think will legit get in the NCAA
Kevin McNamara: Good question. If it's those four, I'd probably have to go with Ohio State. They beat SYR head-to-head back when Eric Devendorf was playing. They're playing well now. Excellent coach. I think what kentucky and Florida did in the N/C season cannot be overlooked. You can't whack bad teams, lose to ALL the good ones and then get healthy in conference. That tells me your conference isn't all that good.
THL: Your old friend, Ron Borges wrote in the Attleboro paper that Dwain Williams was told not to go anywhere near the team....Does this relate to your answer above that he is/has to devote time to academics?
Kevin McNamara: Ron Borges? Peter Gobis covers PC up in Attleboro. My reference to Dwain's academic issues was cut out of a PC Journal I wrote for Sunday's paper. Dwain is out for the season with an ankle injury, by the way. You should probably focus on the guys who are healthy.
URIGONZO: Kevin, a lot of blame on URI Projo board has been placed on Coach Baron for the late season collapse. I for one think it is lack of effort on the part of the player's i.e. not playing hard on defense and letting a guard go from the 3-pt arc to the hoop without stopping him. Do you feel the player's could have done better, or does the task of motivating them fall squarely on the coaching staff??
Kevin McNamara: It's a team game and the coaches & players work together. Coach's fault? That's what the fans always say. It's the player's job to execute and URI's players obviously have not done a good job with that. As I stated somewhere above, I think this team was always flawed with its lack of size and once opponents figured out how to slow the offense down, the Rams' main strength was sapped....Growl all you want Ram fans. You've won 21 games and I like the talent in the program. Getting to that next, NCAA ,level is hard.
KD: What's your read on W. Efejuku? Coaching challenge? Out of position? Why the incredible inconsistency?
Kevin McNamara: I think Weyinmi Efejuku is a talented player but not nearly as talented as PC fans think. His mental approach to the game has clearly been hurt by inconsistent playing time and clashes with the coaching staff. If he gave a better effort on defense and off the glass, he'd play more. He also needs to improve his ballhandling so he can get his own shot more often. That is PC's number one problem. Without a PG, there are few players who can break a defender down a get their own shot. Watch tomorrow's WVU game closely and count how many times a guy makes a move and gets off a clear jumper or continue past a defender or three and makes his way to the rim...You'll be amazed at the low number.
Kevin McNamara: Guys. I have to wrap this up. I saw all of your questions but i do have to pack. So what's the answer, light or heavy???
Talk college hoops at 11 a.m. today with Kevin McNamara
Kevin McNamara will stop by the office today just before heading down to New York City for the Big East Tournament to take your questions about the Friars and the Rams, who are on their way to the A-10 tourney in Atlantic City. Kevin will be in the college hoops chat room at projo.com to answer your questions from 11 a.m. to noon.
You can submit a question now: go to projo.com/chat, click launch chatm, choose a display name (you don't need a password), enter the college hoops chat room and begin typing. Do not hit enter or click send until you have completed your thought. Questions will display to the room as Kevin answers them.
The Big East just released its all-league teams. PC's Geoff McDermott did not make the cut in the top 20 but was given honorable mention notice.
Here are the picks. The Player, Coach and Rookie of the Year awards are handed out Tuesday night in New York.
It seems UConn's players remember all too well that beating that Providence put on them back in Hartford in January. PC hit 14 threes in a 77-65 victory.
In stories throughout the Nutmeg state today, the Huskies are `talking trash' and promising to rip the Friars tonight in a rematch at The Dunk.
Guard AJ Price told the Hartford Courant, ``Real disrespectful. They don't know how to win, and it showed. They were laughing, mocking. I usually have a lot of respect for other teams, but they showed a lack of respect last game. They beat up on us and made a mockery of it."
"We'll be ready to go. ... We want to blow them out. That's what we're going there to play for."
And from the New Haven Register...."They were name-calling," said forward Jeff Adrien said. “It was something to remember. They beat us the last two times we played them, so it's payback. We're going out to end that team's season."
Sounds like Jim Calhoun is no Bill Belichick. Plenty of bulletin board material for the Friars.
It seems UConn's players remember all too well that beating that Providence put on them back in January at Hartford. PC hit 14 threes in a 77-65 victory.
In stories throughout the Nutmeg State today, the Huskies are `talking trash' and promising to rip the Friars tonight in a rematch at The Dunk.
Guard AJ Price told the Hartford Courant, ``Real disrespectful. They don't know how to win, and it showed. They were laughing, mocking. I usually have a lot of respect for other teams, but they showed a lack of respect last game. They beat up on us and made a mockery of it."
"We'll be ready to go. ... We want to blow them out. That's what we're going there to play for."
And from the New Haven Register...."They were name-calling,” said forward Jeff Adrien said. “It was something to remember. They beat us the last two times we played them, so it’s payback. We’re going out to end that team’s season.”
Sounds like Jim Calhoun is no Bill Belichick. Plenty of bulletin board material for the Friars. A limited number of tickets remain. Tip is at 7 p.m.
Because of a late change in his schedule, Kevin McNamara will not be able to do today's hoops chat as planned. He sends his apologies and encourages readers to still send in questions; he will answer some of them later this week on the College Hoops Blog.
To send a question: go to projo.com/chat, click the red "launch chat" button, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. When typing a question, do not press enter or click send until you have finished your thought.
Kevin McNamara will be online from noon to 1 p.m. to take questions from projo.com readers aboiut PC and URI basketball, or about any other college basketball topic you wish to have addressed. You can submit a question now: go to projo.com/chat, click the red "launch chat" button, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. When typing a question, do not press enter or click send until you have finished your thought. Questions will display to the room as Kevin answers them on Wednesday.
Mike Marra, the All-State shooter from Smithfield, has verbally committed to play at Louisville. Marra will sign with the Cardinals this November and enroll in the fall of 2009.
"I feel excellent," Marra said today from his prep school, Northfield Mt. Hermon. "It was a little overwhelming at first but I'm excited it's over and I'm going to Louisville."
Marra ended his recruitment when Cards coach Rick Pitino saw him play Wednesday against Winchendon School. It was the first time Pitino saw Marra play in person.
Marra becomes the second Rhode Island junior to commit to a big-time school. South Kingstown's Erik Murphy picked Florida last month.
More on Marra's pick in Friday's Journal.
The questions about coach Tim Welsh's future are only getting louder, and projo columnists Jim Donaldson and Bill Reynolds have their own takes on what that means. Is a new coach really what the Friars need? Is Welsh really to blame for the team's inability to win in the postseason -- and more immediately, its ability to win big games this year? And will a new coach make a difference?
Bill and Jim will take projo.com readers' questions about these issues Wednesday at noon in a live chat. You can send in a question now: go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. Do not to press enter or click send until you have finished your question. Questions will display to the room as Jim and Bill answer them on Wednesday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Even Rick Pitino thought he was being a little overambitious a few weeks ago when he said Louisville needed to win eight of its final 10 games to have any sort of momentum heading into the postseason.
"People thought that was probably a little too lofty a goal looking at our schedule," Pitino said.
That was before four straight wins - including decisive victories over Marquette and Georgetown - helped push the Cardinals (19-6, 9-3 Big East) back into the Top 25. Suddenly, the task of winning eight of 10 doesn't seem quite so daunting.
"Now it's four out of six, right?" Pitino said. "Now it's a bit more realistic. But you want to try and win every game, because the one thing with the Big East is you never know where the wins or losses are going to come."
The 23rd-ranked Cardinals, however, don't plan on having one of them come on Saturday when they play at struggling Providence (13-11, 4-8). The Friars have lost six of their last seven and looked listless in the second half of a 19-point loss at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Pitino, who led the Friars to the Final Four in 1987 and remains a beloved figure on campus, is wary of the "scariest shooting" team in the Big East.
"When they're shooting the basketball, they can beat anybody and that's one of the things that we really got tuned into is how deep they can shoot it and at how many different positions they can shoot it," Pitino said. "This is a very tough game."
If Pitino wants a reminder of just what can happen when a team gets hot, he needs to just pop in a tape of Louisville's 92-82 loss at Seton Hall last month, when the Pirates got white-hot from 3-point range in the second half, many of them coming from well behind the 3-point line.
Providence shoots a respectable 38 percent from 3-point range - second in the Big East behind Notre Dame - and four players have made at least 23 3-pointers on the season.
"They're a much better shooting team than Seton Hall, much better, because they can shoot it with more players on the court," Pitino said.
They'll have to if they want to hang with the Cardinals, whose aggressive zone defense is making good shots hard to come by. The Cardinals are allowing opponents to shoot just 37.6 percent from the floor, the seventh-best field goal defense in the country.
"A big part of our defense is talking to each other," said center David Padgett. "We are moving quick, we are being active and that is allowing us to get out on the break more."
Jeff Xavier and Dwain Williams lead a balanced Providence offense, with five players averaging at least 10 points a game. But the Friars have been unable to overcome the loss of guard Sharaud Curry, who has missed all but one game this season with injuries.
It's a problem the Cardinals know all about, but they weathered injuries to Padgett and Juan Palacios early in the season and are now playing their best basketball of the year.
Perhaps even more important, said Pitino, is the way the Cardinals have smoothed out the edges and played with the kind of consistency they lacked a month ago. Following emotional wins over the Hoyas and the Golden Eagles, Pitino said some teams would have come out flat in their next game. The Cardinals hardly looked it in a dominant 88-68 win over DePaul on Tuesday.
"I think we are maturing a lot," Padgett said. "Coach made a big deal about coming out and not being flat against DePaul. A lot of times teams come out after a big win like we did against Georgetown and they are stale and they end up losing their next game. We really put a big emphasis on coming out strong."
