NIT Semifinals

Close Calls in NIT Semifinals

by Ray Floriani

NEW YORK – The 70th edition of the National Invitation Tournament came to New York. The region was treated to a classic two days earlier in East Rutherford, N.J. on the other side of the Hudson. Here in the Big Apple drama was not exactly in short supply, with West Virginia and Clemson both advancing to the NIT finals at Madison Square Garden by virtue of one-point victories.

The opener between the Mountaineers of the Big East and Mississippi State was a last-second classic. With two seconds remaining, West Virginia trailed by two and had the ball in the Mississippi State end on the baseline. Following a time out, the Mountaineers ran a play that got Darris Nichols a good look in the corner. Nichols buried a trey at the buzzer and the celebration started, only to be halted.

The officiating crew went to check the monitor. The Garden has three point lines for college and the NBA, and the officials wanted to be certain Nichols was behind the line and his shot was released in time. In an almost surreal scene, the players waited by their benches. Fans stood up and the roughly two-minute monitor review seemed almost an eternity. Finally, it was confirmed: the shot was off in time, it was a three, game for West Virginia, 63-62.

The nightcap was also decided by a point, but it was more of too little, too late for Air Force and a few anxious moments for Clemson. Clemson basically had a double digit lead a good part of the contest, but Air Force made a run to draw even at 51 with just over six minutes to play. Clemson regrouped and reestablished a lead, but in the stretch Air Force never quit. Even the final moments were testimony to their outstanding work ethic and perseverance.

After cutting the Clemson lead to four with seconds remaining, Air Force intercepted the inbound pass and Dan Nwaelele drained a three-pointer. Following a timeout and with just over a second to play, Clemson inbounded and Falcon guard Matt McGraw made a diving lunge for the ballhandler to hopefully draw afoul and get him on the line. McGraw’s lunge took him about ten feet across the floor and right by us at press row. McGraw didn’t get the foul, the buzzer sounded and Clemson was victorious 68-67.

Mississippi State did a good job of locating the West Virginia three-point marksmen. The Mountaineers relied on transition and/or penetrations and kick-outs. State also did a good job of penetrating the WVU 1-3-1 and forcing John Beilein to go with more man-to-man than he planned. State coach Rick Stansbury was disappointed over his club letting West Virginia back after establishing a 14-point second half lead. “They converted that last shot. It was a huge shot but we let them get back into it when we had the lead.”

Clemson did a very good job of denying Air Force’s back door cuts out of their Princeton offense. The Tigers also pounded the boards 30-23. Air Force mentor Jeff Bzdelik was disappointed over the rebounding, a pre-game priority, and the foul line, where the usually dependable Falcons shot a paltry 6-of-14.

Players of note:
Darris Nichols, Jr. G, WVU: 17 points, 6 rebounds
Frank Young, Sr. F, WVU: 16 points, 6 rebounds
Dietric Slater, Sr. G/F, Miss St.: 18 points, 9 rebounds
Charles Rhodes, Jr. C, Miss St.: 10 points, 10 rebounds
K.C. Rivers, So. G, Clemson: 19 points (including a few key shots to quell Air Force runs), 6 rebounds
Vernon Hamilton, Sr. G, Clemson: 11 points, 8 assists
Nick Welch, Sr. C, Air Force: 16 points (7-of-7 from field)
Matt McGraw, Sr. G, Air Force: 15 points, 5 assists

Notes

• You don’t have to spend any time convincing John Beilein the NIT is more than simply a consolation prize. “Anyone who would ever be disappointed about playing in the NIT is crazy,” Beilein said immediately after his team’s wild semifinal win.
• Beilein was quick to credit Danny Nee for the success of the winning shot. “I got that play from Danny Nee, former Nebraska (and Duquesne) coach at a coaching clinic just last fall,” Beilein said. “We have used it successfully before but never in an end-of-game situation.”
  West Virginia was down two at the time but Beilein instructed his players to go for the best shot, whether a two or three – whatever was available.
• Bzdelik was asked about finishing at the NIT Final Four in the school’s first appearance in the event. “For this group to finish their careers on this floor, in this city is truly special. I can’t say enough about these young men. They persevered and gave a great effort. People should be proud to know young men like these will serve their country.”
  The Air Force coach also singled out senior guard Matt McGraw. “Minutes after the game he was in the locker room talking to our underclassmen reminding the work they needed to do to get better.”
• Clemson started the year 17-0. Oliver Purnell’s club later went through a slump of losing seven of eight. Currently they are back on track, having taken six of their last seven. The lone setback was a loss to Florida State in the ACC Tournament.
• Clemson was last here in the NIT Final Four in 1999 when they dropped a heartbreaker to California in the finals.
• West Virginia last appeared in the NIT Final Four in 1981, where Tulsa edged Syracuse in an overtime thriller for the title. West Virginia dropped two tough ones, to Tulsa and then Purdue in the consolation. That trip was significant because it marked the beginning of the Mountaineer resurgence under Gale Catlett.
• Chalk it up to being past midnight, but one writer asked Air Force coach Jeff Bzdelik if he would be back next season. The coach politely replied that he would not address that question but rather focus on the game just played.
  Seldon Jefferson played for West Virginia in the mid to late 90s and was in attendance. These days he’s an assistant basketball coach and teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. That’s the alma mater of former Rutgers great Phil Sellers, who just got his number retired at the Brooklyn school.
  Jefferson admires the offense of Beilein. “They shoot a lot of threes, which I like,” Jefferson said smiling. “Under coach (Gale) Catlett we shot threes but we had more size so we didn’t shoot as many. But I enjoyed playing for coach Catlett. He did a fine job.”

On the Baseline

• West Virginia cheerleaders bussed from Morgantown at midnight and arrived Tuesday morning in New York at 7:30 a.m. “We couldn’t check into our hotels until 3, so the group went around New York sightseeing,” said coach Christy Davis, a member of the ’97 WVU cheer squad.
• The Mississippi State cheer group visited Ground Zero and the Museum of Natural History. Their coach, Melissa Nichols, ironically is an Ole Miss grad.
• Air Force junior Christin Hart said the Falcon cheerleaders had a busy schedule. “We were on the Today Show, went to Times Square and visited MTV. New York is just so much fun,” added Hart, an aeronautical engineering major from Houston. That’s a major I needed Christin to check the spelling of.
  Her kids performed great, but it was a tough night overall for Air Force cheer coach Laura Hutchen: she is a graduate of Mississippi State.

Could Arkansas Strike Out?

Is Arkansas Setting Itself Up to Strike Out?

by Phil Kasiecki

Among the head coaching vacancies this off-season is the one at the University of Arkansas, where a report of a possible firing surfaced as the team made a run through the SEC Tournament. Even though the Razorbacks made the NCAA Tournament, the school still fired Stan Heath, one of the more questionable moves made this off-season. Now, the school is searching for his successor, and it might not be pretty.

When Heath took over the program, it had fallen from its days as a national power in the mid-1990s under Nolan Richardson. It was several years removed from being a hot job of any sort. Since Heath began, the program has gone from winning nine games to 12, then 18, then 22 and an NCAA Tournament appearance last season, and now 21 and another appearance this season. That looks like progress, especially since the Razorbacks lost three key guards from last season and were especially hurt by the early departure of Ronnie Brewer for the NBA. They had no seniors on this season’s team, and the only returning backcourt lettermen played limited minutes last season. The team’s media guide even trumpets this progress, noting how the win total gradually went from nine to 22 last season.

In going for his successor, there is reason to believe the school will try to hit a home run, much the idea that North Carolina State had last year after Herb Sendek bolted for Arizona State. We all know how that turned out – the Wolfpack went through a good deal of negative publicity as one coach after another said “thanks but no thanks” either after an interview or something as relatively minor as his name surfacing in talks about the job. They also had no coaches out on the road recruiting during live AAU tournaments. It’s now possible that Arkansas could wind up in the same boat – going for the home run, but over-swinging and striking out.

The big problem is that Arkansas is hardly the best situation out there, but don’t try telling them that. According to reports, the school thought they could get Texas A&M’s Billy Gillispie or Kansas’ Bill Self. Before opting for an extension at Texas A&M, Gillispie was also in play at Kentucky, according to reports. Self would have to be crazy (or suddenly and quietly on the hot seat in Lawrence) to leave Kansas for the job. After that? Who knows where they go, although ESPN.com reported on Friday that hot names mentioned at the Final Four included Leonard Hamilton, who could be on the hot seat at Florida State, and Sean Sutton (Oklahoma State).

Arkansas isn’t in a position where it’s going to lure a solid, winning coach in another high-major conference. It’s not Florida. It’s not Kentucky, which also has an opening as alluded to earlier. It’s not even Alabama, for a comparison of schools in its own division. So save for someone who has roots there or is nearby, the chances of the school attracting a coach from another high-major seems pretty remote. Instead, the school’s best targets might well be rising mid-major coaches.

A hot name of late is Southern Illinois head coach Chris Lowery, who has the look of a winner wherever he is – whether he stays in Carbondale for a long time or takes a high-major job this off-season or in the foreseeable future. Detractors will say that Lowery has won primarily with inherited players, although he had a hand in recruiting many of them since he was an assistant there first. But spend some time watching them play and listening to him talk about his team, and you can see why he wins. He actually spends a lot of time on non-basketball matters with his players in addition to his ability to teach the game, and you can see the end result. His team is composed of players who know the game, and that’s apparent from watching them even once.

Another one to consider is Oral Roberts’ Scott Sutton, although a report earlier this season in a local paper in Tulsa suggested that he isn’t planning to go anywhere. He has the pedigree and has kept Oral Roberts on the rise after taking over for Bill Self, getting to the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons. Although the Golden Eagles lose the best duo in school history (and the best duo in the country no one knew about) in Caleb Green and Ken Tutt, there is still plenty of talent up and down the roster and there are no other seniors. That means he does have a good situation in Tulsa, and the program’s recent success will only help attract more talent.

We all saw how the North Carolina State coaching search went last season. No disrespect to Sidney Lowe, who did an excellent job with a thin roster this year, but he was probably not even on the school’s radar as a successor to Herb Sendek when the search began. Now that the Final Four is upon us, when coaching vacancies often get filled or close to it, we’ll see if Arkansas can avoid a similar fate.

Other Notes From Around the Nation

• Michigan is reportedly going to try to lure West Virginia head coach John Beilein for its vacancy. Wish them good luck: Beilein still has a large buyout clause and West Virginia isn’t going to drop it down, according to reports. The Wolverines could strike out much like Arkansas if reports on their search are to be believed.
• Speaking of Michigan, former head coach Tommy Amaker has been mentioned in reports about the Harvard job (he interviewed there earlier in the week), and he would be an excellent hire. He went to Duke, where academics are paramount, and Michigan is also an excellent academic institution. His wife also has a career in academia, so Harvard would seem to fit him personally. If hired, that would also give the school and the Ivy League some positive attention.
• Also on the subject of the Ivy League, Joe Scott’s departure from Princeton for the Denver job both surprised and didn’t surprise many. Considering the struggles at the school during his tenure, some thought he was on the hot seat, but that didn’t take away the surprise. But it is also fitting that Denver’s job cycle would end with a relative surprise when one considers how it began. It started with former coach Terry Carroll taking an extended leave of absence, then basically going AWOL as he did not return a series of calls from athletic director Peg Bradley-Doppes and a phone number for him could not be found.
• A definite thumbs-down goes to Iona for the way it dismissed Jeff Ruland as the head coach. According to ESPN.com, as of Thursday Ruland has not been told in person or over the phone that he has been fired. Is that the way to handle this with the guy who is perhaps your program’s greatest player ever?
• St. Bonaventure is apparently back to square one after Will Brown decided to stay at Albany and sign an extension. The Bonnies may soon be at the point where getting a current head coach will be almost impossible, but the school doesn’t want someone without head coaching experience since the last coach had none beforehand.

East Regional Notes

Comebacks Rule East Regional

by Ray Floriani

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It was a weekend of comebacks. The East Regional final was simply an amazing comeback and one of the most exciting finishes in a building which has seen its share.

Semifinals
Geoegetown 66, Vanderbilt 65
North Carolina 74, USC 64

Final
Georgetown 96, North Carolina 84

Georgetown came from ten down with just over seven minutes to play to force overtime. In the extra session, the Hoyas ran off 14 unanswered points and defeated North Carolina 96-84.

It was an incredible shift in momentum. North Carolina built the lead on transition and an uncanny ability to pound the boards. Those who questioned if Tyler Hansbrough disappeared in big games got their answer. The 6’9″ UNC sophomore established himself as a force on the blocks from the opening minutes.

Georgetown had a brief early seven-point lead, but for most of the contest the Hoyas trailed. They stayed close, still that 8 to 10-point lead felt like 18. Carolina was running on all cylinders and appeared in control.

Down the stretch, the Hoyas started limiting the Tar Heels to one shot. The defense tightened up as the offense started to click. A Roy Hibbert dunk with just over 4 minutes left cut the UNC lead to three. While Carolina led on the scoreboard, they were trailing in the momentum area as Georgetown came on strong down the stretch.

Hansbrough made a great move out of a double team to give UNC an 81-78 lead with 1:40 to play. Georgetown equalized it on a huge Jonathan Wallace trey with 30 seconds left.

As time runs down, Carolina gets Wayne Ellington off a screen for a great look beyond the arc. Ellington’s shot rims and is rebounded by Patrick Ewing Jr. with 2 seconds left. After a timeout the Hoyas could not get a decent shot off.

Georgetown scored thirty seconds into overtime and went on to score virtually every possession. On the other end North Carolina misfired, and those good looks that went down earlier in the contest missed. Georgetown no longer gave second chances, as the Heels were one and done on their OT possessions. The Hoyas ran off 14 straight points as their cheering section exploded with joy. Ty Lawson hit a three with just under ten seconds left for Carolina’s only points in the extra session. Georgetown is headed to Atlanta.

The Hoya season almost had an abrupt ending on Friday night as well. Seconds remained with Georgetown in possession trailing by one to a solid Vanderbilt club. During a timeout, Thompson called for two cutters going to the high post with a back door to be run off the cutters. “I told Jeff (Green) if he gets it and can’t find Patrick (Ewing Jr.), just take it himself.”

Green got the ball, saw Ewing covered and made a spin move to the basket. “I was double-teamed and just went up high and sent it off the glass,” Green said. Vanderbilt wanted a traveling violation. The only thing it got was a trip home as Green’s shot kissed the backboard before falling through.

In the other semifinal on Friday, North Carolina trailed USC by nine at the half. USC got out strong early in the second half and built a 16-point lead with just over 17 minutes remaining.

But the Tar Heels never panicked and started to chip away. Six minutes later that deficit was down to a manageable 10. The Heels then went on an 18-0 run that basically sealed the deal. Taj Gibson, the Trojans’ inside presence, sat on the bench with four fouls during the Carolina run. His absence was not the entire story, as Tim Floyd’s club rushed shots and took ill-advised attempts early in several possessions when they still had a double-digit lead.

Notes

• The on-court celebration was mixed with elation and nostalgia. Georgetown students who were not even born when the Hoyas last went to the final Four (1985) reveled in seeing Patrick Ewing Sr. and John Thompson on the floor as part of the post game festivities.
• Georgetown was thrilled but players and coach maintained an even keel. They realized the magnitude of what they accomplished and realize it’s back to work to prepare for Ohio State. Coach John Thompson III said that at halftime (when they were down 50-44) they just discussed stopping transition and hitting the boards harder. The offense, they felt, would take care of itself, and it did.
  “At the half we just talked about limiting their transition and stopping their second shots,” Thompson said. “We felt we could eventually get what we wanted offensively; we just had to stop them.”
  Georgetown had an uncanny ability to play with a double-digit deficit, never lose poise and continue to execute their offense. “It’s something we have been doing that all year,” Thompson said.
• As much as his dad is an influence, so is Thompson’s college coach, Pete Carril. “There is hardly a situation that goes on in a game where I don’t think of something he (Carril) said,” Thompson noted. “He is like a basketball conscience to me.”
• Hansbrough scored a game-high 26 points with 11 boards in the finals. Jeff Green led Georgetown with 22 points, 9 rebounds and was selected as the Most Outstanding Player. Green did not score until 6 and change were left in the first half. He never forced the issue and let the game come to him – a true sign of greatness.
• North Carolina coach Roy Williams talked about the Georgetown of old contrasted with today. “”It was a different style of play when big John was coaching,” Williams said. “Coach Thompson, his size, his mannerisms, his person – he was able to intimidate people. I love him to dearth but he could probably intimidate me. Young John is not his dad and coaches the way that is best for him.”
  Williams feels these Hoyas still have that toughness of old. “Toughness is being down ten and doing what your coach wants you to do. Toughness is being Wallace and hitting that shot.”
• John Thompson Jr. spoke with pride and joy over his son’s achievement. “Getting to the Final Four is tough,” the former coach said. “People think once you have been there you will get back. Getting back is tough, but just getting there is extremely difficult. There were 16 ‘Final Four teams’. North Carolina was a Final Four, Southern Illinois was a Final Four. The only thing that kept these teams out is a bad bounce here or missed shot there. Any of these teams could have gone to the Final Four. Any one in coaching understands that.”
  Thompson also added, “when you are in a position (coaching a tough game) you can handle it. But when your child is in that position it affects you more.”
• It is with great sadness we report the death of Jason Ray. The North Carolina mascot, Ray was hit by an SUV near his hotel in Fort Lee, NJ on Friday afternoon and was listed in critical condition later that day. A press release was given to the media during the UNC-USC contest. The Carolina cheerleaders found out after the game and were distraught with grief. UNC coach Roy Williams led his post game press conference on Friday evening talking about Ray and how this tragedy just brings us back to what is truly important.
  On Sunday afternoon one of the Carolina cheerleaders reported Ray’s condition stayed the same. “Thankfully,” she said, “it hasn’t gotten worse.” Not long after that it did, as he wound upon life support. On Monday morning Jason Ray died.
  Our prayers and sympathy go out to Jason Ray’s family and that of the entire University of North Carolina.

Final Quick Hitters

• With all of Georgetown’s weapons, Roy Williams raved about Jessie Sapp. The 6’3 sophomore had a solid 15-point, 4-rebound, 8-assist showing against the Tar Heels.
• One had to love Vanderbilt’s outstanding ball movement, poise and ability to putt a dagger on your defense from the perimeter. Seeing SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars (17 pts) versus Georgetown was a pleasure to watch.
• Kevin Stallings may whine a bit to officials, but does a truly outstanding job on the Vandy sidelines.
• An NCAA violation? Yours truly is a coffee fiend. When I walked out to the arena with my coffee in a generic cup I was informed by an usher all beverages must be in an NCAA cup. No lie. You can’t make this up.
• USC was a good “banger” away from playing on Sunday. Wait until OJ Mayo arrives. UCLA, rightfully so, gets the headlines in LA, but Tim Floyd is doing a nice job building something special.
• Sapp on Thompson Jr.: “The dude is a legend, we love having him and are honored he stops by our practices.”
• The Notre Dame fight song is storied. It’s difficult not to get the pulse racing hearing the USC band play their classic. Maybe the Song Girls help a little too.

On the Baseline

• Proof that academics rule at Vanderbilt: the cheer team flew to New York the day of the semis. “With the first two rounds in Sacramento, the school felt we missed too much class time,” said cheer coach Pam Pearson.
• USC brought the Song Girls and Spirit Leaders. They spent some time sightseeing in New York, with Little Italy and SoHo being big stops, thanks to senior Nicole Schneider who hails from Merrick, NY. Spirit Leader Elyse Avila of Orange County, Cal. was amazed how you could get around New York, as opposed to LA, without a car.
• For Song Girl Sara Escalante from Newport Beach, Calif., who finds performing in front of 70,000 football crowds, “easy and fun”, the choice of cities was a tossup. “New York, LA, I love them both.”

North Carolina: North Carolina Student Mascot Dies After Accident

North Carolina Student Mascot Dies After Accident: Jason Ray, a UNC student who performed as the mascot for the school’s basketball team, died after being struck by a car before an NCAA Tournament game. The 21-year-old student was hit by a car while walking on a highway shoulder near his hotel. No charges have been charged against the driver, who stopped immediately, called 911, and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. [3/30/07]

Minnesota, Kentucky: Tubby Smith Headed to Minnesota

Tubby Smith Headed to Minnesota: Kentucky coach Tubby Smith has been hired as the new Minnesota coach. Smith was 22-12 this season and advanced to the NCAA tournament, but he has not won a championship since 1998. A struggling Minnesota program will get a much needed boost from Smith’s post season experience. Smith’s departure ends weak of speculation that the school might fire him. In the end, he left of his own accord. However, the rampant rumors likely did not encourage Smith to remain with the Wildcats much longer. [3/30/07]

New Mexico, Iowa: Iowa’s Alford Moves to New Mexico

Iowa’s Alford Moves to New Mexico: Iowa coach Steve Alford received a six-year $5.85 million contract to jump ship and move to New Mexico. Alford is expected to revitalize the Mountain West program, which has made only one NCAA Tournament in five seasons. Alford played for Texas Tech coach Bob Knight, in addition to playing in the 1984 Olympics and four seasons in the NBA.  [3/30/07]

Duke: Duke Sophomore to Enter Draft

Duke Sophomore to Enter Draft: Sophomore forward Josh McRoberts announced that he will enter the 2007 NBA Draft. McRoberts averaged 10.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in his two seasons with Duke, impressing NBA scouts. Some prognosticators predict him to be the 18th pick in the first round. McRoberts also had the option to leave Duke after his freshman year but chose to stay at Duke for his sophomore year to hone his skills, which will now be useful for an NBA team. [3/30/07]

Colorado State, North Dakota State: Colorado State Names Miles Coach

Colorado State Names Miles Coach: Colorado State named Tim Miles its new coach after firing Dale Layer. Miles coached at North Dakota State, where he went 99-71 in six seasons. The Rams went 17-13 this past season and finished sixth in the Mountain West Conference under Layer.   [3/30/07]

Radford, Virginia Tech: Brad Greenberg Leaves Hokies Staff to Take Radford Job

Brad Greenberg Leaves Hokies Staff to Take Radford Job: Former Virginia Tech associate coach Brad Greenberg is now the head coach at Radford. He brings experience to Radford as the former general manager of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and vice president of player personnel for eight years with the Portland Trail Blazers. Radford was 8-22 this past season and needs a coach like Greenberg to give the struggling program a boost. He is the brother of Hokies coach Seth Greenberg. [3/30/07]

Niagara: Mihalich Rewared New Deal

Mihalich Rewared New Deal: Niagara coach Joe Mihalich has been rewarded a new multiyear contract to remain with the Purple Eagles. This season, Niagara earned an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament by winning the MAAC Tournament. Mihalich is happy to be returning to the program, and looks forward to not only a winning season but also building character in his players. [3/30/07]

Utah, Michigan State: Michigan State Assistant Heading to Utah

Michigan State Assistant Heading to Utah: Michigan State assistant coach Jim Boylen will be the new head coach of Utah’s program. This will be the first head coaching job for Boylen, who has coached under Tom Izzo for two years and has experience as an 11-year assistant for the Houston Rockets. Boylen will take over a slumping program that finished 11-19 this past season. [3/30/07]

Wyoming: Wyoming Names Schroyer Coach

Wyoming Names Schroyer Coach: Heath Schroyer has been named Wyoming’s coach. He previously worked as an assistant for the Cowboys in 2001. Schroyer coached at Portland State before acting as an associate coach at Fresno State the past two seasons. Schroyer takes over the program after Steve McClain was fired following a 17-15 record in his ninth season. [3/30/07]

Memphis: Memphis Extends Calipari’s Contract Through 2011-12

Memphis Extends Calipari’s Contract Through 2011-12: Memphis coach John Calipari received a contract extension through 2012 after leading the Tigers to the their second straight NCAA tournament appearance. Calipari is 181-63 in seven seasons at Memphis and plans to lead the team to more success in the future. And he may do so, only losing one reserve player for next year. [3/30/07]

Xavier: Xavier Locks Up Miller Long Term

Xavier Locks Up Miller Long Term: Head Coach Sean Miller signed a contract extension to keep him at Xavier until 2016. Miller led the Musketeers to the Atlantic 10 regular-season championship and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Financial details of the extended contract are not yet known, but it is expected that Miller received a significant raise. [3/30/07]

North Dakota State: North Dakota State Promotes Phillips to Coach

North Dakota State Promotes Phillips to Coach: North Dakota State has replaced former men’s basketball coach Tim Miles with assistant Saul Phillips. Phillips, an assistant coach for three years, helped the Bison to a 20-8 record in 2006-07. It was the first 20-win for North Dakota State since moving to Division I play in 2004. Miles, Phillips’ former boss, will coach at Colorado State next season. [3/27/07]

Kent State: Heath Dismissed Despite NCAA Tournament Berths

Heath Dismissed Despite NCAA Tournament Berths: Despite having led the Razorbacks to back-to-back 20-win and NCAA Tournament seasons, Arkansas coach Stan Heath was fired Monday. Arkansas went 21-14 this season, including 7-9 in SEC West play, but lost to USC in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Athletic Director Frank Broyles called the move “difficult” but said it was best for both parties as he seeks to get the program back to “national prominence.” Heath had an 82-71 record with the Razorbacks and didn ‘t fare well in the SEC, going 31-49. He was Kent State’s coach in 2002 when the Golden Flashes went 30-6 and made an Elite Eight appearance. [3/27/07]

IPFW: Fife Gets New Life as IPFW ‘s Coach

Fife Gets New Life as IPFW ‘s Coach: Indianapolis-Purdue at Fort Wayne, which will move into the Mid-Continent Conference next season, gave head coach Dane Fife a contract extension through 2013. Fife has a 22-35 record in two years at IPFW and went 12-17 this season. Financial terms were not disclosed. [3/27/07]

Binghamton: Georgetown ‘s Broadus to Move up After Final Four

Georgetown ‘s Broadus to Move up After Final Four: Georgetown assistant coach Kevin Broadus was announced as Bighamton ‘s new head coach Monday. Broadus, whose Hoyas will face Ohio State in a Final Four showdown Saturday, will replace Al Walker at Binghamton. Broadus’ resume includes assistant coaching stints at five schools during the past 17 seasons, the last three with Georgetown. He also recruited many players on the current roster. Bighamton, which plays in the America East Conference, began playing at the Division I level in 2001 and went 13-16 this season. [3/27/07]

San Diego: Grier Named San Diego Coach

Grier Named San Diego Coach: Bill Grier, an assistant coach at Gonzaga for the past 16 seasons, will replace Brad Holland as San Diego’s new head coach. Grier, a top assistant with the Bulldogs, helped the team win 11 regular-season West Coast Conference championships and nine WCC Tournament titles and obtain NCAA Tournament berths nine straight times and 10 overall. San Diego went 18-14 this season. [3/27/07]

Liberty: Former New Mexico Coach McKay Finds New Gig

Former New Mexico Coach McKay Finds New Gig: Ritchie McKay, fired just over a month ago at New Mexico, has been named Liberty’s new head coach. McKay, 41, had an 82-69 record in five years with the Lobos and led them to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004-05. However, New Mexico only managed a 15-17 record this season, leading to his dismissal. McKay, who replaces Randy Dunton at Liberty, also coached at Oregon State, Colorado State and Portland State. His career record stands at 165-158 in almost 11 seasons. [3/27/07]