Miami's Jim Larranaga Wins USBWA Coach Of The Year Award

Miami Head Coach Jim Larranaga

When the college basketball season began who thought that Miami would have a shot at the Final Four?  If you did I hope you put money down on the Hurricanes in the Las Vegas sports books.

The Hurricanes won the ACC Championship Sunday and Tuesday Jim Larranaga won the Henry Iba Award as the national coach of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association of America.

"Coach L definitely deserves this award because of his passion for the game of basketball and his dedication to the team and the University of Miami," Miami point guard Shane Larkin said. "He said he would take this program to the top, and in only year two, we are ACC champions."

Larranaga has made Miami Hurricane basketball relevant in the city with boasts the current and more than likely repeat NBA Champions, the Miami Heat.  Heck Lebron James and Dewayne Wade were big Hurricane fans showing up at the Bank United Center to catch a game. 

Hurricane basketball was a hotter ticket that Heat games when Duke and North Carolina came to Coral Gables.

Every year I have the privilege to vote for the Henry Iba Award and as much as I love what Jim Larranaga has accomplished in two short years at Miami I voted for Jim Crews at Saint Louis U.

Believe me my heart was with Larranaga but couldn't pull the trigger.

Saint Louis U Head Coach Jim Crews

Jim Crews wasn't suppose to be the head coach of the Billikens, it was Rick Majerus.  Last August Majerus took a leave of absence because to health issues and Crews became the interim head coach.

Of course you know those health issues took Majerus' life last December.

All Crews did was lead SLU to the Atlantic 10 Championship with a 27-6 record and a four seed in the Midwest Regional.

The Sporting News recognized Crews as it's national coach of the year last week.  Yet with all the accolades and success it's not guaranteed that Crews will be SLU's coach next season.

Saint Louis athletic director Chris May is not committing to Crews long term but would rather wait and evaluate the program at the end of the season.

The SLU job is much more attractive that it was when Majerus took the gig and there will be many interested candidates.

Perhaps the best man for the job is already there.

Saint Louis PBP Guy Vs. Officials Makes For Funny Radio

It has not been a week for play-by-play guys...

First, the North Dakota play-by-play announcer, Paul Ralston, gets suspended for calling his team's loss to Northern Arizona "a choke job." And now, Saint Louis voice Bob Ramsey had to keep the zebras at bay after calling a "cheap foul" on the broadcast against VCU...

And the call is... awesome...
((HT: Awful Announcing))


"Just improve a little..."

A Billiken Blast Of Butler. Saint Louis U Ambushes The Bulldogs

10,612 Saint Louis U fans, the largest crowd at ever Chaifetz Arena saw their Billikens ambush ninth ranked Butler 75-58.

"We pretty much got punked," Butler guard Rotnei Clarke said. "End of story. There's not really much to say about it. We got outclassed and we got punked."

Witness for yourself how Butler got punked.  (Thanks SaintLouisBillikens)

 

Butler head coach Brad Stevens had a difference of opinion.  Stevens actually admired what he was seeing from Saint Louis U.

"I absolutely loved the way they moved the ball," Stevens said. "It was an absolute joy to watch one team play. The problem was, it wasn't the team I coached."

The team Stevens coaches was stifled by the Billikens defense shooting only 43 percent from the field, 37 percent in the first half.

Saint Louis shot 50 percent for the game and was led by Jordair Jett with 19 points.

"We were just thinking `Step on it. Make the lead go bigger," Jett said. "That's how we play.”

"Everyone was just focused. `Let's not waste a possession," Saint Louis head coach Jim Crews said. "I think our guys did a nice job of sustaining that mentality."

Clarke might have felt punked himself only shooting 5-12 from the field.  Clark finished the game with 17 points to lead the Bulldogs.

The good thing for Butler is that it’s just one game in a marathon college basketball season. 

"We've got to bounce back from this," Stevens said.

The Butler coach knows this loss must be forgotten.

Going back to Hinkle Fieldhouse will help.  The Bulldogs next two games are in their old barn hosting Rhode Island Saturday then St. Bonaventure on Wednesday night.

Rick Majerus Passes Away At 64

OSG Sports has learned that former Saint Louis head coach Rick Majerus has passed away. He stepped down from his post with Billikens a few months ago wanting to focus on his treatment for his heart condition.

Last season, Majerus led the Billikens to the third round of the NCAA Tournament, the school’s first NCAA appearance since 2000- getting the school's first win since 1998. Saint Louis was also in the polls for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

In mid-November, when it was announced that Majerus was stepping aside, AD Chris May said:

"Rick built this team to be in a position to compete for championships, and we will move forward with that same goal. We will continue to invest all of our resources to ensure that this team, under the leadership of interim head coach Jim Crews, is put in the best position possible to succeed.”

Former Majerus assistant Porter Moser, now at Loyola-Chicago, relayed this through his Twitter account:

RIP to my friend and mentor Coach Majerus. I learned so much about the game and life. We lost a One of the best! My heart is heavy tonight.

In the interim, here are some of Majerus' greatest hits from his time at SLU


Majerus’ moment on the big stage of college basketball was back in 1998 when his Utah team reached the NCAA final losing to Kentucky.

During the Utes Final Four run in 1998 I had a chance in interview Majerus at the NCAA West Sub-Regional in Boise, Idaho for an impromptu tough-n-cheek feature that involved good restaurants in Boise. He gave me five good minutes and was never afraid to show his sense of humor in front of a camera.

More when we know more...

Majerus Not Returning To St Louis

((HT: KTVI-TV St. Louis))

Health issues have, regrettably, dogged the coaching career of Rick Majerus...

And it appears it is going to keep him from continuing his re-building of the St. Louis program.

He is going to remain in California and continue to have his heart issues evaluated...

“Coach Majerus’ health is of the utmost importance, and our thoughts and prayers are with him as he faces his challenges,” said SLU Athletic Director Chris May in a prepared statement. “We are thankful for Rick’s efforts as he succeeded by all accounts as our head men’s basketball coach.

“Rick built this team to be in a position to compete for championships, and we will move forward with that same goal,” May said. “We will continue to invest all of our resources to ensure that this team, under the leadership of interim head coach Jim Crews, is put in the best position possible to succeed.”

“Rick returned our program to national prominence, and Billiken fans everywhere will be forever grateful for his deep commitment to winning, and his even deeper commitment to our student-athletes,” SLU President Lawrence Biondi, S.J. said. “We continue to pray for Rick and his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Here's the early response from campus...


Jim Crews will stay on as interim coach for the season upcoming...

Majerus Taking Season Off At St. Louis

((HT: KSDK-TV))

St. Louis head coach Rick Majerus has announced that he's stepping aside for the 2012-13 season to take care of some health problems.

He took time off on three separate occasions in the past, but he's never done it at the start of the season. Assistant coach Jim Crews starts as the interim head coach immediately.

Here's how Frank Cusumano delivered the breaking news...
"Rick is in a California hospital undergoing evaluation and treatment for an ongoing heart condition," SLU AD Chris May said in a statement. "His health is the most important issue right now, and our hope is for full and complete recovery." Majerus went 26-8 last year and took the Billikens to their first NCAA tournament bid since 1998, and the team won its first tournament game since 1994. And here's the KTVI-TV version of events...