Heath fired at Arkansas
Stan Heath was fired Monday after five seasons as the men’s basketball coach at Arkansas while Utah, Binghamton and Liberty are in the hiring mode.
Utah is set to hire Michigan State assistant Jim Boylen in yet another coaching move across the sport. Binghamton announced the hiring of Kevin Broadus, a Georgetown assistant, and Liberty University tabbed Ritchie McKay, who was dismissed last month at New Mexico.
Meanwhile, Rick Pitino said he’s happy coaching Louisville and wouldn’t consider returning to Kentucky, the school he led to the national title in 1996.
“I would never ever leave (Louisville) to go to another college because they’re my family,” Pitino said Monday.
Pitino, who was “shocked” by Tubby Smith’s sudden departure from Kentucky last week, sees too much potential in the Cardinals to consider leaving. Louisville went 24-10 this season and finished second in the Big East before falling to Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
North Dakota State promoted assistant Saul Phillips to the head coaching job. Dane Fife, who led Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne to a school-record number of Division I wins in his first two seasons, agreed to a contract extension through 2013.
The Razorbacks made the NCAA tournament thanks to a late-season run, but that was not enough to save Heath’s job. The Razorbacks (21-14) lost 77-60 to Southern California in the first round. Heath’s record was 82-71, but he went 31-49 in the Southeastern Conference.
Athletic director Frank Broyles said Heath represented the school with “professionalism and integrity.”
“However, in my professional judgment, it is best that the program move forward under new leadership in our efforts to return Razorback basketball to national prominence,” he said.
Boylen will be a head coach for the first time after two seasons as an assistant to Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and 13 years as an NBA assistant.
A person close to Boylen confirmed the move to the Associated Press on Monday, requesting anonymity because the hiring was not expected to be announced until today.
Boylen will replace Ray Giacoletti, who resigned after three seasons and has become an assistant at Gonzaga. The Utes were 11-19 last season.
Broadus has business to attend to before heading to Binghamton. He’s still an assistant at Georgetown, which is in the Final Four. He joined the Georgetown staff three years ago and is optimistic about Binghamton.
“I believe the program is untapped with all the support it has,” he said. “We should be gunning to win the America East Championship. That’s my goal.”
Broadus will be the second basketball coach since Binghamton began playing in Division I in 2001. He replaces Al Walker, reassigned to an administrative job in the athletic department.