Some coaching changes and transfers of interest

[FUBeAR]

Reports out of Macon say that current Purdue assistant coach Greg Gary will be the new Mercer head coach. He has also been an assistant for Miami (FL), Tulane, South Florida, McNeese State, and Duquesne. Gary was head coach at Centenary College from 2008-10. He played at Tulane from 1989-92 where he set the school's career assist record.

https://mercerbears.com/news/2019/3/26/ ... ogram.aspx

Greg Gary Hired to Lead Mercer Men’s Basketball Program - Gary is in his eighth season as an assistant coach at Purdue

MACON, Ga. – Greg Gary, who has helped guide Purdue to three consecutive Sweet 16 appearances, has been named the 27th men's basketball head coach at Mercer University, Director of Athletics Jim Cole announced Tuesday.

A veteran assistant coach with over 25 years at the NCAA Division I level, Gary has spent the last eight seasons working under Matt Painter at Purdue University. A press conference announcing Gary's official arrival will be held at a later date following the conclusion of the 2018-19 Purdue men's basketball campaign.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT GARY
"Mercer is getting a very good person and coach in Greg Gary. Coach Gary has been a big part of our success over the last eight years. He is an excellent teacher of the game and will bring the right student-athletes to enable Mercer to be successful on and off the court." – Matt Painter, Purdue Head Coach

GARY AT A GLANCE
Birthdate: February 14, 1970
Birthplace: Anderson, Ind.
Age: 49
High School: Anderson Highland, 1988
College: Tulane, 1992 (B.S., sport management)
Wife: Claudia
Daughters: Gabrielle, Logan, Alexandra and Brooklyn
Son: Nash

Playing Experience
1988: Aquinas College (Nashville, Tenn.)
1989-92: Tulane (New Orleans, La.)

Coaching Experience
1993-97: Tulane (asst.)
1997-98: McNeese State (asst.)
1998-00: Tulane (asst.)
2000-04: Miami (Fla.) (asst.)
2004-07: South Florida (asst.)
2007-08: Duquesne (asst.)
2008-10: Centenary (head coach)
2010-11: Duquesne (asst.)
2011-19: Purdue (asst.)

[Fuonetime]

Georgia State Head Coach Ron Hunter has accepted the head coaching job at Tulane!

[MNORM]

Six UMass players enter the transfer portal.
https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-basket ... y-24390378

[fufanatic]

Georgia State Head Coach Ron Hunter has accepted the head coaching job at Tulane!

This is so bizarre to me. I get that the American is a better conference than the Sun Belt, and I'm sure the money is better, but Hunter has been very good every stop he's been at. Figured a power job was next on his list. Reminds of going from Furman to Drake.

[PaladinPower]

Georgia State Head Coach Ron Hunter has accepted the head coaching job at Tulane!

This is so bizarre to me. I get that the American is a better conference than the Sun Belt, and I'm sure the money is better, but Hunter has been very good every stop he's been at. Figured a power job was next on his list. Reminds of going from Furman to Drake.

Ron Hunter plans to win wherever he goes. Per source, he mentioned to the AD about gaining a long term-contract after making the NCAAT a couple years in a row. The AD said no. He pretty much told them that he will be gone after the 2018-2019 season if he does not get the long term job. Wanted to stay at Ga St., but they wouldn't have him. Hope that doesn't happen here at Furman...

[fufanatic]

Georgia State Head Coach Ron Hunter has accepted the head coaching job at Tulane!

This is so bizarre to me. I get that the American is a better conference than the Sun Belt, and I'm sure the money is better, but Hunter has been very good every stop he's been at. Figured a power job was next on his list. Reminds of going from Furman to Drake.

Ron Hunter plans to win wherever he goes. Per source, he mentioned to the AD about gaining a long term-contract after making the NCAAT a couple years in a row. The AD said no. He pretty much told them that he will be gone after the 2018-2019 season if he does not get the long term job. Wanted to stay at Ga St., but they wouldn't have him. Hope that doesn't happen here at Furman...

Wow. If true, that is clinically insane (on Georgia State's part). The Panthers are/were the top dog in the Sun Belt. Not exactly sure what the AD was/is looking for. Plus from the outside, Hunter looked like a model coach, especially considering his initiative to not wear shoes one game to raise money for a charity.

[Affirm]

Tulane is a much better school than Georgia State.

[FUBeAR]

Tulane is a much better school than Georgia State.

Except for Georgia State's outstanding Applied Behavior Analysis, MS program, you meant to add, right?

[tya1]

East Carolina has five players transferring out. William and Mary now also has five players leaving.

As of this year the NCAA has established the "transfer portal." Players don't have to contact the schools they want to transfer to. They can enter the "portal" and wait to see which schools contact them. Justin Pierce, the 6'7" W&M transfer, picked up a lot of interest from many schools. He is going to get a visit from Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. So, now, ACC coaches can come to another school to try to recruit their players away. Perfectly legal. Still seems wrong. Once a player puts his name into the transfer portal the school is only required to pay for his scholarship through the end of the current semester. They can still try to retain him though. It is up to the school.

Alabama has hired Buffalo's Nate Oats. Oats had Buffalo in the top 25 this year and had lead them to the NCAA tournament three of his four years at the school.

[fufanatic]

Tulane is a much better school than Georgia State.

Academically? No doubt. No argument from me. Just thought Hunter, with his resume, would have made a higher move up than the worst team in the American. They were 0-18 this year! But maybe he likes the city. Or the academic reputation. Or the money offered. Who knows.

[Affirm]

Tulane is a much better school than Georgia State.

Academically? No doubt. No argument from me. Just thought Hunter, with his resume, would have made a higher move up than the worst team in the American. They were 0-18 this year! But maybe he likes the city. Or the academic reputation. Or the money offered. Who knows.

Seems like a very doable project to improve a team that was 0-18 and to also get a lot of notice if he does improve it.

[MNORM]

Anyone interested in another Center from Hinsdale, Illinois (different HS).
https://247sports.com/Player/Barret-Benson-31584/

Matt and Barret follow each other on Twitter....maybe he can help lure him down here. 6-10, 240lbs...wears purple well.
He graduated early from Northwestern and has two years eligibility.

[DungeonRealm]

Anyone interested in another Center from Hinsdale, Illinois (different HS).
https://247sports.com/Player/Barret-Benson-31584/

Matt follows him on Twitter....maybe he can help lure him down here. 6-10, 240lbs...wears purple well.
He graduated early from Northwestern and has two years eligibility.

Very interesting find

So he would be eligible to play right away for 2 years? or just 1 year?

[DungeonRealm]

Barret Benson:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/c ... story.html

[MNORM]

Anyone interested in another Center from Hinsdale, Illinois (different HS).
https://247sports.com/Player/Barret-Benson-31584/

Matt and Barret follow each other on Twitter....maybe he can help lure him down here. 6-10, 240lbs...wears purple well.
He graduated early from Northwestern and has two years eligibility.

Very interesting find

So he would be eligible to play right away for 2 years? or just 1 year?

He should have two years of eligibility left. He only played two seasons and will be graduating early. I have no idea what his major was...so not sure if there's a graduate program at Furman that would even appeal to him. That could, in theory, be an issue.